That’s a very good question and I thank Lucy for asking it. The quick answer is that I am not sure! There again, maybe that is a cop out!
I have a long held compassion to see young people reached for Christ. Until probably the last 2 years that was exclusively young people but now I don’t care who comes to Christ … just everyone! I am interested in all the people around me.
As a young Christian stuff seemed very black and white. This was right, that was wrong. I now see that actually I was simply taking on board what other more experienced Christians were telling me. Now when I go back to them I am shocked to see that they can not say why they believe what they do … they just do!
I guess I have been looking hard at the last few years of what I believe and why. This has resulted at looking at the person of Jesus and the thing that hits me more than anything is how he dealt, and deals now, with people. His method is of unconditional acceptance whereas I see a lot of the church’s method as follow this rule! This view will accept some people as I feel unconditional acceptance is just too wild to get your head around cos we want to lay conditions on so we earn it. I wonder if the women who was going to be stoned felt like that? Jesus accepted her as she was BEFORE he told her to go and ‘sin no more’. I think the order here is missed significantly. (but, again, this is only my opinion!) I must admit my relationship with Jesus over the past 2 years in particular has been a liberating experience! Maybe it has been a wrong experience! But all I can say is I am closer to him now than I ever have been.
As well as looking at Jesus I have been asking all the what is church, how do we do church kinda stuff. I don’t know any answers, but some experimental ideas that I would like to ponder on and investigate at some time in my journey.
In light of this, I feel community is the heart of all we do. We are in community whether we want to be or not. I want to be. I want to be so much that actually, I feel being part of community is more important than sharing the gospel. By that I mean that when people reject Jesus I am still going to be around for them. That’s what a true friend and member of the community would do.
I used to think I needed to take Jesus in to my community. Lucy rightly points out he is already there! I think, on reflection, my task is to point him out to people that are not recognising him where he is.
I am going to stop there as I think this could become a very long post – and no-one will want to read it! Anyway … comments?
The Shiny Headed Prophet 
Rob,I knew there was a reason I could relate to you:)You have come a long way in your journey, and it is particularly inspiring to see your acceptance of people, and the way in which you genuinely understand what community is about.Thanks for sharing that. Now that I understand where you are at in your journey with God, I will be better able to respond meaningfully to other posts.Lucy
I love being part of a church that reaches into the community naturally. St Marks always has out-reaches going, on, and the local people know the church for that reason, (I presume still happens today). Chatham Evangelical does this too, they are so in contact with the community, coz people are out there and live in it, we have Christians from the church out there in everyday things, like play-group and cyber-cafe which (so i found out the other day in the yearly reports) are having a hugh impact on the people around. They may not want to come into the sunday services, but do feel they can find a loving person to listen, or help them at other times of the week. They are coming to church in a different way, Jesus is using people out there, and it’s great to hear the stories. I hope I am a good example when I am ‘out there’ in my community, so Jesus is seen in me. Joe Friday
LucyDo you mean I have found someone that actually kinda understands what I talk about (cos sometimes even I don’t know what I mean!)Yeah – but I don’t think I do fully understand what community is about. Its easy for me to say what I think, but working it in practice is very different. In fact, I admire you loads for the whole hearted way you have thrown yourself into community.Joe- unless you have changed loads, you are such a cool witness in the community, so keep going!