Biblical Wisdom for Community and Belonging

Loneliness is a widely acknowledged epidemic of our age. Perhaps you have personal evidence of this, or recognize it in the ways congregations—once centers of connection and belonging—no longer function for younger generations.

Have we leaned so far into individualism that we have lost sight of the communal nature of our faith? Or maybe churches are experiencing a reckoning because the ways we claimed to be the community of Christ fell woefully short of that goal: they were not safe nor welcoming to all. 

We are left with many questions:

• Where do we begin when we feel disconnected from God or Christian community?
• How do we rebuild community across generations and differences?
• Is there wisdomWisdom encompasses the qualities of experience, knowledge, and good judgment.  The Old Testament book of Proverbs, which sometimes invokes a Woman as the personification of Wisdom, is a collection of aphorisms and moral teachings. Along with other biblical passages, it teaches, "The fear of the... More, advice, or assurance for us, such as PaulThe Apostle Paul, originally known as Saul of Tarsus, was the author of several New Testament letters and the founder of many Christian communities. More and others shared with early communities of Christ followers?   

At least we know that these tensions have always existed for followers of JesusJesus is the Messiah whose life, death, and resurrection are God's saving act for humanity. More, so Scripture does speak to them! And when we read Scripture searching for community, we discover that the testimony of our ancestors in the faith enfold us in their own kind of community. We belong to a great cloud of witnesses.