Trinity, Community and Church

I will begin an examinations of George Barna's biblical assertions in my next post, but I wanted to re-post something I put up on January 25, 2005 about the church and Christian Community as "background" for those who may be new to my blog.

Since God is a Trinity, the essence of God is loving relationship, best understood as Communion.  Therefore, the essence of humanity, as God’s creation, is also relationship.

This can be very difficult for us modern Westerners to grasp.   In cultures where identity is tied to family relationships, trinitarian relationship and identity is more easily understood and accepted.  But we have been so steeped in individualism that we forget that even the Lone Ranger had Tonto.  We naturally believe that the very essence of humanity is the individual will.  Truly understanding who God is, is absolutely necessary to understanding who we are and who we are meant to become. 

Another reason for this blog is that I want to tap into our current cultural hunger for community and demonstrate how Christian Community (which I will generally refer to with a capital “C”) is the only truly life-transforming environment.  (Indeed, while absolutely no substitute for genuine, local, personal community, I think that the blogosphere-if kept in perspective—offers us an opportunity to nurture conversation and connections across the miles and philosophical spectrum.) 

But first, let’s define what I mean by Community.  Our cultural is currently undergoing a period of nostalgia for the day in which neighbors and families were stable, knew each other well, and cared for each other through the ups and downs of life.  Many social commentators are trying to restore the ideal of civic community into American public life, and I deeply understand and applaud the efforts.  But Christian Community is not just about neighborliness (though certainly the gospel demands that we “love our neighbors”) nor is it just about proximity (though without proximity Community is impossible).  It’s not just being friends or living in the same housing development.  It’s about sharing more than a cup of sugar and the lawn mower, but core values and a vision for living.   

What this means is the church in its essence is not an organization, even a helpful, divinely mandated one.  Contrary to what many of us have been taught, the church is not just a means of grace; and the church is not just here to help you in your individual journey of faith. 

I remember sitting in evangelistic meetings as a young Christian hearing several well-meaning preachers, (including, later, myself, I must admit) saying, “All you have to do to be saved is to accept Jesus into your heart.  There is no church to join. There’s nothing to do.  You can have a relationship with Jesus right here tonight all by yourself.”  Usually the preacher would suggest that a good Bible teaching church would be helpful to the new believer (like vitamins help a diet), but what was most important was a “personal relationship by asking Jesus into your heart.” 

Over time I have come to realize that Paul would never have preached that message.  Instead, all of the early church preached, “Believe and be baptized.”  (Baptism always meant joining a particular gathering of believers.) Have faith in Christ and join with the people of Christ.  Know the God who is Community and become part of it yourself.

Further, Christian Community is not just a shared experience.  It’s not people who sit together in pews or a movie theater or a football stadium (even if they are the audience for a Christian event!). It’s not polite conversation at a potluck or a great weekend together at a Christian camp.  Christian Community is an ontologically irreducible organism.  It is a living reality that is imbued with the Spirit of God.  And most dramatically, it is the very life of the Triune God drawing people into a covenantal relationship with God and each other.  It is God’s own being on earth lived in and through believers for the single end-result of seeing each person become like Jesus Christ.   

So that the Community together is a witness for Christ. 

Next Post: Barna's Metaphorical Church

Comments

[Zema Chambers]

Thanks, Todd, for your posts. I'm reading with great interest. I'm still wondering how large groups can really consider themselves "church" when the relational things I read here are seemingly not possible in groups larger than about 25. Again, thanks for your writings.

[Derek Simmons]

Amen, Tod, and Amen. Especially to the part "It’s not just being friends or living in the same housing development. It’s about sharing more than a cup of sugar and the lawn mower, but core values and a vision for living."

I look forward to your discussion of Barna in the context of us in the PCUSA and our need within the PCUSA to share Biblically mandated core values and Christ's vision for living.

Your PITA Brother in Christ,
Derek
Calcitrantes nates ad Dei gloriam

[James]

I agree with your statements, and as one who is affiliated with the baptists; myself and pastors and ministers I know all recognize that individualism is one of the greatest problems that the church needs to face today.

If all 'church' is to many people is a gathering of individuals there to be coddled and uplifted as individuals then the church cannot function as it is supposed to. I always summarize it this way: when cells in a human body begin to function as individuals apart from the normal function of the body, it develops cancer and becomes unhealthy. Individualism in the church is really no different than that analogy.

Anyways, I wrote a post about what I wished the church on this earth looked like, and some of you may want to check it out.

Go to http://www.discipleofchrist.net/a-countless-multitude

[Tod]

Derek,
That's a different set of posts for me.

Tod

[Mark Daniels]

"Christian Community is an ontologically irreducible organism. It is a living reality that is imbued with the Spirit of God. And most dramatically, it is the very life of the Triune God drawing people into a covenantal relationship with God and each other. It is God’s own being on earth lived in and through believers for the single end-result of seeing each person become like Jesus Christ."

As usual, a wonderful post, Tod. But this is particularly right on, a homerun hit from your theological sweet spot. You've well described the sacramental community. I've linked already to your series. But I just had to come back and tell you what a great job you're doing in this response to Barna's work.

Blessings to you, Tod!

Mark

[Gordon Cloud]

Good post. The Epistle of I John describes koinonia as a fellowship that is based upon a shared belief in Christ. I think your post has done an excellent job of describing what that fellowship should look like.

[john alan turner]

Tod,
Community is the word in favor right now. Formerly, the word was "fellowship", but that's come to mean something trite -- as in "food, fun and fellowship". Semantics aside, the words mean something much deeper than we sometimes want them to mean. It's more than the warm and cozy place where everybody knows your name. It's got be a place where you're encouraged AND challenged. That makes it a place that is essential (as in "of the essence") to a Christian's life.

Thanks for this post. I look forward to seeing what's next.

[David M. Smith]

"But we have been so steeped in individualism that we forget that even the Lone Ranger had Tonto. We naturally believe that the very essence of humanity is the individual will. Truly understanding who God is, is absolutely necessary to understanding who we are and who we are meant to become."

Hi Tod,

Sometimes when reading your pieces on community, I get a mental picture of soup where ingredients are blended to make something wonderful. I don’t completely disagree with this concept of community, but I also think the Biblical ideal of Christianity is more of a community of individuals who have maintained individual identity. The Body of Christ should be more like a machine where each part has a specific function and together it accomplishes a purpose. A piston is not a crankshaft and a steering wheel is not a brake. Blending a piston, a crankshaft, a steering wheel, and a brake does not make a car. However, attaching a piston to a crankshaft is the beginning of a car.

It seems to me that the best Christian community will be a community where individualism is honored, not a community where individualism is suppressed and dishonored. I know individualism can go to far, but so can conformity. Perhaps there would be less dissatisfaction with Church if individuals felt more welcome.

[Pastor Bong Baylon]

Hi, Tod. I am a pastor serving in the Philippines. I came across your blog while browsing and looking for images. I came across the image of the trinity which you posted. I've seen it before in a book I've read about community also. I'm really passionate about community especially in the church context. I would like to learn more. Do you have any of your used books that I can buy? I'm not very rich and I cannot buy brand new books because they are so expensive. One dollar now costs us 44 pesos! If you have any of your used books available, I would love to buy them so I can learn from you. Thanks.