COMMUNITY AND WORK

Community is defined as a work in which parts of the body have been drawn together to mutually participate. The work is any of the obvious things that the gospels record that are the works of Jesus. To deal with the poor, to fight injustice, promote peace, heal the sick, set the oppressed free, fight spousal and child abuse, teach the illiterate, show compassion to widows and orphans, down-and-outers, doubters, and those imprisoned in hidden sins, to teach computer skills, to support low income families, to feed hungry people, to appreciate and preserve nature, and to love tax collectors. Whatever the work, there are body parts for that work.

When several parts are joined in a common work then those parts form community around that work. It could be called a “little gospel community” and when several are formed there is a larger community based on being that community by common work. The body is common by its common salvation, faith and love. Many smaller works, when they are connected, become a large community of people with common and differing works. Community is formed around a work and the work is not formed from community.

“Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” Jesus