What does commitment look like?
This is a question that we pondered together concerning Boise Friends at our Why Friends are Friends class on October 24th. Twelve people prepared, through much discussion and discernment, this statement of commitment that we will include in our letter of request for membership:
With God’s help, we commit to…
–demonstrating hope and faith through our love for God, love for one another, and our obedience to Jesus Christ. We will strive to live a consistent and godly life. This may include seeking times of Sabbath (rest and recreation), prayer and meditation, scripture reading, and finding Joy in the Lord.
–being in regular fellowship with the church family…Fellowship includes supporting, encouraging, challenging, hosting, accepting, knowing, being honest and real, loving, overcoming fear, and pursuing deep and authentic relationships.
–giving our time, personal gifts, and money as Christ leads us.
finding natural ways in the regular rhythms of our life to serve and love other people, to meet needs, and to tell the truth about God and Jesus.
We recognize that we will not always follow the right ways, but we will offer people grace and forgiveness and hope that we will receive the same.
What do you think it means to be committed members of Boise Friends Church?
Brad, 
Larry D Van De Venter, 
aaronhutchings 8:28 pm on October 7, 2009 Permalink |
I guess the purpose of Church (big C, biblical term) is to be the body of Christ and the purpose of church (small c, institutional church) is to facilitate growth of the local body members. One problem is when the term “church” is used interchangably when meaning two different things, which may point to a larger issue, the fact that it has become to be two different things in the first place. The real question is who holds us together and who or what is our source. If the building at 7751 Goddard Rd burned down would we still have a Church? Do we currently live as the Church other than Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights? The purpose of the body of believers at BFC should never be to serve the institutional church but like the above vision states to bring forth the Kingdom of God.
Heather Tricola 3:31 am on October 18, 2009 Permalink |
Language can be very powerful, and even formative for us. I have been trying out the word “gathering” for those meetings we have on Sundays. I think it is vitally important that “church” is more than the 10:30 service on Goddard rd. Thanks for sharing.
Sally Unrau 5:14 pm on October 8, 2009 Permalink |
One of the key things I value, in my opinion, is community. Regardless of a physical location, I think of BFC as my family, my friends, my confidants. Those would exist without the building, but I must admit that the building, the location, etc. had to be instrumental in bringing us all together. Would we have found each other without the facility? Now that we exist, can we expand our community, even without the facility? Christ is what holds us together. He is the source, but we are in need of programs and connections with which to tie us together? Can we be a community and be outside of ourselves? Having been involved in a church plant that met in the park, in a hotel conference room, in a home, and in a vacant rental space, I know that we can exist without a facility, but we can’t exist as that group of believers/followers without Christ. If we don’t have Christ, then we are no more than some of the social networks out there that exist to bring people together. (i.e. Jellies as discussed on NPR this morning). We have been designed to need others, but many of us are shy and not as outgoing as others and being outside of our comfort zone can be a stretch. I’ve been willing to stretch for some time now, so maybe some stretching is in order for all of us. The Vision of the Church is something that needs to be worked on by all of us. That Vision and how it is accomplished requires Christ at the head, leadership and congregants to be open, listening and waiting on Christ to give us direction, to provide wisdom and show us how to go about increasing our community – showing others what Christ does for us and what he can do for them. That requires being intentional.
May I make a suggestion that the black/white format of the blog page be changed some for those of us who have older eyes? I personally find it a little difficult to read the reverse image print, but please don’t take that as criticism. Any other color combination would work for me and my bifocals.
Heather Tricola 5:33 pm on October 15, 2009 Permalink |
I changed the background; hopefully it is more readable now.
The structure of church is something that I continue to think a lot about…I have always been wary of institutions, of programs practiced because “that’s the way it has always been”, instead of following God’s leading (I think this is the Quaker in me)…Yet having a regular gathering, scheduled events, etc. can really help bring us together. I think the answer is what Sally talked about, “Christ at the head, leadership and congregants to be open.”
Larry D Van De Venter 6:28 pm on October 19, 2009 Permalink |
I agree with Sally with the church as a place to meet and be with other Christians. My wife Sharon and I have just moved back from Phoenix AZ. And we went to a church down there for a little while and not once did they ask us for any information about us. It was as if they did not care to get to know us. The only thing that they knew was about our sons and that was for the youth group. We stopped going for about a year and not once did the church or any one from the church body called to find out if there was any thing wrong. One reason is that they did not have our information. No one from the youth group called either. When we did go back no one asked us what had happen. I believe a church (I mean the congregation) need to be involved with all the people that goes to or visits the church. A church that is involved with being a friend to its people and the community is what I believe the part of Gods Kingdom.
Brad 11:22 pm on October 28, 2009 Permalink |
I think it is important to remember the church is not really a where, a what, or even a why, but a who. When pastors ask each other how’s your church doing, instead of how are your people doing, this points out the issues. I think Christs hope for The Church is that we will be his people out in the world joining His mission to redeem the world.