Thinking and Dreaming about what a Christian Community could be
Less structured and redundant dreaming
What would the Christian Community that I envision be like?
* A people who live by prayer.
* A place where God is honored.
* A place where people are loved.
* A place where people care for the world around them.
* A place that models in a substantially full way what God intends
human society to be and draws people into that way of life.
* Different subgroups that enable people to carry out different callings
- families
- monastic groups
- education
* Mission to the poor and disconnected,
giving them a whole way of life.
- worshiping community
- education
- training
* A place where people can belong, can learn, can live simply,
can be productive and have the dignity of contributing to
the society around them. Where people are enabled to occupy
themselves with truly worthwhile things. A framework that
supports entrepreneurial initiative that is sensitive and
responsive to the true needs of society.
A place where people of all social strata and walks of
life can be together. A transparent model which outsiders
can visit and observe. Open literature. Public domain,
uncopyrighted. A humility toward the outside world. Being
receptive to correction and wisdom from outsiders. Letting
others see us for what we are and learn both from our
successes and from our failures.
A place where people are learning how God wants them to behave.
Where they are becoming what God wants them to be.
Where time is given for reflection, meditation, and personal
and community formation.
A place to reconnect our society -- rich and poor, old and young,
different races, different traditions, different vocations,
different social status.
* Models for building a good society (...)
+ God's "blueprint" for ancient Israel illustrates
patterns and principles for building a godly society.
Imagine:
+ Children and elderly people working in a garden together,
like what I experienced with my grandparents.
A garden in a downtown area.
Why not integrate day care with care of the elderly?
+ Organic farm/commune: A place where needy people can work.
Where young people starting out in life could stay and
work for a short while -- give them an opportunity to
experience and live this life. Like a Christian hostel
or organic farm.
+ A Christian Food Cooperative: Combine with outreach
to homeless, provide low-skill jobs that give contact
with people in the community. An opportunity toward
dignity and professionalism.