A Common Life: Belong (2016.01.24 Sermon Audio)

John Chandler continued our conversation about our Common Life as we asked what it means to belong.

Quote and Resources:

“A hundred years ago it was not too large a leap for many to make the passage from family life, with its rhythm, structures of obedience and traditional values, to the life of a religious community. Today that leap is immense. For today people have been nourished on independence and individualism, the desire to win and go up the ladder, they have seen the possibilities of assuming important and admirable responsibilities in the world; it is harder for them to make this passage into a community.” — Jean Vanier
“By separating salvation from church involvement, in a culture that is already socially fragmented and relatively devoid of relational commitment, we implicitly give people permission to leave God’s family when the going gets rough—to take their “personal relationships with Jesus” with them to another church down the block or, worse, to no church family at all.” – Joseph Hellerman
“The difference between community and a group of friends is that in a community we verbalize our mutual belonging and bonding. We announce the goals and the spirit that unites us. We recognize together that we are responsible for one another.” — Jean Vanier