In James Bryan Smiths, The Good and Beautiful Community. There is a large amount of content on narrative in our Spiritual Formation. To summarise Smith’s content he addresses and contrasts the false narratives experienced in the world’s community, with the true narratives experienced in God’s community and they allow us to live in authentic relationship with Christ and each other. I will be personally reflecting on the two aspects of community that I felt were most encouraging to me. The first aspect was the serving community . Using the example of a Church trustee meeting and a Church learning to welcome college students . Smith highlighted the worldly and Kingdom narratives people have of Church and how they translate to our communities.
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Applying the true Kingdom Narratives of the serving community to our focus in Church-life, for me is sometimes a struggle. It is easy for me to spend the majority of my time on the Building and the Program, making your space as attractive as possible. So much so that you can overlook the people, who are the most important part of what you do in my role as youth and high school drop in center leader. Helping to build relationship and community first then programs latter, helps me too better pastorally care and keep my focus on what is important in my ministry and that is the for Kids needs , and their possible encounter’s with Christ. They welfare of others in my ministry setting is more important to me than how good the facilities are.
Applying the encouraging community for me is exciting, as I believe I have the spiritual gift of encouragement. I feel excited by the true narrative of the community shaping my life. The encouraging community excites me as I am applying the values of offering forgiveness and acceptance, to broken, hurting youth who regularly visit our Youth group. If these youth, as broken and sometimes dysfunctional as they are can know that they are free to come to a space where they can be accepted and loved for who they are, then I believe we are one step closer to manifesting the encouraging
Applying the true Kingdom Narratives of the serving community to our focus in Church-life, for me is sometimes a struggle. It is easy for me to spend the majority of my time on the Building and the Program, making your space as attractive as possible. So much so that you can overlook the people, who are the most important part of what you do in my role as youth and high school drop in center leader. Helping to build relationship and community first then programs latter, helps me too better pastorally care and keep my focus on what is important in my ministry and that is the for Kids needs , and their possible encounter’s with Christ. They welfare of others in my ministry setting is more important to me than how good the facilities are.
Applying the encouraging community for me is exciting, as I believe I have the spiritual gift of encouragement. I feel excited by the true narrative of the community shaping my life. The encouraging community excites me as I am applying the values of offering forgiveness and acceptance, to broken, hurting youth who regularly visit our Youth group. If these youth, as broken and sometimes dysfunctional as they are can know that they are free to come to a space where they can be accepted and loved for who they are, then I believe we are one step closer to manifesting the encouraging