06.21.06 thequest UPdate

thequest family,

In the INSTITUTE on Sunday we talked about Community...and Beyond... There is a word that is used to describe that thing beyond community. It is communitas. I'll leave you a little mystery and let you check out the powerpoint of the teaching here

Anyway, while I was thinking about community, I remembered an article I wrote a couple of years ago about the privilege it is to live the Christian life with other followers of Jesus. I thought I'd revisit it here: ( from June 2, 2004 thequest email UPdate )


thequest family,

Last week, I shared a little about our "wireless network" at home and the metaphor that is for thequest as well. Being in a network isn't just being connected to the Hub (GOD), but being connected with the others who are connected to the Hub. We want to connect with God...but we also want to connect with the people of God. That we are interconnected with them too!

I wanted to pass on a quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer from his book Life Together (actually in German it was Gemeinsames Leben --that's for Mindi!) You may have heard of him, but in brief

he was a noted follower of Jesus and author who was killed by the Nazi's in 1945. (For more check out www.dbonhoeffer.org/who-was-db2.htm ).

In the first few pages of this book, Bonhoeffer references that those followers of Jesus who live in isolation--"the imprisoned, the sick, the scattered lonely, the proclaimers of the Gospel in heathen lands"*--crave community. The old adage...absence makes the heart grow fonder...is really true about those who are alone or separated from Christian community.

I'll never forget when I heard the testimony of a man from Somalia who heard the Gospel through radio broadcasts into his country and gave his life to Jesus. From that time forward, he lived out his faith through his relationship with the radio. He hadn't met another follower of Jesus in person. He continued to follow Jesus but it was VERY difficult. About 5 years later when he discovered a person who also followed Jesus, he exploded! Can you imagine that...5 years of no one to encourage you, to pray for you, to love you in Jesus???

Back to the comment that Bonhoeffer made in connection to this was:

"Therefore, let him who until now has had the privilege of living a common Christian life with other Christians praise God's grace from the bottom of his heart. Let him thank God on his knees and declare: It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brethren."*

With that in mind, I am thankful to our God that we are on this quest together. I praise Him and am thankful for His Grace. Would you stop and praise Him too?

Press On,

Mike

* Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together trans. John W. Doberstein, Harper & Row: San Fransisco, 1954, p. 18. ** p. 20


06.21.06 thequest email UPdate here