Living in Community

[Jon-Marc]

I don't know of any community that is primarily Christian--except in a church, and you can't live there. It's questionable as to how Christian some churches are.

 

[Ret]

Just to be clear, I do believe there are circumstances, like tribulation, that can cause us to have to live under the same roof or further scatter us. I suspect both of those will be happening when the time comes.
In times of peace and plenty I just don't feel it's wise to live with other families under the same roof.
That's just my

Agreed...

 

[Paidion]

There's no doubt that the early Christians lived in community, and that is clearly recorded in Acts chapters 2 and 4. There is also evidence that communal living continued for a couple of centuries afterwards. This was not only living in close proximity; it included community of goods.

I think the first churches, "The Church at Thessalonica" , for example, consisted of a number of local congregations which were in fact Christian communities sharing goods in common. There was at least one overseer and deacons in each community congregation.

I was never personally a part of such a community, but I did live as a school teacher in a Hutterite community for a three-year period from 1962-1965. I had just gotten married in July of 1965, and so my wife and I moved into a teacherage within the community. We were never treated as outsiders; indeed we share the noon meal in the communal dining hall, I sitting with the men, and June with the women. Destiny seems to be concerned about families "living under one roof". Don't families throughout towns and cities do so in apartment buildings? That was the only sense in which Hutterites did so, except that there were some duplex houses in the community where two families lived under one roof, but were completely separate from each other.

June and I used to gather with the people in the evenings to sing hymns and fellowship. It was a wonderful experience. We probably would never have left except that I wanted to move to my home area; I still live on the 160 acre piece of land on which I was born.

Christians who live in community every day, working with one another, and worshipping with one another, and eating with one another, and fellowshipping with one another, will learn to love one another and serve one another. The old self-centered life is gradually replaced by an other-centred life. Of course, God must take precedence over all.

Sometimes I still yearn to live in community with other Christians. I think that practice results in the most rapid growth in Christ. But perhaps I am still too self-centered to make it happen.

 

[Adullam]

There's no doubt that the early Christians lived in community, and that is clearly recorded in Acts chapters 2 and 4. There is also evidence that communal living continued for a couple of centuries afterwards. This was not only living in close proximity; it included community of goods.

I think the first churches, "The Church at Thessalonica" , for example, consisted of a number of local congregations which were in fact Christian communities sharing goods in common. There was at least one overseer and deacons in each community congregation.

I was never personally a part of such a community, but I did live as a school teacher in a Hutterite community for a three-year period from 1962-1965. I had just gotten married in July of 1965, and so my wife and I moved into a teacherage within the community. We were never treated as outsiders; indeed we share the noon meal in the communal dining hall, I sitting with the men, and June with the women. Destiny seems to be concerned about families "living under one roof". Don't families throughout towns and cities do so in apartment buildings? That was the only sense in which Hutterites did so, except that there were some duplex houses in the community where two families lived under one roof, but were completely separate from each other.

June and I used to gather with the people in the evenings to sing hymns and fellowship. It was a wonderful experience. We probably would never have left except that I wanted to move to my home area; I still live on the 160 acre piece of land on which I was born.

Christians who live in community every day, working with one another, and worshipping with one another, and eating with one another, and fellowshipping with one another, will learn to love one another and serve one another. The old self-centered life is gradually replaced by an other-centred life. Of course, God must take precedence over all.

Sometimes I still yearn to live in community with other Christians. I think that practice results in the most rapid growth in Christ. But perhaps I am still too self-centered to make it happen.

A wonderful post. Thank you Paidion!

 

[Jon-Marc]

Unfortunately, very few of the people here seem to be Christians. The language they use proves that. Of course, some of the most obnoxious and judgmental people I've been around have been people who claimed to be Christians--particularly deacons.

Living in a Christian community wouldn't guarantee that they could all be trusted, or that they would all be kind and loving. People are people wherever you go, and people too often hang onto their prejudices, discriminations, and dislikes even after becoming a Christian.

It can take a lifetime for God to make someone anything near what they should be. He's been working on me for nearly 46 years and has a long way to go with me.

 

[Adullam]

Unfortunately, very few of the people here seem to be Christians. The language they use proves that. Of course, some of the most obnoxious and judgmental people I've been around have been people who claimed to be Christians--particularly deacons.

Living in a Christian community wouldn't guarantee that they could all be trusted, or that they would all be kind and loving. People are people wherever you go, and people too often hang onto their prejudices, discriminations, and dislikes even after becoming a Christian.

It can take a lifetime for God to make someone anything near what they should be. He's been working on me for nearly 46 years and has a long way to go with me.

It remains that a flower does not grow well in the shade. ;)

 

[Joe67]

Gen 12:1-3
2:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. KJV

This is how God generates faith.

Rom 4:16
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, KJV

Joe

 

[Adullam]

This thread is about Christian community. Am I missing something here? :gah

 

[Paidion]

Living in a Christian community wouldn't guarantee that they could all be trusted, or that they would all be kind and loving. People are people wherever you go, and people too often hang onto their prejudices, discriminations, and dislikes even after becoming a Christian.

All of the above is true.

However, Hutterites who together with their forefathers experienced community life for more than 400 years, have learned to trust each other and serve each other. You don't have much choice when you live in a Hutterite community. If you can't get along with your neighbour, you'll have a rough life!

When, in 1962, I moved into a Hutterite community as a teacher, I was told, "Whenever you need gasoline, just fill up your car and pay Joe (the treasurer) 19 cents a gallon (it was 25 cents everywhere else). Go to the egg barn when you need eggs and pay Joe (whatever) per dozen. I was completely trusted to be honest. I was amazed! I wondered whether this was a little fortaste of heaven.

I also noticed that the school children thought collectively rather than individually. A child never said, "I like to play ball", but "We like to play ball." Sometimes another child would contradict whatever was affirmed, "No, we don't!"

 

[Joe67]

Ex 19:8
8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that Jehovah hath spoken we will do. And Moses reported the words of the people unto Jehovah. ASV

It is useful for a little while, as a schoolmaster, the behemoth that eats grass like an ox.

It is never to be despised, that would be leviathan, the piercing serpent, the fiery flying serpent.

Joe

 

[Adullam]

True community begins with us. We have to have a child-like heart. This is where being as wise as serpents yet as harmless as doves really proves itself.

 

[Joe67]

True community begins with us. We have to have a child-like heart. This is where being as wise as serpents yet as harmless as doves really proves itself.

Adullam,

Yes and Amen.

Joe