Soul Cravings...

I'm reading a great book by Erwin McManus right now entitled Soul Cravings. It's a great book. I finished the first section of the book, and here is what Erwin had to say about community.

• “Love can never be simply between you and God. It can never be limited to that relationship. Jesus makes that clear. Love is more than the relationship between a man and a woman, no matter how extraordinary it may be. Love is ever expanding. Love always grows, not just deeper, but wider. Love always loves people more and always loves more people. Love calls us to community; love calls us to humanity; love calls us to each other. When we belong to God, we belong to each other.”

• “It was no one less than Jesus who said the proof of God is found in our love for one another. Where there is no love, there is no God. At the same time, if there were no God, there would be no love.”

• “A healthy community is not a place of perfect people. Love, no matter how you come at it, is a huge risk. It makes it easier for me to remember that God will never reject me because I’m not good enough and that any community that has His heart will embrace me as I am. Jesus invites us into a community where imperfect people can find acceptance, love, forgiveness, and a new beginning.”

• “There may be no greater proof of God than the power of community.”

• “When community happens the way God designed us to live, it is always inclusive and never exclusive… Healthy communities are always permeable. You are never forced in, but you’re always welcome.”

Reading these statements about community has helped me think about my previous question of why does the church exist? I think one reason the church exists is to be the visable presence of God. Like Erwin said, "There may be no greater proof of God than the power of community." I want to be part of a church/community that gives people a picture of God.