st 2016

COMMON WORK

The faith community in our culture is a “local church” with “worship services” and “the work” of most Christians being limited to attending these services. The mission of Jesus has been culturally and historically altered to attending and tithing (not unlike the synagogue he came to replace) while being led by “professionals,” (also not unlike a synagogue’s rabbinical priesthood) which Jesus also came to replace with the ‘priesthood of all believers.’ The local church passes as community for most Christians. The “work” is attending a meeting.

For true community to form and exist it must be around a common work and not just a common meeting. Common meetings might have some common “worship services” as defined by a specific group, but it rarely has common work. The work can be ‘whatever’ the professionals decide, such as certain missions and missionaries, ministries, and the Men’s Pancake Breakfast once a month and the Ladies Tuesday Morning Bible Study.

We need community. But within our community we need to find like-hearted and like gifted people to become involved in specific Kingdom works. By finding a common work with others we become a community within the community and specificity gives us purpose beyond attending and tithing.

“As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” Jesus