at Chili's. That's right Chilis. I needed to get out of the office for a while to stir up the creative juices. There's nothing like being around people to get me thinking. So the book I'm reading is "Millennium Matrix." It's a book that examines the expression of faith and belief as influenced by the culture of the day. Interesting read. But anyhow, it got me thinking about my church and how we express our faith. Here's the question that's rattling around in my head. "What is our community narrative?" In other words, what story are we telling? What identity are we forming? What are we promising the people around us by our presence?
I'm not sure of the answer to all of those questions. In fact, many might disagree. But I know what I want it to be. Over the next few days I'm going to answer those questions. Feel free to offer your own thoughts and opinions.
Abs
Odds & Ends: May 17, 2024
18 hours ago
3 comments:
First I need to clarify the definition of community: A group of people living in the same locality and under the same government. Sharing, participation, and fellowship.
I like the ecological definition myself: The region occupied by a group of interacting organisms.
So, if community is ONLY defined by a group of people living in the same locality under the same government… our narrative is only those things that are identified in “sameness”. Our government is our narrative. Our grocery stores are our narrative. Starbucks is our narrative. Our choice of extra-curricular activities is our narrative.
The identity we are forming would then be based on our own personal narrative or, for me, better defined as those things we treasure. These are things we don’t necessarily want to ADMIT we treasure, but we treasure them all the same. We treasure distance from others in our community, i.e. fences around our homes that are now 6 feet to 8 feet tall. We treasure constant influx of information and entertainment: radio, I-pods, computers, television, etc.
The question I most enjoyed pondering is “what are we promising the people around us by our presence?” I know when I look around my own community, I am promised to be surprised by how incredibly diverse we can be while still co-existing together in this community. If not for the grace of God, this diversity, and lack of cohesion, would be my demise. There is a line that is still not crossed with regards to truly embracing diversity of not only ethnicity but also culture, social status, gender, education, just to name a few. Until we as a community are willing to EMBRACE and learn from these differences, our promise is only seen as a ‘threat’ to the comfort zone of those around us that do not embrace the sameness we treasure.
It's a great question to ask. kpjara raises a great starting point. What is the source for your community? Is it your personal story? Ancient's would see that as foreign because the source of community is covenant and covenant extends not only outward but through the generations. It is a collective story? The Print world or Modern's would see their individual story and also see themselves are a part of a bigger story (organization, country, event). Post-modern's or the broadcast era would see a highly personalized story with fragments or chards from others - almost spectators within larger structures or events.
Now we are moving into a more integrated time. The interactive nature of the Internet is creating new connections and the desire for connectedness, which leads to dialogue, with leads to cooperation, which leads to collaboration which may lead to a new sense of community.
Community derives its meaning from common. Communication and communion are also elements of community.
Take a look at pages 203-205.
Your narrative will take on an epic quality - addressing questions of purpose, destiny and obstacles.
Take Care
M. Rex Miller
www.millenniummatrix.com
hey abs! how are you? i haven't talked to you in long time. i hope all is well. anyway, i don't know much about the church, so i can't really say anything that pertains to your blog. but i'm glad that you're really seeking out God's purpose for Journey Fellowship and i'm ecstatic to know that you're trying to create an environment that's relevant to today's culture and the needs of the people. i'll be praying. amy stinnett. (fbc lindsay, in case you forgot)
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