tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9031852996869768738.post978247346177594720..comments2024-03-29T08:14:29.603+01:00Comments on The Ugley Vicar: Christian Community —the right question about Church?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03590979027426082714noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9031852996869768738.post-87200488733067476172010-01-23T19:22:48.289+01:002010-01-23T19:22:48.289+01:00John,
In my mind being a disciple of Christ and b...John,<br /><br />In my mind being a disciple of Christ and being a member of a Christian community are inseperably linked. In helping members of a congregation and newcomers to the congregation to mature as followers of Christ, we must also help them to grow as members of a particular Church fellowship. As far as reaching and evangelizing the residents of a new housing estate established in your area, I see this as something that must be done both individually and as a community. Members of the congregation need to actively form relationships with the residents of the new housing estate and invest in them, inviting them to church services and other church activites, and engaging them in spiritual conversations. The entire congregation as a community of faith also needs to establish bridges with the residents of the new housing estate in form of specific outreach projects and ongoing outreach ministeries and to create an environment on Sunday morning and at other times that is genuinely welcoming to residents of the new housing estate. <br /><br />Robin G. Jordan,<br />Murray, Kentucky USAHeritage Anglicanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13536133779405456898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9031852996869768738.post-65772210788369782322010-01-22T16:49:06.297+01:002010-01-22T16:49:06.297+01:00Absolutely..When Christ entreats us to 'Love o...Absolutely..When Christ entreats us to 'Love one another' it is an absolute', not a 'negotiable' or dependent on the likeability of the other. Christ died on the cross for our sins,and forgives so that we can forgive. Furthermore, if we do not accept, and love others, especially others with differing views to ours, we profoundly mar our relationship with him.<br /><br />Alison RAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9031852996869768738.post-20836451254865103852010-01-20T18:23:51.193+01:002010-01-20T18:23:51.193+01:00Love & & & acceptance (though not the ...Love & & & acceptance (though not the acceptance of sin obviously) are at the heart of our behaviour as Christians. If we do it right we let others see Jesus, if we don't we destroy His image. <br /><br />Exactly as you say - we have someone in our congregation who will not accept another's freindship with someone else in the congregation and it is proving to be extremely damaging - spreading throughout the body like cancer. I suppose that in that we reflect the world instead of exampling for the world.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9031852996869768738.post-67235352781126377922010-01-20T12:07:19.745+01:002010-01-20T12:07:19.745+01:00Great post John.
One fruitful place for explorati...Great post John.<br /><br />One fruitful place for exploration of what a distinctively Christian community would/ should look like is surely the doctrine of the Trinity? <br /><br />What does it mean for a community to acknowledge the equal ultimacy of the one and the many? For unity and diversity to be mutually informing? For order and differentiation of roles not to undermine equality? For human beings to be considered as fundamentally relational?<br /><br />The incarnation, salvation by grace alone, are also uniquely Christian doctrines (in that, they're not ones we find cropping up in other places so readily as the 'love thy neighbour' stuff - though I think I'd eventually want to argue that ultimately and truly that is a uniquely Christian doctrine if you really push it) - perhaps they would also be fruitful places for thinking this one through.<br /><br />Sorry, not much concrete, I'm just a beginner on this one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9031852996869768738.post-78281940163296119082010-01-20T11:56:03.980+01:002010-01-20T11:56:03.980+01:00Often it is not the behaviour as such that is spec...Often it is not the behaviour as such that is specifically Christian as the motivation behind it. Thus I love my wife selflessly because this is how Christ loved the Church. I do a good day's work not to please others or promote me but to please Christ. I submit and defer to others out of fear of Christ. I live with a contentment and without anxiety knowing my God will supply all my need out of his riches in Christ Jesus. I rejoice in the Lord even in the difficulties of life and overflow with thanksgiving for gospel grace. I am content to be faceless because I know I am accepted in Christ and stand before God holy and beloved etc.John Thomsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03409722788388167914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9031852996869768738.post-64176304376094209362010-01-20T11:37:23.107+01:002010-01-20T11:37:23.107+01:00John - have you read any Hauerwas? This is one of ...John - have you read any Hauerwas? This is one of his main areas and I think what he writes is tremendously helpful. I'd start with Resident Aliens if you're not familiar with it.Sam Charles Nortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04088870675715850624noreply@blogger.com