The Importance of Community I. Introduction A. Problem: loss of younger Christians to the world B. Reasons? 1. Education or lack thereof? 2. Parental guidance, influence, or lack thereof? 3. Whole host of factors? C. Let us consider another possible reason for this and other difficulties D. Interesting study group: the Amish 1. Overall, relatively unchanged since 17th century 2. Focus on simplicity and traditions 3. Rather separate from the world at large 4. Teenagers given opportunity to experience world at large, determine whether to be part of Amish community or the world E. What do they decide? 1. According to statistics, 90%+ choose to remain part of community (Steven Nolt, A History of the Amish, 284-285) 2. That leaves about 10% who do not choose to be part of the community F. Why such a high percentage? 1. They don't like technology? Surely most Amish would rather not work as hard as they do! 2. They don't like us? They don't seem to mind us when we visit them! 3. Is it because they are brainwashed? Let us consider the matter G. More startling than that rate is what the rate used to be 1. In reality, Amish at 1900 almost ready to be non-existent 2. Amish in Europe died out in nineteenth century, either migrating, becoming Mennonite, or returning to state churches 3. Between 1850-1920, well over half of all Amish began to move away from their traditions, eventually becoming Mennonite 4. Very few left! 5. Furthermore, the actual rate of teenage departure was much higher! 6. 1930s: 21% left (ibid, 284) 7. 1700s: more than 60%; not one Amish family in America had all of their children stay faithful to their tradition (74) H. While there may be some internal factors in play here, can we really think that the issue is only within the Amish? 1. Why is it that when most denominations/churches (save those using various social programs) are losing youth, the Amish are gaining theirs? 2. Why is it that someone who was raised Amish would not want what all of us have, but prefers his own lifestyle? I. The issue is most likely community! 1. What would prompt a teenager to reject all of our technology, "fun", and society, and consign him or herself to a life of hard service? 2. S/he finds community amongst the Amish that we in America no longer have! 3. As the Industrial Revolution has progressed, we have allowed our technologies to isolate us from our common man 4. The worldly appeal that compelled more Amish to leave than not is gone-- overall, community has been lost in our society! J. Let us then spend some time considering community II. Community in the New Testament A. Community is present from the beginnings of the church B. Acts 2:42-47 1. The brethren were "together" 2. The brethren "devoted themselves" to the Apostles' doctrines, prayer, Lord's Supper, and koinonia (association, joint participation, community) 3. Little wonder that they were glad and joyful! 4. Result: encouragement and numerical increase (Acts 2:46-47) C. 1 Corinthians 12:12-28 1. Image of the church as a body 2. Body has individual parts working together for a common purpose 3. Likewise, the church must be a group of individuals working together for common purposes 4. i.e.: community! 5. The church must rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn, strengthen the weak and maintain the strong 6. This cannot be some hazy corporate concept-- it must be played out in the interaction between all individual members! 7. The church cannot function this way until each individual member decides to do so! D. Galatians 6:1-2, James 5:19-20 1. Idea of restoration, bearing one another's burdens 2. Implicit in this is a relationship where this is possible 3. Societal superficialities indicate that nothing is wrong... 4. ...but those in close relationships know when things are wrong! 5. We all know that we all suffer difficulties, and that none of us are always "good" or "alright" 6. The question is: our we willing to invest in one another so as to have these relationships? 7. Disassociation, after all, is laughable when there was little association in the first place! III. The Importance of Community A. Community is assumed in the New Testament 1. Theoretically, it always exists… 2. …but the question is, how strong is it? B. It is easily overlooked, but yet it must remain central! C. This is especially true in our isolated world! 1. Where can people today turn for community? 2. Social groups and clubs are fading 3. Households are divided by divorce or full of people who rarely see each other 4. Families are often spread across the country 5. Elderly end up in nursing homes or other assisted care facilities 6. Company loyalties are a thing of the past D. Unfortunately, the one thing our society has sacrificed on the altar of technological progress is community! 1. It should not surprise us to see depression and suicide rates rising! 2. People feel isolated, alone 3. We have elaborate social systems (welfare, Social Security, etc.) to take the place of what used to be family and community functions E. Shall we blame technology? 1. Technology is morally neutral 2. It can be used however it is directed 3. In this aspect, it is directed for the bad F. This fate, however, does not need to be sealed! G. We can maintain some communities while others collapse! 1. The earthly family 2. The spiritual family H. Furthermore, we can see that a strong spiritual community can get beyond technology 1. If the Amish can willingly choose their lifestyle over what the world would offer... 2. ...can we not maintain the local church as a strong community that is more appealing than the world can offer? I. If we as Christians do not function as a strong community, but are just like everyone else, what makes us distinct? 1. If we provide no more community within the church than denominations or the world at large, why are we surprised that our youth leave? 2. If we act little different from denominations in terms of community, why should we really expect anyone to find us that different and desire to be part of us? IV. Conclusion A. We have established the critical importance of community within the church B. It is possible to establish a strong community in the midst of our isolated world C. Our youth and outsiders alike cry out for such community to exist! D. What shall we do? E. Let us strive to love one another, open up to one other, be involved in one another's lives, and represent a strong community F. If we manifest the same qualities as the earliest church in Acts 2, shall we not obtain similar results? G. Let us do so! H. Invitation/songbook