Blog of Mick

Lately, many of my readings are consumed by trying to find out what true community looks like.  We live in a culture, are grandchildren of a culture, that does not understand what it means to have an authentic sense of belonging.

The term “bedroom communities” can best describe how many people live.  We are so disengaged from our neighbors and potential friends that it is hard to know exactly what we are missing.  Fortunately, people have made extensive research to see how our current culture is different from the culture seventy-five years ago, and we are able learn from these studies.

One problem is that we are no longer available to others.  Currently I am trying to make practice of this in my life and become more available to people.  By saying “yes” when someone asks to do something, I am not only building stronger friendships, but I am also showing how that person is more valuable than the plans I had prior.

This also come along with being spontaneous.  The other day a friend called me up asking to go on a bike ride.  I wanted to just sit and home and relax to a nice cup of coffee, but instead I agreed to seventeen miles of peddling.  That time became valuable, and I realized how important and easy it is to start building a community.

Many of these ideas have come from Randy Frazee’s The Connecting Church.  My quest, if you will, is just starting.  Hopefully I can learn how to create a sense of community in a culture that is no longer familiar with what that means.