Community
Biblical and Theoretical Foundations
True community begins with a
biblical understanding of love
Longsuffering:
what love is
• Greek meaning is “patience” or the act
of bearing with someone.
• OT – Describes God
• Ex 34:5-7
• Ps 103:8-13
• Jonah 4:2
• NT – Since God has been patient with
us, we should be patient with one
another.
True community begins with a
biblical understanding of love
Descriptions of
“longsuffering”
in the
negative
sense
• Love is not easily
provoked or not easily
drawn into anger.
• Love thinks no evil.
• Love is not envious.
Kind –
what love
does
• OT – Describes God and is usually
partnered with “longsuffering.”
• NT – Believers are to love as God
loves. Therefore, believers are to
be kind and bear the stamp of the
Holy Spirit by displaying kindness
as a fruit of the Spirit’s presence.
• Gal 5:16-25
• Eph 4:29-32
Descriptions
of
“kindness”
in the
negative
sense
• Love is not boastful, proud, or
arrogant.
• Boasting – intellectual pride
emphasized through speech
• Arrogance – action or the way
boasting comes across
• Pride – seeks to build itself up by
tearing others down
• Love is not rude.
• Love is not self-seeking.
Foundations of biblical community
Marion K. Rich – The early Christians
were often together around the
teachings of Christ—the word, prayer,
the sacraments. They were together to
share their common life in Jesus.
Somehow we need to rediscover the life
the early Christians shared together—the
kind of fellowship that gets deeper than
football scores and the latest fashions.
Foundations of biblical community
Albert J. Wollen – In 1965,
Dr. Francis Schaeffer made
the following comment
about the future of the
church: “Unless the church
changes its forms and gets
back to community and
sharing of lives personally,
the church is done.”
Foundations of biblical community
Larry Crabb – A central task
of community is to become
a place safe enough for
each of us to own our
brokenness. Only then can
the power of connecting do
its job. Only then can
community be used of God
to restore our souls.
Foundations of biblical community
Gilbert Bilezikian –
Community is deeply
grounded in the nature of
God. It flows from who
God is. Because he is
community, he creates
community. It is his gift
of himself to humans.
Foundations of biblical community
Les Steele – By gathering
followers around him, Jesus
implicitly affirmed that
participating in community
plays a central role in maturing.
Community in the NT –
the “one anothers.”
Foundations of biblical community
Spiritual vs. Unspiritual
Community
Conflicted
relationships
met by
Spiritual
Friendships
(Care of the
Soul)
Spiritual vs. Unspiritual
Community
Conflicted
relationships
met by
Spiritual
Friendships
(Care of the
Soul)
Conflicted
relationships
handled by
Congenial
Relationships,
Cooperative
Relationships, and
Consoling
Relationships.
Spiritual vs. Unspiritual
Community
And, as
needed,
Spiritual
Direction
(Cure of the
Soul)
Spiritual vs. Unspiritual
Community
And, as
needed,
Spiritual
Direction
(Cure of the
Soul)
And, as
needed,
Counseling
Relationships
or Conforming
Relationships
Spiritual vs. Unspiritual
Community
Characterized
by Dependence
on the Spirit
(Listening to
God through
word and
spirit)
Spiritual vs. Unspiritual
Community
Characterized
by Dependence
on the Spirit
(Listening to
God through
word and
spirit)
Characterized
by
Dependence
on the Flesh
Spiritual vs. Unspiritual
Community
Barriers to Community
Antonyms of
Community
• Disparity
• Difference
• Dissimilarity
• Disagreement
• Conflict
• Private/Personal
• Individual
Barriers to Community
Antonyms of
Community
Synonyms of
Community
• Disparity
• Difference
• Dissimilarity
• Disagreement
• Conflict
• Private/Personal
• Individual
• Nurtured
• Nourished
• Sustained
• Strengthened
• Educated
• Discipled
• Corporate
Barriers to Community
What is necessary
to incorporate the
principles of biblical
love with biblical
community?
Exercise in Groups
Community
Pauline Foundations for Community and Small Groups
Biblical Context
Pauline assertions
must be linked to the
context in which he
was speaking and
acting
Biblical Context
Pauline assertions
must be linked to the
context in which he
was speaking and
acting
Christians in those
communities were
conditioned by
society
Biblical Context
Through interaction
with society and with
his communities,
Paul came to hold the
views expressed in
his letters (Banks, 6)
Pauline assertions
must be linked to the
context in which he
was speaking and
acting
Christians in those
communities were
conditioned by
society
Biblical Context
Paul’s understanding of
community
Never static or frozen into a
theological system
Paul’s understanding of
community
Never static or frozen into a
theological system
Living thing, always open to
development
Paul’s understanding of
community
Never static or frozen into a
theological system
Living thing, always open to
development
Has movement, in touch with the
practicalities of the moment
Paul’s understanding of
community
Three types of community
Politeia – the public
life of the city or
state
Three types of community
Politeia – the public
life of the city or
state
Oikonomia – the
household order
into which they
were born or to
which they were
attached
Three types of community
Politeia – the public
life of the city or
state
Koinonia –
voluntary
associations that
multiplied in
cities all over
the ancient
world
Oikonomia – the
household order
into which they
were born or to
which they were
attached
Three types of community
http://catholicresources.org/Bible/EpistlesHouseholdCodes.htm
 http://www.krusekronicle.com/2007/09/h
ousehold-new-t.html

Household “codes”
Head of Household
Heir
Wife
Children
Servants
Slaves
The picture of family as
community
Koinonia
Based in something other than the principles of politeia or
oikonomia
Koinonia
Based in something other than the principles of politeia or
oikonomia
Bound together people from dissimilar backgrounds on a
different basis than geography, race, or natural and legal ties
Koinonia
Based in something other than the principles of politeia or
oikonomia
Bound together people from dissimilar backgrounds on a
different basis than geography, race, or natural and legal ties
Met a variety of needs—social, charitable, and funerary
Koinonia
Based in something other than the principles of politeia or
oikonomia
Bound together people from dissimilar backgrounds on a
different basis than geography, race, or natural and legal ties
Met a variety of needs—social, charitable, and funerary
Participants found personal points of reference and
experienced a sense of community
Koinonia
Koinonia for
followers of Christ
•Willing participation
with God in his work
in the world
alongside one
another
Missional sense of community
Ekklesia
Voluntary
association
with regular
gatherings
Ekklesia
Voluntary
association
with regular
gatherings
Ekklesia
Relatively
small group
of likeminded
people
Voluntary
association
with regular
gatherings
Combination
of the three
models of
community
Ekklesia
Relatively
small group
of likeminded
people
Ekklesia
Voluntary
association
with regular
gatherings
Relatively
small group
of likeminded
people
Combination
of the three
models of
community
Through
gathering, the
community
comes into
being and is
continually
recreated
(Banks, 46)