Season 5 | Episode 76: The Necessity of Community: Searching for Your People & Place in 2020

What is the importance of community? Patricia Taylor hosts and is joined by Kayla Craig, Lindsy Wallace and Alissa Molina for this episode of examining what community is today. Pull up a seat at our table in the wilderness as we ask each other how community in the time of Jesus can influence an upside-down life today.

In this episode, we:

• Assess the impact of the pandemic on local and virtual communities
• Weigh our desire for community against our dream of it 
• Look at how intimate community should be when it’s toxic
• Wonder if it’s possible to return to a community that has inflicted pain
• Envision a thriving community that laments and celebrates together
• Get honest about an expectation of community in our lives

Join us as we unpack how to intentionally find a community that is from an abundant God and explore with us how to engage in and foster such an environment. May we enter each space with more grace and more love and make space for those who may be searching for their people and their place too. 

Recommended reading & resources:

• Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• Lindsy Wallace on Instagram
• Acts 2:42-47 ESV  And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common.  And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
• Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
• Matthew 10:14 ESV And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.

Quotes: 

• “The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.”  Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• “We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist.” James Baldwin
• "The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members... a heart of grace and a soul generated by love." Coretta Scott King

News, Notes, and Links:

• Support more conversations like this on Upside Down Podcast! Please visit us, where you can pledge a few dollars of monthly support to help us pay our bills and keep the conversations going.
• Learn more at Upside Down Podcast.
• We’re on Instagram, too.
• Join the Upside Down Together listener group on Facebook!

Support the show (http://www.patreon.com/upsidedownpodcast)