Over the past few months I have longed to see our people grow in their understanding, and experience, of Koinonia. I have preached, taught, and written about the value of our shared life together. Personally, I have also done what I could to demonstrate it. This weekend our people got a full on view of how this culture operates. Our leadership along with some personal friends received some personal ministry time that was amazing. But then on Sunday morning, our Pioneer Family was able to experience it on a whole new level.
The anticipation among our people was thick. As we gathered together you could feel the energy around us. The presence of the Lord was strong as He was cheering on our endeavor. When the singing portion of our gathering drew to a close, Mark, Randy, and yours truly took to the stage. We sat among our people and shared our hearts. One building upon the other. Honor given. Honor received. We spoke of the value of this culture and the biblical understanding of it. We challenged the people to go deeper, to look deeper, and to share deeper with one another. We exemplified this life before them. We watched as the Lord began healing hearts all around us.
Paul's letter to Philemon provides incredible insight into Koinonia's ability to draw out every good thing that is in us. He tells us that our shared life, our community, our joint participation, is effective for the full knowledge of the well that is within everyone of us. This is quite different from the church culture many of us have experienced. Some have come out of prophetic backgrounds where prophecy was used to tell you what was wrong in your life. Some grew up in the "your a dirty, rotten, sinful creature" background where there was nothing good in you at all. Rarely have people been able to view themselves as the creation of God bearing His image and likeness. Rarely has anyone looked deep enough into their lives to draw out who the Lord is in them. True, biblical, Koinonia is the cure for our religious systems. In Koinonia we understand that we belong to Him and to one another. We have a shared life to live.
As people encounter this culture, they experience love like never before. They discover a safe place to rise, to fall, to question, and to answer. They experience confrontation in a way that it is redeeming. The are liberated from shame, doubt, and self-degradation. They are also set free from false humility. The "humility" that always projects any good thing in their life as being the Lord rather than themselves. They are invited into a community where love is the government and honor is the rule. They are able to see the Lord in themselves and in others. They find that image and likeness is more than just a nice phrase.
Over the course of the last few days I have meditated on how this culture affected so many of our people. I have wept over the lives that were radically changed. I have laughed over the joy that I witnessed in the face of His people as they were able to let go of the wounds of the past. And I have become convinced that Koinonia is more caught than taught. It is better experienced than explained.
Yesterday morning I received a text from a good friend who was with us for Sunday morning:
"What you guys were talking about yesterday is what I have believed for years. If we all love God and love each other - and tell each other how we feel - and not get hung up on denominations...think how great this world would be?" As I read his text, my heart leapt for joy. Here is a man who has been in church for most of his life. He has understood this way of life but has rarely seen it. On Sunday he was able to experience what he always believed to be true.
Koinonia changes us. It challenges us in ways that just going to church never could. It begs us to tear down the facades. It forces us to see ourselves through a different lens. It points us to a better way of life and a greater unity in relationship. Koinonia changes the way we communicate because we look deeper into one another. Clichés cannot communicate what we see and feel. Programmed responses will not draw from the well within others. EVERYTHING about this life is intentional. This is the life that the Lord wants us to live with one another.
I have seen firsthand the power and effectiveness of Koinonia. I have witnessed the healing it brings. There is no better way for the church to do life together. "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11
No comments:
Post a Comment