Have every felt scattered in your search for church community (or any community for that matter?)
Some would blame postmodernity (whatever that is) for the deconstruction of community (note, not the destruction, but the de-construction). We don’t look for community in one spot anymore, rather we’re very comfortable compartmentalizing our communities. Book club over here, church over there, sports team here, family there, close friends….you get the picture.
In many ways we’ve treated church community in an a la carte fashion, picking and choosing what suits us or what we sense is lacking in our lives.
Although there are benefits of having the flexibility to find a fit that resonates with your identity, there are problems as well.
In the least we diminish our capability to invest fully into others by stretching our availability and unknowingly perpetuating the very longing we’re trying to fulfill. It also begs the question of, when push comes to shove, which community do you go to in a time of need?
Of course, the challenge then becomes how do you choose?
I don’t know of there’s a sure answer, but here are helpful hints. Consider people, pursuit and proximity. Cherish people who love each other and love you, pursue communities that pursue God’s unfolding redemptive hope, and value the importance of proximity and its importance to develop people and pursuit.
Perhaps this will lead you to a tough choice, but perhaps that’s where we have to begin, by looking at ourselves and the people we’re invested.