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December 19, 2007
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
Real Community, by Steve Ridgell
We all want to be part of real community: a place where we are loved,
accepted, and taken care of in times of stress and struggle. We live in
a world where it is increasingly difficult to find this kind of
community. Our physical families are sometimes split and often are
scattered across a wide geographic area. We barely know the people
where we work. We rarely know our neighbors. However, I saw community
in action the other day.
I went to a funeral. As a minister, that is not unusual. In fact, I
conduct more funerals than many people attend. But this funeral was
different. A couple had lost their thirty-two year old, single son to a
hit and run accident. The parents arranged the funeral and five men
conducted it. None of them were preachers, though they all went to
church together. Three of the men were part of their fellowship group
at church. One of the men was an elder of the church they all attend.
The other man was in an accountability group/recovery group with the
Dad.
The service was not very polished. It was not very professional. It was
different than most. But it was real community; not just words, but in
action. These men were brothers. There was a physical family present at
the funeral, but I was struck by the "real" family. The community that
cried, prayed, gave, hurt, hugged, and together sent one of their
family home. That was the term they used: home. They didn't talk about
death, or the grave. They talked about seeing their son again and
living forever.
We all long to part of something authentic...real community that
connects to each other.
Just in that group of men there were ones that had lost children of
their own, men who had marriages fail, men who battled addictions, and
men facing incurable illness. But what I saw was Jesus. That is the
community I want to be a part of…and I am.
You can be too. I can put you in touch with people committed to being
that kind of community in this world. They would love to have you join
them.
Write me at steve@hopeforlife.org.
(Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing,
retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article. Email
info@hopeforlife.org for information.)
Are you presently experiencing a new life? God's word says, "if anyone
is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has
come!"
This new life is a free gift of God through faith in Jesus Christ. If
you want to know more about this life that only Jesus can give you,
sign up for one of our Bible courses. Wherever you are in life,
whatever you've done, you can begin again.
You may also contact us at info@hopeforlife.org if you have questions
about becoming a new creation.
---------
(c) 2007 Herald of Truth Ministries
RELATED LINKS:
* Invited into the Family
http://hopeforlife.org/resources/invited.asp
* Let Me Tell You About Jesus and His Church
http://www.hopeforlife.org/resources/jesuschurch.asp
* My Grandchildren Really Are Most Amazing
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200709/20070912_mostamazing.html
* Hope for Life!
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200712/20071219_community.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
SIMPLY CHRISTIAN: WHY CHRISTIANITY MAKES SENSE, by N. T. Wright
Destined to become a classic alongside Lewis's Mere Christianity - a
fascinating and accessible apologetic for modern seekers.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?255
Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
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