Staying in community...

Now that we have settled in to Worcester we are going to start the search for a local church. This can always be tricky (especially since I have said in the past that Buckhead Church ruined me for other church experiences!) and we are going to have to have an open mind, realizing that no one church is going to have everything. I'm hoping we can find one that has a community focus where we can get into a small group with other believers.

At Buckhead Church, and the other partner churches of North Point, community is a key foundation for how we "do life" as believers. I was sent this little story in an email forward, but I do think it's a great illustration for the benefits of actively participating in Christian community.

A member of a certain church, fairly regular in attendance, had stopped going. After a few weeks, the preacher decided to visit him.

It was a chilly evening. The preacher found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his preachers visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited for the visitor to speak.

The preacher made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the preacher took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The preacher glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately, it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As the preacher reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, ‘Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday.’

"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me."
John 15:4