Groupcast – What Is Community?
It’s our first ever Groupcast! Groupcast is a new Beyond the Box feature that’s all about listening to and interacting with you, in order to explore life in Christ within the context of community. Speaking of community, in this first installment of Groupcast, that’s exactly what we talk about. Community – What does it mean? What does it look like? How do we foster it? Join Ray and Beyond the Box community participants Heather Sterling, Jerrine Regan, Ulf Jetter, and Chip Watts as we explore this thing called “community”!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:26:44 — 134.3MB) | Embed
November 17th, 2013 at 9:37 am
“I see you,” and “You see me, and that, my friends, is CommUnity.
CommUnity is connection; a shared connection; a shared journey; a sharing of life together that usually (but not always) begins with shared ideologies that may (or may not) eventually lead to the sharing of the practicalities of day-to-day living.
I still can’t wrap my head around at how much more “connected” I feel with “online community” than I ever did in any institutionally organized group, including family, school, “church,” youth group, sports team, or work.
Thank you all for sharing so personally by way of this Groupcast!
November 27th, 2013 at 8:14 pm
I enjoyed this and will listen to it again. Loved the concept of “I see you.” Encouraging to hear a group of Christians (or whatever you call yourselves) having a genuine, gentle conversation respecting one another, hearing, processing, and responding to what one another have to say rather than just preaching at each other, which is what often happens when Christians discuss their faith. Appreciated the silences where you mulled over what had been said, distilling out the truths The Spirit is whispering.
December 1st, 2013 at 7:17 am
Loved the honest transparent discussion. I agree with the thought that there is a tension between intentionality and letting the Spirit do it all. Maybe all we can do is ask God to fill us with love. Reach out and show love to people ,be lead by the Spirit, and the ones who show some love back become part of a growing community. The ones who don’t love you back you still show love too but let the Spirit be the one who joins you together at heart level. I think we all long to connect at a deeper heart level with God who is love personified and with people we can love and be loved by in a ever deepening way. I’ve been searching for 5 yrs now for a more real expression of community and love and tried the house church thing then went back to a traditional church only to find empty fellowship there again, which was why we left. Ready to just walk w God n love people n allow Him to bring the connections he wants as I’m intentional yet sensitive to the Spirits leading. That’s all I know to do anymore.