"Anabaptist Identity II: Community Is the Center of Our Lives" preview

Anabaptist Identity II: Community Is the Center of Our Lives

    This week, we continue in reflecting on what it means to be an Anabaptist Christian.  Last week, we considered Palmer Becker's first core value: Jesus is the center of our faith.  This week we move on to his second core value: Community is the center of our lives.  To do this, we will be reflecting on Colossians 3:12-17.

     Within this letter to the church in Colassi, we read Paul's reflections on community.  He described the qualities that we must clothe ourselves in and nameds the importance of forgiveness.  He also named how we are to allow the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts and the word of Christ dwell in us.  Community is central to Jesus as a member of the trinity (three in one), as the gatherer of the disciples, and as the founder of the church.
     
      In order for us to maintain community at the center of our lives, Becker encourages us to see and practice forgiveness.  He calls us to interpret scripture in the midst of community.  And he suggests that the very structures of the church should inherently guide us toward community.  As Anabaptist Christians, we look toward Jesus as the center of our faith and community as the center of our lives.