What is Community?

What is community?  If one were to look this word up in the dictionary they might find that community is a group of people that are under the same law.  Others might say that group has similarities or has a bond of some sort.  The believers of the early church embody both of these traits.  So, what did community in the early church look like?

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42-47 ESV).

Some may twist this verse as a Christian mandate for socialism, but that simply is not the case.  The nature for this extreme communal behavior was for survival.  The Jewish community saw the Christians as lower class because they had no political or economic power (Yao 30).  They also saw members of the early church as outsiders, and would not do business with them.  So, in order to take care of the needy, the wealthier Christians sold their possession to help keep them alive.  “The early Christians had a deep care for their fellows who were undergoing hard times.  Generosity was a way of life” (Green 69).  This sense of community was not a new concept for the church; it has spiritual roots in the Old Testament and was practiced in ancient Israelite culture.  First of all, the Israelites have a common descendant in Abraham, so there is a family tie amongst the people.  “God promised Abram that he would have numerous descendants who would form a mighty nation…Also, God told him that he would be blessed and would also serve as a channel of God’s blessing to others” (Longman 59).  Secondly, they have a history of suffering as slaves in Egypt, which shows an experiential history which solidifies that commonality.  “After all, the Israelites, God’s chosen people, were living in oppressive conditions in Egypt.  They were treated as slaves and exploited as cheap labor” (73).  Finally, Israel was given the Mosaic Law; this law was to be followed by all who belong to this elected nation.  “God met with Israel at Sinai in order to give them this law, the written expression of his will for their corporate and individual life.  While it is easy to think of the law as an isolated entity, it is crucial to recognize that the law was given within the context of the covenant” (75).  Although the church was no longer hostage of the Law, this spiritual background still carried over to the believers of the first century.

This idea of community is difficult for Western culture; a country like the United States has culture that emphasizes the ideas of personal freedom and personal responsibility.  What is even less understood is how the individual and the community are connected.  It is obvious that the individual is part of the community; the individual also sets an example for the community.  Not only do the actions of an individual have an effect on his or her own self, but they have affected others as well.  This idea of the individual vs. the community should not be mistaken for “collectivism,” this is a foreign concept to biblical life (Preuss 62).  A better description would be “solidarity” or “conception of the whole” due to the fact that the early church was not just an adding together of individuals; rather, it was environment in which the people interacted with each other regularly (62).  The concept of individuality is not evil within itself, but individuality can get in the way of what is good for the church as a whole.  This is not to say that the individual has no personal responsibility as well, in fact they do.  The idea is for the individual to act on what is biblical and what is in the best interest for the church, not just for them.  So how does the sense of community relate to identity and the Great Commission?  One aspect of community is an example to unbelievers.  Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35 ESV).  This form of nonverbal communication relays to those outside the church the love of Christ; it is a form of attraction.  Also, if the church has one ultimate goal, all parts need to work in unison.  Paul writes “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Cor. 12:27 ESV).  Each individual member has a part to play; when they all come together, the body of Christ is in full function.

I love you all,

Justin

Sources:

Green, Michael. Thirty Years That Changed the World: The Book of Acts for Today. Grand

Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub, 2002. Print.

Longman III, Tremper, and Raymond B. Dillard, ed., An Introduction to the Old

Testament.  2d ed.  Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2006.

Preuss, Horst Dietrich. Old Testament Theology. Vol. 1. Louisville, Ky: Westminster/John Knox, 1995. Print.

Yao, Santos. "Dismantling Social Barriers through Table Fellowship." Mission in Acts: Ancient Narratives in Contemporary Context. Ed. Robert L. Gallagher and Paul Hertig. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2004. Print.