GG's PROBES

A response to Garth ref: open and transparent community vis-a-vis intimacy

Hi Garth

"Community does not necessarily mean intimacy or friendship" - Dave Andrews

Dave is always good for a thought provoking discussion. And I think he's right. To be a community of faith means we must not in any way look like, act like, or think like a closed community. By 'openness and transparency' I mean we must avoid hidden agendas, non-accepting language and actions, etc - a community the reveals the integrity of Christ himself. Now that's a HUGE ask - but I believe it is a *must* ask.

How can I be in a real open and transparent relationship with someone unless they can be themselves, especially when that means holding to things that are different to what we might hold to? How can they see the Hope embodied in the Kingdom unless our lives, individual and communal, are not open and transparent?

Unfortunately most 'church' communities are unnecessarily closed to some degree or other. Small groups tend to be even more closed, relying either on spiritual intimacy or friendship to be a boundary that contains them.

Note that Dave does not say 'cannot mean ...' nor 'should not mean ...' but 'does not necessarily mean...". While intimacy and friendship should not be boundaries to our communities, the open hand of friendship is a welcome door to those considering testing the waters of a given community.

I think we also need to realize that today Community comes before Belief, Bible or Worship in most people's experience. I found George Hunter's "The Celtic Way of Evangelism" and parts of Rick Richardson's "Evangelism Outside the Box" particularly stimulating in this arena (altho I have some major 'arguements' with Richardson's thesis in the latter part of his book).

I think a side consequence of this mode of thought is the way we evengelicals have 'used' 'friendships' as a fulcrum for evangelism. "Make friends and bring them to church!" But is that real friendship if it is 'friendship with an intent'? But that should be another theme for another time!!!

posted by Gordon Gray @ Monday, February 07, 2005