Why Do We LIve in Community

Somehow the ancient Bible writers recognized that people always live in some sort of community setting. It is a part of human nature we share with most other species. It is the way the world works, the way God created us (Genesis 1:27).

The rest of the Bible tells stories about our relationships with each other and with the communities in which we live. The stories contain elements of both incredible evil as well as of kindness. According to Genesis 3, the ancients place both evil (represented by Satan) and good (represented by God) as forces outside of us, even outside the universe. I think most modern scientists now lean in the direction that good and evil depend mostly on our nature as well as our nurture. Whether we behave one way or the other is under our control and can be learned as well as unlearned.

I also think most can agree that Utopia, the Kingdom of God or some other imagined, hoped for, perfect place does not exist anywhere on Earth. For most, their reality is the exact opposite.

The hope is that enough communities around the world recognize the power of community and are attempting to show the rest of us that the Kingdom of God is possible. For starters, they have abolished private ownership of property. They have everything in common. Their purpose in life is to be stewards of the abundance of the Earth making sure there is no needy person among them. They recognize that we all bear the image of God and deserve to be treated as such and therefore must also treat everyone else that way. 

I think everyone can understand this, but some choose not to. I don't think the antiquated language of the Bible is the obstacle. The obstacle is the persistent, false teaching that our condition depends solely on our own effort. I say community is the answer to all the suffering in the world.

Way Back to A New Kind of Church

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If you are new here, you have probably noticed that things are a little different than what you are used to. You might think it is a whole new religion. It isn't. On the contrary, we're looking for a way back to what Jesus had in mind. After he died, things quickly got more than a little off course. I'm trying to get us back on track.

Jesus was a Jew and he went to the synagogue. I don't think the synagogue was the model for the church he had in mind. He didn't say he would build his church with bricks and sticks. He was going to build his church on the belief that he is the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). His church is the group of people who live their lives in accordance with his teaching and example. Clearly, the church of Christ is not a Sunday morning gathering of friends. Following him is a 365/24/7 job. It is our lives, our entire lives. The Apostle Paul puts it this way: [O]ffer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1).

So no, we are not inventing anything new here. We're just going back to the way things were supposed to be. Our church, New Covenant House, is a common purse intentional community. We not only have all our possessions in common, we also have our faith in common. We try to follow the Way of Christ to the best of our ability all day every day.

We have two main challenges: First, all the surrounding laws and institutions are designed for a population that believes in competition and the survival of the strongest. Second, when we confess our Christian faith, we are automatically lumped in with the church that went off the rails centuries ago. We are going to have to learn to overcome these and many other obstacles.

Worrying

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In the Kingdom of God, there is no need to worry (Matthew 6:19-34). Most people worry, though. They put their faith in Social Security and other retirement savings plans to feel safe. It is understandable. It would be awful to have to rely on government handouts to survive in your old age, wouldn't it? 

When Jesus said not to worry, he didn't mean for you to grit your teeth and try really hard not to worry. What he meant is that when we all make it our purpose in life to care for our neighbors there is no need for anyone to worry about anything. All of us would always be provided for. How much would you have to give up for that to happen? How much would you have to pay in tax for everyone to have enough food, a place to live, good healthcare and so on? Well, that's the thing, you would have to give up everything; even yourself. You would have to offer yourself as a living sacrifice, as Paul the Apostle puts it in Romans 12:1.

Like the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-27, most people can't imagine that peace of mind, God's peace, not having to worry, is so much more valuable than anything else you might call your own. The poor widow in Mark 12:41-44 gave everything she had. The rich and powerful, the ones who could really make a difference, did not.

I am convinced there is a small group of people who have not lost faith that the Kingdom of God is possible. Today we might call it something else, an intentional community perhaps. Maybe our words alone won't convince people that we can restore the Garden of Eden. Working together showing them by our example might. Someone long ago put it this way: Preach the gospel, if necessary use words.