Unique and Powerful Features of a Thriving Community of Christ

As I was meditating on Ephesians in light of our theme of “Building the Community of Christ,” I realized more than ever before that God’s vision of community is radically different from the worldly idea of a community.  

First of all, it is radical in its goal.  God’s grand goal of “uniting all things in heaven and things on earth” in 1:10 is for the most part taking place in the unity of the Christian community in Ch 3 and 4.  Can you imagine a Christian community that feels like “heaven on earth”?  That’s exactly God’s vision.  I can say with full confidence that this is possible.  Definitely not perfect, but fully possible.  I have experienced in other Christian communities, but I can say with a clear conscience that I have and am experiencing in various ways heaven on earth in our Veritas community.

Second, it is radical in facing the sin’s effect on a Christian community.  Our relationships without Christ are described as “wall of hostility” (2:14), speaking falsehood (4:25), stealing (4:28), corrupting talk about each other (4:29), bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice (4:31).  Christian community deals with sin head on, not just at the surface level, but at the heart level.

Third, it is radical in its solution.  God’s command is simple: put it away (4:25,31), be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another (4:32).  And all this is possible because Christ forgave us (4:32).  In a thriving Christian community, it is not uncommon to see “enemies” becoming friends.

Fourth, a distinguishing feature of a thriving community of Christ is its unity in diversity.  In contrast to a secular vision of community which is built on “social engineering,” which forces unity through “equality,” Christian community is built on unity in diversity in Christ.

Unity in diversity in Christ means that each different part is essential for the whole community.  And unlike the non-believers who celebrate diversity (e.g. LGBTQ+, racial) for its own sake, Christians celebrate diversity within the bounds that God has allowed (e.g. husband and wife, parents and children) because we need each other to grow in Christ.  It is only in Christ that our differences can turn into blessings to each other.  

Finally, Christian community is marked by a Christ-centered culture where they can experience the heavenly joys together in their community life.  There are strict ethical boundaries, such as not allowing immorality, impurity, covetousness, or even “foolish talk.” (5:3-5), but in this kind of safe environment there is celebration, singing, and “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (5:15-21).  I recently heard a Korean-American describe the Korean concept of “Jeong” as a uniquely Korean concept that is defined not as love or attachment, but as a “memory of shared experiences of something that we enjoy together.”  If we can apply that about the shared cultural experiences that we have in the Lord, we can imagine a snapshot of a biblical vision of a thriving community.