Stumbled across the Cottage Company today, and was intrigued by some of their architectural projects focused on the social as well as the physical. They have been around since at least 1995, and specialize in something called “pocket neighborhoods.” I believe these will be an important piece for future developments as the world moves away from a car-centric economy.

When I first saw Ross Chapin’s designs of the 5 little houses (750-900 square feet) circling an open garden space, it made me think of the TV show LOST - a little neighborhood village once owned by the workers of the Dharma Initiative, now called “New Otherton”. I have to admit, I was a little confused at who might want to live in such a Walt Disney world. But as I read through this article, I began to see the benefits of having your own space, and yet sharing common space.

Each neighborhood is set up in caldisac/bungalo court fashion (but the pavement is replaced with low fences, vegetable and flower gardens, and a playground for the kids), with 6-8 homes all facing the common area.

There is less inside space, which means people are on front porches more. It also means owning less - like this guy and his 100-Thing challenge. There is no garage door for people to sneak home in their SUVs and shut behind them. A lot of the privatization inherent in owning your own home today is taken away, but there is still plenty of private space - for instance, the bedrooms/bathrooms are facing away from the common area, but the living rooms are positioned towards it.

This kind of life is nothing new - monasteries have been designing communities like this since at least the 5th century, and maybe even further back. It speaks to the rhythms of life - the need for privacy, and the need for community.

I think America could benefit from seeing this new kind of “mini-suburb” pop up all across the landscape. Its much smaller and cheaper housing (which helps in the sub-prime mortgage woes), it offers instant babysitter opportunities, more locally grown food (savings and taste abound), and those who already live in one of these dozen or so communities across the country is that their need for privacy is not violated, and that their sense of security and safety has dramatically increased!

Community is not all bliss and no woe - we learned a lot about communal living when my wife and I moved into an Abbey about two years ago, only to move out 8 months later. Still, we wouldn’t trade that experience for anything, and I think it gives us yet another picture of how to make friends in a tragically lonely America.

What are your honest thoughts about this? I’d love to hear more perspectives on potential pitfalls and unique opportunities. Who out there is attempting anything like this? Give us your insight.

Part of being a disciple of Christ is learning to live in God’s governance; his new economy. In America, we tend to see capitalism as the foundation for our society - production and consumption are the backbone to its market economy. Capitalism tends to put competition at the top of a short list of values for its citizens. We see the vicious, unjust effects of this all the time - the rich are taxed much less than the poor, unemployment, concentration of political and economic exploitation, and environmental rape.

Maybe its time in God’s Kingdom to function more organically in a new economy.

I just found out about time banks! They are really sweet way to use the currency of time to provide services to a local community.

The concept is simple. For every hour you give in service to another Time Bank member, you earn one Time Dollar. You can now use this Time Dollar to spend on a service someone else offers in the time bank community.

Time Dollars are a community currency that members earn by using their time, energy, skills, and talents to help others. Time Banking is about local individuals, organizations or business’s helping each other in one-to-one exchanges or in group projects. Members help rebuild neighborhood networks and strengthen communities. There are lots of time bank communities that set up shop on the internet as a way to search available services and meet their neighbors.

What an amazing way to (1) save money (2) participate in a local, neighbor centered economy and (3) experience the redistribution of wealth and resources. Imagine seeing a white collared businessman doing taxes for a Mexican immigrant family who earned their Time Dollar repainting their black neighbor’s house, who got his Time Dollars by going grocery shopping for the elderly woman across the street. Imagine the crime rate going down as neighbors get to know each other and watch out for each other. Imagine an investment into your own local economy!

“Give and you shall receive” - God’s economy doesn’t include dolla billz, he was talking about relationships!

Maine Time Banks - a time bank up in Portland, Maine

Start Your Own! - no matter how big or how small, why not begin one in your neighborhood?

Living In Story- Reciprocal Missionality in the Image of God - Ron Pate’s participatory seminar that clued me in to time banks. He is a part of SCUPE (Seminary Consortium of Urban Pastoral Education) in Chicago. SCUPE helps communities in Chicago start timebanks (they call it Abundance in the Beloved Community, or ABC’s).

Trina and I spent our Saturday down in Waco, TX with Kent and Karen Smith meeting up with Homestead Heritage, a community of about 30 years that has sustained an alternate way of living to the larger American culture. They have about 900 people in their community that participate in the simple life of raising animals, barns, crops, and their own children. In fact, everything at Homestead was focused on growth.

Their story: they started out as a couple of guys as converts to Christ (one of them with Anabaptist background) through the Jesus Movement that swept through the nation in the 70’s. They moved up to New York City and began an inner city ministry of sorts. Over time they felt the need to create a residential community that gave people in the oppressive urban centers a place to identify with God through nature, working with their hands, and shared projects. They moved first to Colorado, and then to Waco, where they have been for the last two decades.

We met with Howard and Jim, two of the 22 ministers for this group. Throughout our conversation, I kept being surprised by the modern day conveniences like cell phones, lights, central air…the works. While we WERE in the main visitors center (where 40,000 visit every year), I had admit - they weren’t Amish, or Mennonite…they were something new.

They talked to us about their journey, and about the TRUE struggle of being “in the world, but not of it”. They mentioned the many visitors who see their strange, “antiquated” way of life lived, not just a historic village reenactment. They regularly go into Waco, and have a urban ministry outreach there. Through their contacts in the city, they work diligently to extract those imprisoned to the culture and show them a new way of life.

They have a “School for Essential Education” that many in the Waco community respects. Apparently, back in 1999, Waco officials announced that if anything devastating happened in Y2K that Homestead Heritage would be the ones to teach people how to grow their own food, etc.

Makes me think some of the 411 Project - 1 Thess 4:11 - “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, working with your hands just as we have told you so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders…”

Isn’t that what the Christian culture is missing? ANYTHING that is respectable to outsiders? There is nothing tangibly different in the world of Christianity from the world’s culture. The stats are the same. There is nothing to respect there. But what about a whole culture that allows people a chance to find grace and time to grow? What about an extended family that has opportunities for you to work with your hands; to feel the accomplishment of a job well done?

To answer Leanne’s question here, I think that Homestead Heritage is trying to be VERY different, and yet be VERY much on display before the world. While, I think there are downsides to extracting someone from their circle of friends (possibly a new convert’s best audience to display the Gospel before), I have to admit that when I participate again in Christian communal living, I hope that it would be situated in a context where people could visibly see a radically different culture being lived out.

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To do a little brainstorming here: What if there were a community like this just outside of Chicago? Or better yet, a network of communities of about 30 or so each that focused on family, God’s family, with deep appreciation for work, rest, and sustainability? Many of these families had committed on living “out on the homestead” while other preferred to live as missionaries in the urban center. These missionary families look for those desperate for Jesus and to kick their addiction to the world’s poisonous culture. Missionaries discerned whether or not to send them to this Homestead as a “retreat center” where they could find some perspective. Upon returning to the city (or staying in the community on the farm), these new believers could grow in their own giftings and learn new skills for life living; centered on Christ and sharing Him with others!

It’s been over a week since the last post, so for this post I’ll quickly just write some of the things going on:

I’m in a Life Transformation Group with (we’ll call him) B, a new friend from the restaurant I work at.   An LTG is simply just a friendship that is specifically focused on remaining authentic with each other, reading together from God’s Word, and praying for our lost friends.  It stays small (2-3 people, the 4th person is a sign that its time to grow into two groups).  Take a look here for some more info on all that.  B is fighting against some major addictions, and is ready to see Christ change his life.  Already he is interested in bringing a few other friends into our group.  Could this be the “person of peace” I’ve been praying for the Lord to show me?

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The 411 Project is coming along!  Yesterday some of us met with Monty Lynn, a business management professor from ACU.  We were interested in hearing his opinions on how to fund the 411 project, and how to incorporate ownership of land and property.  I was expecting some pretty straightforward legal mumbo-jumbo coming from a BUSINESS professor.  But Monty, being the man of God that he is, wanted us instead to really focus on listening to Jesus and discovering how best to move forward.  What a trip…now BUSINESSMEN can be Christians too? (I’m only joking!)

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Trina and I are thinking about making a trip down to Waco, TX in the near future to see a community that takes Acts 4 seriously.  That means that they share all of their possessions, and live in co-housing arrangements.  I’m excited to meet them because I’m always fascinated to see alternative ways to live the Christian life (they’ve been doing this for over 3 decades!).

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There are new friendships and relationships that are really going deep this summer.  My friend Sean and I are spending more time together - something I’ve wanted to do for a long time now.  He was in MRNA as am I, and so we have a lot of the same dreams and impulses.  I hope that we have a chance to talk about possibilities for shared ministry in the future.

Not only that, but this summer I’ve been given the chance to do more reading, more praying, and more discernment for what Katrina and I have in store for us in the future.  I’ve been hearing from God pretty loud and clear lately that we’re to spend our time in Abilene doing two things: heal and equip.  If you want to summit a mountain (or spend your life in mission in one of the world’s global cities), you’ve got to have a strong healthy body, and the right equipment. Katrina and I are not interested in only going up a 1/3 of the way.  We want to reach the peak without burning out.  We see our time here in Abilene as real life and ministry, as well as training and healing for what is to come.

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Well, here’s hoping some more posts are on the way!

These reflections are for those interested in experimenting with Christian communal living. We have just come away from just such a project, and have a few thoughts we would like to offer you as you are preparing for a new season in your life.

Before we start: A little background. My wife and I didn’t HAVE to move in with another couple; we chose to. We had caught a vision for life in the Kingdom of God that looked radically different than just showing up for worship at a church building and occasionally putting some money in a collection plate. We knew that deep down, the Gospel was going to need to be communicated in a fresh way; a way that spoke to the American people. We knew this involved living with sustainability and sanity (not spending more on housing than one could afford, and not working like a slave just to keep an empty house spotless and well-furnished with pricey stuff), and it needed to involve a community (rather than the isolated life most Americans lead).

So here are some of our thoughts on all that, no need to rehash more than we have to:

All of my posts on Communal Living

Deciding to give the experiment a try (Moving In)

Abbey Rhythms

Leaving the Experiment
Some Reflections:

1. This is not the same as having room mates.

As if this even needs to be stated. You are partnering with others on a mission. Plain and simple. You, your spouse (if you have one), and those that choose this lifestyle must see each other as a fully-fledged CHURCH. Nothing less will do. If you don’t have a mission, you will just be super-renters or nice-house mates.

2. No one living on the property should own the property.

Speaking of renting; NO ONE involved in the communal living experiment should own the property. This is a big deal. Find someone else to finance the thing, and let all the inhabitants live as renters, or, better yet, do a co-op where everyone’s name is on the deed, so everyone is the owner. Or even better still, form a simple non-profit organization, and let the organization buy the house, that way individuals aren’t tied up in the house payments (the NPO is), and specific people of the organization can change over time.

3. Follow the ASAP Model (As SLOW as possible)

When it comes to forming spiritual rhythms, go as SLOW as possible. It is awkward at first, and I would recommend not trying anything without a good brainstorming session to get things started. Discuss expectations and desires (like in what specific ways do we want this community to be formed in Christ’s image after 6 months? a year?) for communal spiritual formation. Remember that if there is not complete consensus on what discipline to practice among everyone, eventually resentment will rear its ugly head. We never developed a “rule” (Like the Rule of Benedict, par example), and another Abbey we were in connection with waited almost 2 years before writing one. These sorts of things are very sensitive, and people’s hearts always come before “rules”.

4. Only join with people you already love hanging around.

Thankfully we had really come to care for the couple we lived with, and spending time with them alone was not difficult. If a neo-monastic, communal living arrangement is really what you are seeking, then you will be spending A LOT of time with these people, and you need to feel confident that these are people you are going to love, through thick and thin. I liken it to marriage multiplied exponentially. While you are not in a lifetime covenant relationship (like marriage) with these bros and sistas, (although if its a neo-monastic community you may very well be), you are committing yourself to each other in a deep way. In marriage you learn to die to yourself for your spouse. In communal living, you learn to die to yourself first to your spouse, as well as everyone else you’re living with. This ain’t easy.

5. Create an easy “exit” for yourself and others.

I recommend writing a simple, yet agreed upon document before ever moving in together that gives all participants a graceful exit strategy in case things get hairy or they realize this sort of lifestyle is not for them. We NEED TO REMEMBER that this is a lifestyle that is so absolutely counter to anything middle-class Christian Americans have ever encountered, and that sometimes dreams can be brighter than the realities. This sort of life is not for everyone, and we need to have an agreed upon time-limit to “test the waters”. I have heard 6 months is a good time, but you and your community must decide on this together. EVERYONE should be clear about exactly how long they are committing to live in the shared space, so there are no surprises that someone is moving out unexpectedly.

6. Married couples NEED their own private sharing space.

If you are married or are considering moving in with married couples, I recommend having a special space for you and your mate (that is NOT your bedroom) that you can call your own. A place to hang your pictures, etc. Have doors that shut tight, and that also open wide, establishing clear boundaries that will allow for healthy relationships between the occupants. A lot of communities in England (for example, Christ’s Church) and the Celtic Christians use an architecture design called “Cloisters” which give inhabitants common space, and yet their own private dwellings. See a picture of one here.

7. Involve a bigger community.

One of our healthiest and most enjoyable rhythms that we participated in was hosting larger gatherings. Our abbey happened to have a beautiful front and back yard, and we had regular parties and gatherings there. Once Saturday morning each month we opened our doors to letting friends come over to use our space for quiet reflection with the LORD, and then we served the breakfast. We also held 4th of July and Christmas parties…these events allowed other people into our relational matrix and cross pollinated ideas, not to mention gave other people a picture of how this crazy communal living thing could be done.

8. Come up with a list of individual expectations BEFORE deciding to live together.

If you are starting an abbey out of scratch, I suggest that EACH PERSON involved in the monastery plant write out the specifics on what they expect this to look like, etc BEFORE making a commitment to be a part of it. You will feel pressured to “hurry up and move in”, but don’t forget this very crucial step! It is like getting married without pre-martial counseling, or even worse, getting married without ever talking about it together! Ask each other questions to stimulate dormant expectations you may not realize you have: “Why do you want to do this?” “How will we live in this house?” “When will it start/stop?” “What are some ideas of what we could do together as a spiritual family?” “What will you NOT participate in?” “What are your pet-peeves, and what are mine?”

9. Give each other a break.

Finally, and most importantly, lay off each other! The idea of living simply, sanely, and sustainably is something very foreign to our Western minds, and just like with everything else in life, our mind’s ideal is much further ahead than our life habits or our “weaker brothers and sisters”. Hold regular times of formal confession and forgiveness. Find times for informal confession and forgiveness. People aren’t perfect, and neither will your experiment in communal living.

For those of you interested in Christian communal living, GREAT! This is a chance to take a step forward in Christ - to do something that wakes the world up and says, “Church is changing; pay attention! This is Good News!” But take it from a couple who have been through the “honeymoon stages” of it all, there are some obvious and not-so-obvious pitfalls that Satan has set up. I hope and pray God’s best for you.