Living in Community is Hard

We get fairly confused about community. We have deep longings to be with people, to be loved, to be part of something greater than ourselves. And we simultaneously struggle to be with people, and sometimes give confusing signals:

Of course sometimes we are plainer about not wanting to be with people:

(Here are more amazing "no trespassing" signs if you'd like to see a nice collection.)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote an amazing little book "Life Together" while leading the underground seminary in Germany during WWII. He beautfully dissects the problems of the Christian community and exposes the sin and wrong-headed ideas about community that lead to the signs shown above.

If you haven't read Life Together, get a copy. It's a book worth owning, marking up with your notes, and rereading a few times.

Men, we need to learn to handle ourselves when we're alone, and when we're with people. We need to put Christ at the center of relationships, rather than a bolt-on appendage. We need to allow our Lord to lead us into uncomfortable situations for our good and for the good of His people.

Lesson1: Living well in community is hard (so get past your whining). Living well in community apart from Christ is impossible.