Stew or Salad?

The Christian life...Followers of the Way... Wayism... How do we follow the Way of Christ?

The concept of community is evident in Scripture, but I don't believe that it is something that we as Christians really sit down and think about. Yeah, right, of course - community, that's what it's all about - some would say. But, what does community look like?

I just finished reading the book Waking the Dead (Eldredge 2003) and think that the author has expressed ideas about community in Scripture that made me sit up with a wow. It's not like I haven't heard the idea before. It's just that his way of expressing it suddenly connected with a very deep part of myself.

So what is community, and not just "the community" where you live? I mean what is real true intimate community, the kind of community that gets in your face and walks alongside of you at the same time?

One of my favorite themes for Christian living is our willingness to be open and transparent with other believers. Granted the setting must be appropriate and safe, but if we never enter that haven then I submit to you that "real community" will never happen.

For most believer's, I think that their sense of community is like a salad, whereas real and intimate community is like a stew. Huh?

A real and intimate community is one where heat and pressure are applied to a wide range of ingredients that through intimate interaction over time produce an amazing flavor and aroma that everyone enjoys. More importantly, you can taste the flavor of all the ingredients in every part of the stew, but each part still retains its identity. This is just the way an intimate community should be - we all "rub off" and season each other. The only way we can season each other is if we are real and open about our lives with fellow believers. And you know, I don't know about you, but a stew on the second or even the third day tastes better than the first day it was made. A real community, the longer it lasts the better it can taste.

A salad on the other hand, while the ingredients and flavors can widely vary to produce a great flavor, it cannot stand the heat or the pressure. As soon as heat or pressure (disagreements - division) are applied, the salad is ruined. It's best when it's fresh and the ingredients have spent the least amount of time possible touching each other. The members of this group cannot be open or the whole thing gets ruined. Stay light, stay positive, don't be real and for God's sake - don't have problems, or needs, or talk about your struggles with sin... The idea of Christian Salad can taste really good, but it doesn't last. How many of us have tried to experience community in a church, only to have it wilt and go bad?

What kind of community are you a part of? Are you willing to be open and transparent and "stew," or do you want to get in and out of the salad bowl as quickly as possible?