Community Series

Community Series Q&A: Will community always be found in church? Can non-Christians be a part of my community?

Community Series Q&A: Will community always be found in church? Can non-Christians be a part of my community?

Answered by Caitlin Lieder

This question gets to the heart of what it means to be in community. Community offers us not only people to be open and honest with, but a place we can call home and understand and serve each other. A non-Christian can and hopefully should be part of your circle of friends! They can also be great listeners, full of grace, and a place of safety. Non-Christians serve and love, and often better than Christians! But, without the element of faith, there will be some lacking.

Community Series: Community as a taste of Heaven

Community Series: Community as a taste of Heaven

The other day, a friend of mine posted a meme on her Facebook page:

I am homesick for a place I am not even sure exists,
Where my heart is full
And my soul is understood.

When I read that, it pierced my heart. I knew exactly the feeling that my friend was evoking. That feeling of being seen, being noticed, being known, being understood, being delighted in, being celebrated. As a Christian, when I read that, I immediately thought of Heaven—that is the place my heart longs for where my tears will be wiped away, my joy will be immeasurable, and my soul will be satisfied with love. And I am positive it exists.

Community Series: Searching for Community—5 Big Mistakes

Community Series: Searching for Community—5 Big Mistakes

When Aaron and I got married, we enjoyed snippets of community in our first few years as a family but ultimately came to the conclusion that we were designed for more—designed for intimate relationships with several people, doing life side by side, being known and loved for who we were. We longed for the kind of community that wouldn’t shame us but would embrace us when we struggled, that would remind us of our identity in Christ when we forgot. And whom we could love in the same ways.

Community Series: Q&A

Community Series: Q&A

This is the part of our Community Series in which we answer a question that was submitted by a reader/member of our Mundane Faithfulness Community. Today’s question is answered by Caitlin Lieder.

How do you build community with people who are different and have different life experiences or come from different cultures?

One of the most beautiful and exciting things about building community is the opportunity to meet people who have diverse backgrounds. The Body of Christ reflects all nations and all peoples, so our smaller communities reflect that as well.