Community:
Definition:
A community is a social group...sharing an environment, normally with shared interests. In human communities, intent, belief, resources, preferences, needs, risks and a number of other conditions may be present and common, affecting the identity of the participants and their degree of cohesiveness.
The word community is derived from the Latin communitas (meaning the same), - Wikipedia
Community is one of the buzz words that I have chosen to use pretty regulary, (Community of Believers, Community Development, Coventant Community ect.)
I love the concept of belonging...
However, I have been thinking lately. It was sparked by a conversation that I had with a mentor. He raised the question: "How come our 'communities' are primarily formed by excluding those who don't fit?"
So that's my question, in your experience do we typically form communities by inclusion or exclusion. What has been your experience with Church, Community Groups, College Dorms, etc. Do you find that "there's always room for one more", or is it "welcome...if you are like us"
What do you think? How should the church approach community? How does this concept of being with those "like us" contribute to a racialized society? Have you ever been excluded? Do you exclude others?
Self Disclosure
- Noel Edwin Cisneros Ritter
- As a community youth worker in North Lawndale, Chicago, I am dedicated to living as if the Kingdom of God is a present reality. Again and again, I find myself in positions to chose to build peace or create division in my community, work, church, family and marriage.
Books about Calling and Mission
- The Call - Guinness
- Let Your Life Speak - Palmer
- Now Discover Your Strengths - Buckingham & Clifton
- What Color is Your Parachute - Bolles
- First Things First - Covey
Blogs I Read (And you should too!)
Websites
Books about Race, Peace and Justice
- A lynching in the Heartland - James H. Madison
- America Behind the Color Line - Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
- Divided By Faith - Emerson, Smith
- Free to be Bound - Johnathan Wilson-Hartgrove
- Leadership and Self-Deception - The Arbinger Institute
- Race Matters - Cornel West
- The Anatomy of PEACE - The Arbinger Institute
- The Local Church, Agent of Transformation - Padilla
- The Souls of Black Folk - W.E.B. Du Bois
- United By Faith - DeYoung, Emerson, Yancy, Kim
8 comments:
I live in a small suburb of Chicago, and wanted to lend my experience to a committee for the yearly festival celebrating our town's history.
I was early to the meeting, in fact the first one there. I was not made to feel welcome as I had not been "on the committee" before. Everything I brought up was met with "we tried that, it doesn't work".
AND these people repeatedly said how they were 'burned-out' because no one would step-up and help out.
WHAT? and this is usually the case with committees. Self importance and the fear of loosing control.
How ironic that you bring this up today. As I was taking a walk with a friend of mine we talked on this very subject. She attends a quilters club that is made up of primarly believers. As a group of quilters were attending a different meeting my friend invited this lady to attend the quilt club the following day. This did not sit well with other members of the group. some said she was not a christian and this was a christian group ect. so we discussed this very topic about how we should include others into our various events that we attend. who knows they may not "be like the rest" but it is definetly a way of reaching out to those who need Jesus (in this case anyway). I liked the example that my friend gave.....even Jesus ate with sinners and talked with them. I know that Jesus is perfect, but we need to strive for perfection too and do as Jesus did.
I think about this often in any setting how intimidated we can be to try something new if it involves a group setting we do not welcome people into groups (or communities) very readily.
Wow great thoughts:
Anonymous - I agree, I think self-importance, and fear of losing control, or simple fear itself often seem to motivate the exclusion of others from community.
Corin - I think a good study for us would be the community that Jesus surrounded himself with. What would our communities, our social networks , and our churches look like if we allowed tax collectors, sinners, prostitutes, fishermen, zealots, and traitors. Would this sort of inclusive community backfire, or could it potential have world impacting effects.
Keep the thoughts coming this is great!
honestly, I tend to include and want to be with those "sinners" that people usually want to exclude. I prefer the devious tax collectors, the prostitutes, the homeless, the gangbanger, people that are honest and forth right about their shortcomings. I am weary sometimes about people that appear to have it all together. Jesus came for the sinner and the people that need Him the most often hear about Him the least. But, sadly, i don't feel as if I do have a community. I can't find a church or group that I feel comfortable belonging to. I feel that in turn, my relationship with Christ is suffering.
I think that a community can be exclusive or inclusive and that will be defined by it's purpose.
The KKK is intended to be a community that excludes.
The church should be a community that includes.
I think it depends on the the purpose of the community and then it depends on the way that community is lived out.
I think that the idea of community is a good thing, but can be used for evil as many other good things have been.
Maybe the church should be both inclusive and exclusive.
Let me explain (I'm going to speak broadly). The community of believers is the Body of Christ. By definition, unbelievers are not part of that community, but the invitation is there and they should be welcomed with open arms.
Another point is that, as far as church governance is concerned, unbelievers should not be involved with making decisions about the church.
I want the church to be inclusive (it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick)! I guess I might just be referring to semantics a little.
This is why missions are so important. What you and your dear wife are doing is so amazing and so important (it has eternal consequences). And I'm so struggling with getting OUT OF my BOX!!
Sorry, this post was quite random and disjointed. Thanks for bearing with me!
Noel... Please contact me about sharing Easter with us... memurphy711@sbcglobal.net
Amanda, I don't think it was disjointed:) We should talk more about that sometime:) I don't see you as being boxy:) Love you seester
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