Layers of Christian Community: ‘Mono’

This entry is part 2 of 6 in the series The Layers of Christ-Centered Community
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The Layers of Christ-Centered Community

In our last post, we unpacked the idea of layers of community in the life of Christ, and in his Church throughout time.  The healthier the layers, the healthier the church – and each Christian connected to it.

The central layer to Christian community, the core of the spiritual journey, begins inside each Christian. The unique and conscious way in which the Divine seeks union with each of us is the means and the end to the Christian life.  Over a person’s life, the process of growing more into the image of God (deification) has us moving from darkness to light – living more and more “of heaven” even while we live firmly planted on earth.

Over the last two thousand years, many have taken on the cause of spiritual formation and their thoughts provide a rich cornucopia of resources.  Several that have been meaningful to Christians over the years are St. John of the Cross’ Dark Night of the Soul, Julian of Norwich’s Showings, Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle, and Brother Lawrence’s Practicing the Presence of God just to name a few. May these books and countless others serve as friends to guide you on your journey into intimacy with your Creator.

moving from darkness to light

Each Christian, as the name implies, takes their cues on how they relate to God from Jesus Christ.  It would make sense then to peek into the life of Christ for hints on our own journey into God’s heart.

Jesus had a deep, intimate relationship with God the Father.  We have no record of Jesus’ public ministry before he was baptized by John around the age of 33.  Knowing God as he did even as a 12 year old presumes a continued pursuit of God in knowledge and experience throughout his early life.  Those silent, mysterious years must have been filled with prayer, study, hard masonry work, doing the dishes…the mundane life of a 1st century Jew.

Practicing the presence of God in the common is essential to the Christ life.  Allowing the holy to invade the common, to invite God to wash the dishes with you, will slowly saturate your life with an awareness of God’s absolute proximity.  Learning to train your heart and mind to remain aware of God’s presence will make every task, every conversation holy; giving you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week of uninterrupted communion with God – a sneak peak into heaven.

After a dramatic introduction by John the Baptist and God himself at Jesus’ muddy baptism, Jesus races off to the wilderness.  He doesn’t begin a dynamic public ministry or call on disciples until his identity as the Son of God is made clear.  What kind of Messiah will he be?  Each of the temptations in the wilderness is Satan’s prodding Jesus to become a different kind of Savior (miraculous provider, political rebel, cosmic ruler) – each compromising God’s calling on his Son.

From this we can learn the essential desert disciplines of Solitude, Silence, and Prayer.  Even more – we learn their purpose – to refine our intimacy and identity as sons and daughters of God.  We see this move in Christ – from intimacy with the Father to identity as his son, flowing outward to meaningful ministry and community.  Trying to shortcut this process is a disaster in one’s spiritual life and leads to all kinds of hurt.

At the heart of this first layer of Christian community is the recognition that we have nothing to offer our brothers and sisters, and cannot correctly receive what our church has to offer us, if we are not living out of a deep intimate relationship with God.

As Jesus continued his ministry, he made a regular habit of spending the nights in prayer out on a nearby mountain, and spent the days teaching in the temple. (Lk 21:37) It was this habit that gave him the peace to remain true to his calling when resisting the egotistical high as the crowds begged him to become their king, and kept him reaching up for God when he hung desperately on the cross.

When crowds push in around us in bustling, needy cities, we remember the value of Sabbath – of sane living that invites us to retreat not into escapism, but for the sake of saving the world.

But how is it done?  How is this intimacy achieved?  While there is much we can learn from others (past and present) the real journey of learning to love and live with God is a unique journey of discovery for each soul.  Find what makes your heart reach out for God.  Singing in your car, prayers and readings in the early morning, folding laundry, meditation…whatever it is – find a habit of centering your heart on God and watch as God slowly changes you into more of him.

Of course, we know that this can not be done in isolation…we need a company of trusted friends to help us…but that is the next layer…

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Want to dive deeper into this layer?  Here are a few resources to get started:

Centered: A Way of Life by Kent Smith

Revolutionary: Find the Path to Deeper Living with Jesus by Ben Cheek

Some books from my library on spiritual disciplines, spirituality, and spiritual formation.

John Eldredge’s Ransomed Heart Podcast.

Series Navigation«Churches are like OnionsLayers of Christian Community: ‘Micro’»Layers of Christian Community: Meso»
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