Will we ever return to community?

by Rev. Bruce Edloe –

This is my opinion. It might be the same for others also. I feel that for too many Christians, the focus is on “me” and not community. And because of that self-focus, we are failing to reach so many that do not know Jesus.

For how did we go from the Church I read about in Acts 4:32, “The community of believers was one in heart and mind. None of them would say “This is mine” about any of their possessions but held everything in common.” CEB. How did we go from Christians where it was all about community, to people where it is all about me?

Could the individualism we display be the cause? An individualism that implies that you do not need to be in community to worship. Could that focus on me be the problem? For I never have returned to that church where I was told not to sit in that person’s pew, even though I live in close proximity to that church.

And do not think for a moment, that those that need-to-know Jesus, see how self-focused we are, even though we speak about community, by our actions. They know how we cater to our friends and may never take the time to call a fellow member of our church that we do not consider our friend.

Christianity did not begin as an individual thing. It was never intended to be that way…

(The Rev. Leonard Edloe is pastor of New Hope Fellowship Church in Hartfield. His email address is leonard.edloe@gmail.com.)