Common Grounds Online: Corey Widmer, A Little Lesson from Lesslie

It is good to have a collection of heroes. One of mine is the British missionary Lesslie Newbigin (1909-1998), who after serving as a missionary in India for many years returned to Britain, only to find that he needed to be a missionary there as well. Newbigin was convinced that the most effective way a secular, pluralistic culture can be reached with the gospel is through the local congregation. "The only hermenuetic of the gospel,” he wrote, “is a congregation of men and women who believe it and live by it." He means that the local church, like the one you are a part of, should be "interpreting" the gospel and its significance for the world.

Common Grounds Online: Corey Widmer, A Little Lesson from Lesslie.

 When I first read the list of 6 practical things this means for the church, I was put out by #3, The church is a community for others. Later on he mentions #4, 4. The church is a community of priests but that only refers to building up church members to go back out into the communitee.

I'm a little bothered by this. Yes, we as a (church) community have a responsibility to the community in which we reside, but we have an even greater responsibility to one another. The apostles' letters are full of exhortations for us to support and help our brothers/sisters. We are called on to be hospitable to all, but especially to other Christians. (This was especially critical in times when visiting apostles and lay brothers stayed in people's homes as they travelled.)

As Christians we are called on to love everyone we meet. But especially those of the Bride of Christ, the other members of our own body.