Strength in numbers -- Why we need community

Published at an earlier date

Faith in the Public Square
Lompoc Record
March 24, 2006

The biblical book of Ecclesiastes bemoans the vanity of life but then adds this word of advice: “two are better than one . . . for if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help” (Eccl. 4:9ff). Team sport athletes understand this principle, because no matter how good you are, if you don’t play as a team you won’t win.

Our nation is moving toward do-it-yourself, by-your-self religion. It is part of a larger trend documented in Robert Putnam’s important book from 2000, Bowling Alone: the Collapse and Revival of Community. Community institutions from churches to neighborhoods, from fraternal organizations to service clubs, are in decline, while people turn to the Internet to find dates. Along this same vein, evangelical pollster George Barna argues in a new book that Christians needn’t be connected to a church to be spiritually nurtured and fulfilled. Though I totally disagree with his sentiment, it’s in line with modern sensibilities.

It is a sentiment that is expressed in the common question posed to preachers: “Do I have to go to church to be a Christian?” I expect that similar questions are asked of leaders of other religious traditions. Though it may be possible to be religious but not in community, is it prudent to go it alone? Jesus may have retreated to the wilderness for prayer and reflection, but he always returned to the community of his disciples. Genesis 2 also talks about community.

God creates Adam and places him in the garden, but then God notices that Adam is lonely. God begins looking for a companion for Adam. God creates animals, but they don’t do the trick, and so in the end, God puts Adam to sleep and fashions from his body a companion fit for him and community is born. In other words, no matter how intimate our relationship with God, we still need human companionship and fellowship.

Religious communities are human institutions full of imperfect people. Many of them are good people, but there are hypocrites and the occasional bad apple -- consider the BTK killer who turned out to be a pillar of his community and church. Religious communities can be diabolical and even destructive -- People’s Temple and Heaven’s Gate are two examples. The bad news leads many to conclude that it’s better to be alone than risk the dangers of community.

At their worst churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples can be a place of destruction, but at their best they can be places of healing, support, strength, friendship, and service to the broader community. I’ve been part of mega-churches, which allow for anonymity unless you chose community, and small congregations where “everyone knows your name,” but whatever the size of a congregation, true community requires a certain intimacy.

Our culture seems shy about intimacy. We tend to be individualists who are apt to bowl, golf, or pray alone. I agree with Robert Putnam that this isn’t a healthy situation, and I’m glad he isn’t content to leave things alone. He’s established an initiative called Better Together (http://www.bettertogether.org), which seeks to restore America’s social capital. His web site lists 150 different ways to help contribute to the restoration of community in America, and number 144 suggests that we “join groups (e.g., arts, sports, religion) likely to lead to making new friends of a different race or ethnicity, different social class or bridging across other dimensions.” This won’t be easy because we tend to prefer people who are just like us, but it is a goal worth pursuing.

Do we need community? I know it seems self-serving (and it probably is), but while it’s possible to walk alone with God, it’s better to do so in the company of others. As Ecclesiastes puts it, “a three-fold cord is not easily broken.” We need each other, even if we’re not perfect or agree on every point. We may step on each other's toes, speak when we should listen, or say things we shouldn’t, but we are called upon, nonetheless, to share one another’s burdens and care for the world God created. Standing together, arm in arm, we won’t so easily fail in this task.

Dr. Bob Cornwall is Pastor of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Lompoc
(www.lompocdisciples.org).

March 24, 2006