core commitments...

I've tried twice to get a discussion about the "core commitments" of evergreen going. Fell flat both times. I'm revving up to take another crack at it.

What do I mean by "core commitments"?

Well, our core values are the values we are building the community around. It's not as though we're saying that if you have no interest in things like being missional or justice (for example) that you wouldn't be welcome at evergreen, but we want you to know coming in that these things are what the community is about.

In the same way, I think a community, to retain cohesion as it grows, to grow together and not apart and to let people know what's expected of them as participating members of the community should define what the core commitments of that community are.

I got to thinking about this again because of two things. The first is a quote I saw in a book by Parker Palmer (a Quaker author)...

“Other forms of community often lack this intentionality, weakening their impact in people’s lives. Churches, for example, ask members to affirm certain religious beliefs and the mission those beliefs imply. But rarely are churches intentional about naming- let alone asking members to commit themselves to- the relational norms and practices that would support their beliefs and mission. As a result many churches are shaped more by the norms of secular culture than by those of the religious tradition.”
Parker Palmer, A Hidden Wholeness, Pg 74-75

I love that... "But rarely are churches intentional about naming- let alone asking members to commit themselves to- the relational norms and practices that would support their beliefs and mission."
We spend so much time on "mission statements" and "doctrinal statements" defining all the minutia of what people are expected to believe and support... and so little time talking about the practices that undergird those beliefs and directions and mission.

Michael Frost helps pastor a community in Australia called Small Boat, Big Sea. They have some well-thought out core practices- they call it "embracing a common set of missional values." They include, but aren't limited to:
Blessing others at least 3 times every week- someone in the community, someone outside of the community and a third from either of those groups.

Eating with others at least 3 times a week- family, community, those outside of the community. Sharing meals means sharing life. (not too hard to do once you set your mind to it)

Spending time listening to God at least once a week.

Learning something about Jesus or following Him at least once a week...

These are so simple, and yet I can see how if a community committed to living these out, in an atmosphere of grace mixed with some interpersonal accountability (this comes because Small Boat, Big Sea encourages people to meet in triads weekly or so to talk about their life, get to know each other, encourage each other in their pursuit of God) it could be revolutionary...

I'm sad that only cults seem to have mastered the idea of talking about the missional practices which define and cohere them... and they've turned everyone else off to the idea by being legalistic and abusive about "enforcing" those practices among their people.

I just want us as a community to talk about and discuss "what does it mean, practically speaking to be a part of this community...

Anyone else have some thoughts on this?

Comments

[Jan Bros]

It is easy to name core values. It's harder to name and then live into shared core commitments (practices) because you might just have to change how you are now living! And then when you try to change and find you can't do it on your own strength, you may need God to heal and restore and maybe even transform you into something brand new. How Gospel is that anyway?

I am so with you on this one.

[Paul T]

Man

The "Small Boat, Big Sea" idea of commitment sounds awesome. I really hope this attempt at a conversation pans out. I completely agree with you that community will never be "real" without some form of communal commitment. One idea to expand what SB,BS are doing - Make a weekly commitment to spend some time with a non family person at least one generation (25 years) older or younger than you are. Too often we associate only with our own age group which leads to viewing the world through a common set of filters.

Hmmm. How to introduce this idea to a heirarchical Anglican community? Any ideas?

Paul

[hamo]

we also have core practices which we covenant together to engage in.

where it gets tricky is when people actually don't do them! (because it happens)

that said, I think we need to put our values into action otherwise they aren't really values - they are just ideals