1
Created by Medical Ambassadors International,
Modesto CA.
UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY
Date: 03/97
OBJECTIVES:
(1 HOUR)
1.
2.
Participants will be able to understand the different elements and a definition of
community.
Participants will be able to understand the biblical basis of community.
OVERVIEW FOR TRAINERS: This lesson is to give the participants the understanding that a
community is not just people living together in the same geographic area. They must hold many things
in common to be a true community. In addition, we need to concentrate on small communities, not
large areas.
METHOD
Exercise:
Break into small groups of 6 people
each. Make one person from each
group an “outsider.” Tell each
group they are a village community
and the outsider wants to enter their
community. They are to react as
they think people in the rural village
might react.
TIME
KNOWLEDGE
10”
After 5 minutes come back together.
Ask each group if they let the
outsider into their community. Why
or why not? Ask the outsider how
he felt.
OR
Role Play:
Start with a problem-posing role
play built around an outsider trying
to enter a community and being
rejected by the people of the
community. The people might be
saying that he is from a different
tribe, he does not speak their
language, he wants to talk about the
city and he wants them to do
something that they do not think is
important.
----SHO questions---S = What do you See?
H = What is Happening?
O = Does this happen in Our place?
I.
Divide the group into small
groups and have them list the
factors which make up a
community. Report back. Give
or ask for one or two
I.
Small Group Activity:
2
UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY
METHOD
TIME
examples of factors before
sending them into their small
groups.
A. A recommended list is
included. Review the entire
list they give and
emphasize “sense of
belonging” as one of the
most important factors.
B.
Summary: what makes
them one?
C.
Show two words in the
word community.
Discuss thinking small.
D.
KNOWLEDGE
A.
Aspects of a community:
1. Live in the same
geographical boundaries.
2. Depend on each other. Do
things together.
3. Share common interest.
4. Share similar background
and experiences.
5. Share common problems
and needs, also common
fears and concerns.
6. Influence each other.
7. There is a sense of
belonging, identity, and
bond. “We feeling.” This
point ties everything else
together.
8. Recognize the same
leadership. Political,
government, family, church.
Influential – informal and
also organizations: co-ops,
women’s groups, etc.
9. Sense of kinship, family ties.
10. Share common customs,
culture, habits, ceremonies,
beliefs, taboos, and
discipline.
11. There is intensive
communication between the
members.
12. They identify themselves
and each other as part of a
community.
13. They speak same or similar
language.
14. Within the group there may
be sub-groups by age, sex,
religion, belonging to same
organization, occupation,
and education.
15. Common economic
resources.
16. Know each other.
17. There is a sense of
permanence.
18. The community is always
changing and growing.
B. Summary: the more things in
common, the more a sense of
community.
C. Community –
Common/unity/oneness
D. Thinking small: Small areas or units
3
UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY
METHOD
E.
TIME
KNOWLEDGE
Is a city a community? Why
or why not?
E.
of people, influencing and knowing
each other by sight are what really
count. This should be your target
area for saturation of the gospel
and to change their health
standards. Project population is the
best between 500-1000. (1 CHE for
20-30 homes.)
Urban comparison:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
No one sees themselves as a
permanent member of that
area.
They hold very few things in
common as they are from
many places in the country.
They don’t know each other.
They have no sense of
community.
There may be subcommunities within the city but
that is even questionable.
II.
As a way of summary, make a
working definition from the
factors listed by the group.
This will be referred back to
during the rest of the week.
II.
Working definition of community:
A growing body of people who live in
geographic proximity, have common
elements in their lives that give them
a sense of belonging and they know
each other.
III.
Christian community
A. What makes a community
Christian? Ask as a large
group.
III.
Christian community:
A. What makes a community
Christian is people who live in
the community are seeking to
live under God’s control and to
live biblically.
B. God’s view from the Bible
concerning what a Christian
community should be like:
B.
Break into 5 groups giving
each group two Bible
verses to look up to find
God’s view of a Christian
community:
1. Acts 2:42;
Acts 4:32
1.
2.
Psalm 82:3;
Romans 13:9
2.
3.
Matthew 25:35, 36
Luke 6:35
3.
Acts 2:42 – Christ’s followers
ate, studied, prayed, and
fellowshipped together.
Acts 4:32 – They provided for
the needs of each other.
Psalm 82:3 – Provide for the
weak and maintain the rights
of the afflicted.
Romans 13:9 – Obey God’s
commandments, love your
neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 25:35, 36 – Clothe
the naked, feed the hungry,
visit the sick and the prisoners.
Luke 6:35 – Do good, love
youy enemies and when you
4
UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY
METHOD
C.
TIME
KNOWLEDGE
4.
II Timothy 2:2
Romans 12:1, 2
4.
5.
Romans 8:17
II Corinthians 3:18
5.
lend, expect nothing in return.
II Timothy 2:2 – Teach your
neighbor who will in turn teach
others what you have learned.
Romans 12:1, 2 – We are to
offer our bodies as living
sacrifices to God.
Romans 8:17 – We are coheirs with Christ and share His
sufferings.
II Corinthians 3:18 – Paul tells
us we are being transformed
into Jesus’ image and
likeness. This is an ongoing
process. It is a continual
progression which is never
completed on this earth. A
person is truly developing only
as he does so in a growing
relationship with Christ. None
of us are perfect yet; we are in
a process and need to accept
each other.
At the end, emphasize that
as more and more people
accept Christ, the
community will become
more like this.
Relationships are healed
and people begin to reach
out.
ATTITUDE:
SKILL:
EVALUATION:
MATERIALS:
Participants will understand that a community is much more than just people living
together.
Participants are able to explain community to one another and live as part of it.
When they start a project, participants include the majority of the community,
including those who are different. They view the community as small in size and not
too large.
-Newsprint
-Marking pens
-Masking tape
-Bibles
This lesson is used in: Program Trainings – TOT I