“COMMUNITY IS DANGEROUS .” This thought by Stanley Hauerwas was one of the compelling concepts that the Christian Communities of Practice class grappled with from July 22 to August 2, 2019. The course was taught by Rev. Dr. Randall Lee James, recently resigned pastor of Oak Hill Church of the Nazarene in the USA. He is the perfect professor for the class, because he has rich ministerial experiences as an evangelist, pastor, and lecturer at Africa Nazarene University.
One of the students shared, “I realized that building a true community is not easy because one needs to let down his/her guard and be vulnerable to foster genuine relationships.” The class also learned that aside from vulnerability, values like openness and trust are crucial in creating Christian communities. “Community is dangerous because we need to leave our comfort zones; we confront the reality of our pain and of others too. This is what true solidarity and community is,” shared by another student.
Aside from the thought-provoking class discussions, one of the course’s highlight was when the class went to Pinto Art Museum for a field visit. “The visit in itself is the act of community making; our conversations in the car to the museum, in the galleries, and even in the lunch fellowship helped us build more trust and openness towards one another,” says one of the students. Going through the paintings, sculpture, and art installations, the students gained more appreciation for the Filipino community, and this also gave them an opportunity to share about their respective communities.
A community built in, with, and for Christ is the antidote to the 21st century self-centered, self-obsessed Zeitgeist. The class concluded that community is where Christ calls us—to seek healing, to find meaning, and live a life that is truly thriving.
Contributed by
Marie Joy Pring
