Thoughts on Christian Community

Christian Community, as I see it today, serves two different purposes.

1. Means to an end

A ‘tool’ in the process of sanctification in the Church. God’s grace is often supplied through various vessels within a communal context. The Lords Table and Baptism would lose great significance if not done within community. In fact, I believe that community is an essential element of these two great sacraments of the Church.


2. Byproduct of many changed lives – both a symbol and a sacred entity in one

When individuals who have all given their lives over (some in greater portions than others) to Jesus (assuming this brings change in peoples’ lives) and strive after Him, to become more like Him in character and deed, they will naturally find it to be an essential enhancer of that process of change/growth. This occurs as they come together as one whole body of people (as iron sharpens iron…). It’s the devil’s job to break up communities of believers, as he knows full well the power of God's kingdom expressed in community. This body of believers is then a Christian Community (CC) and is a sacred entity, a literal presence of God on earth.

Symbols are used to represent something other than themselves. While CCs are sacred themselves, they also represent something other, …more loving and more powerful, God Himself. The love and power that permeates from a CC is symbolic of and comes from God’s love and power. This symbol is what attracts or distracts unbelievers to and from the Church (depending on how accurate the symbol is of God). It’s the devil’s job to mar that symbol as much as he can. Its our honor and our call from God to care for and improve upon that symbol, both at the local church level and in the greater Church.