Advice from Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Life together under the Word will remain sound and healthy only where it does not form itself into a movement, an order, a society... but rather where it understands itself as being a part of the one, holy, catholic, Christian Church, where it shares actively and passively in the sufferings and struggles of the whole Church. Every principle of selection, every separation connected with it that is not necessitated quite objectively by common work, local conditions, or family connections is of the greatest danger to a Christian community. When the way of intellectual or spiritual selection is taken, the human element always insinuates itself and robs the fellowship of its spiritual power and its effectiveness for the Church, and drives it into sectarianism.
2 comments:
Brothers,
I really struggle with insinuating my self into what God is trying to do. It is a hard thing to realize that God doesn't really need me to do anything, but that out of His love and mercy he desires to fellowship with me. I confess that I saw our group as the beginning of a "movement" or "society". I pray that we will be content with being part of His body.
Hey Chuck, I think I can relate. I've honestly had some mixed feelings ever since we became an "official" group. The last thing I want to be a part of is some "uber-spiritual" elitist society. My hope for this group was and still is is to get beyond the frustatingly superficial fellowship that I experience at church and develop genuine, deep, honest, and unguarded friendships with a few like-minded brothers. The reason I have mixed feelings is because I fear that the connotation of being an "official" group with official meetings and schedules and agendas may hinder the natural develop of real friendships. I hope that makes sense. Lee
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