Many ministry leaders are asking about all the forms of communal life the church is seeing today, including missional communities, house churches and others. So let me take a few postings here to address some of these “strategic” issues while throwing in some personal perspectives. Let me begin with some comments on place-based approaches in general. I’d love to hear your reactions to these comments.

As churches launch place-based community initiatives, the data and stories are rolling in.  It is clear that rediscovering “place” as an avenue for communal life is exciting for many. The early “wins” are increased relational involvement with neighbors, a vision for what God is doing in a local community, meeting needs of people who might otherwise have been overlooked, and mobilizing resources for specific projects outside the geographic boundary.

So it is clear that geographic-based community has great potential to increase the relational connection and outreach in any given locale, but it is no panacea. Enthusiasts begin the strategy believing the illusion that it will simplify your life, eliminate stress and solve all your church’s problems. Then reality hits. People still have conflict, some cannot connect with neighbors (or neighbors do not want to connect with them), some lack relational skills and need training, other churches think you are stealing their people, leadership development is hard to accomplish, and centralized classes, support systems and activities are still required on campus. So, if you’re not careful, it can actually add meetings and create some complexities in your life.

In our eagerness to describe the benefits and opportunities that place-based community affords, we must be very careful not to avoid the real challenges, obstacles and weaknesses inherent within.  We cannot describe a surreal, dream-like community that never really existed, except on 1950’s TV. People think they will soon have Andy and Aunt Bea next door while Opie walks the dog past the front porch as Mabel returns from glee club practice just in time to sit down and watch reruns of the Lawrence Welk Show.

Bonhoeffer’s words ring true:

“He who loves his dream for community more than the community itself destroys the latter.”

Love the people…not the dream.

To be continued…