I’m preaching about community this weekend. You know that weird, biblically mandated, annoyingly invasive, warm and beautiful tenant of Christianity that says we really need to do the Jesus things together.
My wife, who’s scary smart, observed that Muslims are known for community. Indeed they are. The global community of Muslims is called the Ummah, and it feels like there’s a linkage among Muslims that’s deeper than the global connections among Christians.
Of course for both of us there are lines in the (shifting) sands the crowds say mustn’t be overstepped. Just ask the Ahmadiyyas or Alistair Begg.
What is it that holds Muslims together? I’m probably in error wondering if the motives are sickly or sinister. “We rule less of the world than we used to, so we’d better stick together.” Or worse, “We need to stick together so we can take over the world.” Maybe it’s the submission nature of Islam, maybe it’s the result of a more thorough integration of religion and life.
One of God’s dear gifts to me over the years is connection to the Perspectives Course. In it I’ve been exposed the best Christians and congregations in a bunch of different denominations. As a result, I have reasons to appreciate many collections of believers with whom I likely disagree on several secondary issues. I feel a sense of community with a broad swath of Christendom.
I don’t want to be arrogant here, but can we have more of that for us? Less sniping off people who disagree on secondary things and more, “That woman way over there, she’s got some weird ways of worship, but she’s my sister. She loves Jesus!”
Maybe we could learn a thing or two from the, admittedly idealized, “Ummah over everything” approach of our Muslim cousins.
If you prayed for my meetings last weekend, thank you! God heard and answered. We have fresh energy and direction to see Jesus people among the remaining unengaged people groups.