Gemeindschaft

Often translated simply as community, this is how the early Brethren chose to see themselves.  They lived together, worked together, ate together, worshipped together and read the Bible together.  But this wasn't a Brethren invention.  The Bible itself is written to communities of people meant to be read in community and practiced in community.  Consider Romans 12:3-8 that talks about us being the Body of Christ each with our own gifts that are used to form one body.  Philippians 1:27 instructs us to contend as one.  Later Philippians 2:1-5 instructs us to share love and purpose and to put each other first.  Acts 2 is the vision realized as the early church shared everything in common.  Life, possessions, love of Christ.  In fact the early church chose to see themselves as ekklesia and koinonia.  Ekklesia was a community of people proclaiming a new lord and new kingdom.  Koinonia is often translated as "fellowship."  Over time the church became more individualized.  The Brethren chose to return to the idea of community.  This often seems like a strange concept in a culture drenched in individualism.  In fact individualism is often glorified. Being self sufficient, doing it on your own, "I can do it myself."  But Jesus never intended for us to do it ourselves.  More and more we see people yearning to be part of community.  Consider the rise of social network sites in the last few years.  Millions of people connecting in virtual communities.  But as Shane Hipps puts it they are virtual, but they are not community.  Community is a place where people come and share their hopes and dreams, the struggles and brokenness.  They help one another grow spiritually, but they also help each other in real, concrete ways as well.  And so we as Brethren seek to live life together and pursue God.  We seek to live in peace and to share Christ's peace with the world.  We seek to put Christ above all else and to help the poor and outcast by living a simple life.  And we seek to understand the Bible and be disciples of Christ together as a community.  As one Gemeindschaft.