Just to confirm...

 

Who Is Welcome?

 

Belonging

I know quite a few fellow Christians in my town who are currently 'between churches'.

That can't be easy. In fact, I'm quite upset with even the thought of this. You see, I personally need the sense of belonging that you get from a church group.

Scripture underlines this for me when it says that his followers are “fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household” (Ephesians 2:19b, NIV).

The local fellowship of believers gives me a sense of identity, several avenues of commitment,  as well as a means of accountability. 

Take away the local church and its network (for whatever reason), and my ability to work out my own Christian walk is so much harder. Not impossible, but it's much harder.

Put my life back into the context of a church family - different backgrounds, different races,  different social statuses - and then I can start learning from others, befriending others, encouraging others. As well as making the fellowship stronger, this can then be a powerful witness to the world.

Let's turn to scripture for the last word. Hebrews 10:25 warns us against “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing”.

You know I am praying for those Christian friends who are spiritually 'homeless' tonight.

A Place To Belong

I hear quite a lot of talk about the difference between wants and needs.

There's a whole lot of things that we might want to make our lives easier, or even bearable...

... however, you may not need them. 

Take the topic of belonging. 

In my opinion, this is a definite human need. Like the need for food, or shelter.

Everyone has a need to belong. This might be thought of in terms of being a part of brotherhood/ sisterhood, or in terms of friendship, or even love. A sense of connection with your peers.

Lose that feeling of belonging and the world can be an extremely lonely place. In some cases, even physically painful. Your body aches for connection.

Exclude someone from a group, and well-being takes a serious knock. There is pain and conflict.

More later, as I continue to work this out in my own head....

Where Everybody Knows Your Name...

On Sunday night I listened to an interesting programme on the radio about the importance of a feeling of Community in a person's life, of belonging. This has set me thinking and pondering again this week... and as usual I've been exploring the 'net for other ideas on the subject.

Apparently, sociologists often talk about people needing to have an experience of belonging, a need for a 'Sense of Community'. Noted psychologist Seymour B. Sarason even called it "one of the major bases for self-definition." In layman's terms, you need to have somewhere where you feel you belong! Without that experience, it's as if you don't belong. This could well be your family home - a group or club - or indeed your local church. The title for this feature is taken from the theme song to 'Cheers', an American sitcom about a Boston bar, and the community that frequents it.

David McMillan and David Chavis have a published theory states that one's Sense of Community is composed of four elements.

Membership
The place where you feel you belong should be a place where you feel emotionally safe. Interestingly, psychologists also say that the community should have a 'common symbol system'.

Influence
This can be experienced both ways - members need to feel that they have some influence in the group, and some influence by the group on its members is needed for group cohesion.

Integration and fulfilment of needs

Members should feel rewarded in some way for their participation in the community.

Shared emotional connection
Members should have some sort of shared history and of course shared participation (or at least identification with the group's history).

As part of a number of community groups, each endeavouring to get others to feel part of the community and to participate, I have found it interesting today to note down these elements and to apply them to my own situation.

Some further quotations on the subject:

Chinese proverb:
One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade.

Mother Teresa:
Keep in mind that our community is not composed of those who are already saints, but of those who are trying to become saints. Therefore let us be extremely patient with each other's faults and failures.