Radical Community
In my Heartlight.org post this week, I talk about Radical community, the kind of community Jesus calls His followers to practice in Matthew 18. This is one of the most frank, in-you-face sections of Jesus’ teaching — mentioning millstones around our necks (Matthew 18:6-7 NAS), eternal fire and the fire of hell (Matthew 18:8-9), and being tortured by the jailer (Matthew 18:34-35). It is clearly about life in church — he addresses us as disciples in (Matthew 18:1) and even uses the word “church” twice (Matthew 18:17).
Jesus uses incredibly strong language to warn what is stake in this matter of living radical community. I believe this is because we so desperately need genuine community, because the stakes of our living faithfully are so high, and because God values each of us as precious “little ones.” So the Lord gives us four principles or values that He wants us to live as God’s “little ones” as we live in community:
- Be accountable for our actions and influence (Matthew 18:6-9)
- Reach out and rescue those in trouble or who are caught in sin (Matthew 18:10-14)
- Confront those who sin and work to redeem them (Matthew 18:15-20)
- Generously forgive those who sin against you (Matthew 18:21-35)
(To listen to the mp3 of this full message, click here.)
Wow! This is strong and direct teaching from Jesus. How do you feel about all of this?
Do you believe we practice these four principles of community very well?
Why are they important for genuine community?
How would living these out help bless the family of God all around the world, but especially in our home congregations?
I’d love to get your reaction to this as we continue to talk about genuine community.
In my community and surrounding towns, the churches don’t have outreach, other than the clever quotes that are on display on the “billboard” in the yard. You won’t see anyone handing out bulletins, and you won’t see anyone handing out the tracts. If you were to walk into a church, if someone didn’t know you personally, no one would speak to you, and the congregation would just look at you in amazement, as if to wonder what in the world you are doing in their church. To me, community means reaching out and inviting people to your church. It means encouraging them to come and be a part of the service. Service-that is an interesting word. Look it up in the dictionary-the meaning will give you a whole different perspective. Community is people looking for some way to help others that need a leg up. What did Jesus do? He traveled around looking for people that needed salvation-needed whatever, and He gave it to them. That is what we should do, as a community. That is my definitiion of community. The service of looking for people to help. Looking for people to invite to church, and then welcome them with open arms, like Christ would. You won’t see that in my town.
Deborah Butler
19 Jan 09 at 9:07 am
I can honestly say that the church I belong to is striving diligently toward this type of community. Our Senior Pastor through his transparency and love for people, has done an exceptional job of teaching these principles. Through recognizing our own shortcomings and supporting people through their, we are growing…
Although I”m sure there are many who attend who have not subscribed, the leadership of the church espouses the tenets you mentioned in your article. The church is known as warm and friendly, forgiving, embracing,…loving… striving. All are encouraged to share their testimonies and to Invite people to church. We are studying unity and harmony Ephesians in Bible Study … It has changed my life and I am challenged to share Christ and to be more like Christ.
It is possible… all things are… with Christ!
Maggi Curry-Williams
19 Jan 09 at 3:21 pm
i am fotunate in my church that we have a new pastor (he has been with us 1 year) who takes the church as a community/family very seriously he has set up a pastoral care team, this team is responsible for about 20 members each we contact any one we dont see in church for 1 week and check there ok, offer help if ill,lonely, upset be some one or something in church. this can take the form of shopping, housework practical matters, or financial help, prayer, or just someone to talk to. if there is a problem with someone or something in church we have a mediation service, and a group of about 25 qualified christian counsellors who cover all aspects of christian and secular life. we have found it has made us all bond more as a church the numbers of people leaving have dropped dramatically, and the numbers of people attending prayer and life groups and social occasions has risen, our church is now open every day for advice prayer or just to drop in and have a coffee and we are encouraged regularly to love one another and not to gossip about each other
treacy clayden
19 Jan 09 at 4:44 pm
Loved this short, helpful piece on community. I am teaching small group this evening in our continuing series on community, but just as I opened this article I was pondering how to plan for this study and get everything else done today. Thanks Phil and thank-you God, I now have a good set of passages to base our study on!! Community is so important yet so difficult to accomplish, I am glad to see the focus of these recent articles on community.
JC
22 Jan 09 at 9:55 am
great article. i have been teaching a concept that i thought i had invented a name for to my church. that concept was something i called “radical community”. in these lessons, i have taught how the life that Jesus proposed for his children was a familial atmosphere that held beliefs that were radically different from philosophies that are held in any other group in the world. i was messing around on the internet and found this article and found that it was not as unique as i once believed. if you have any other information on this concept, please e-mail me. i would love to see your thoughts. thanks.
Brandon LeQuieu
12 Apr 10 at 7:35 pm