...I Need Community -

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When we asked what topics to cover this summer, I was honestly surprised by the amount of people who asked about community. In high school and college, friendships generally come pretty easily, in the sense that you’re continually around people in the same stage of life as you, mostly dealing with the same things you’re dealing with. But then you get older and everything that was so easily lined up gets trickier. Your best friend gets married, and then your other friend gets married and before you know it you’re literally a bridesmaid 27 times before you’ve even met anyone marriage material. Or you’re married and you’re the first of your married friends to have a baby and your world is now only consumed with tar-like diapers and counting up how many hours…or minutes…you’ll get to sleep in a day. Or you aren’t having kids but every time you get together with your friends, the topic always turns to what little Andy said during bath time last night and all you can contribute is how your cat was startled by a fern last night. Friends ebb and flow, but the craving for real, authentic friendship doesn’t go away. I brought in an old friend of mine, Heather Zempel, and our conversation revolved around community. What keeps us from really experiencing it? And why the heck does it feel so weird at first? Heather has literally written the book on community…books actually. She’s straight forward and asks questions that make you think bigger. Here’s No One Told Me I Need Community.

Show Notes:

Community Is Messy: the Perils and Promise of Small Group Ministry by Heather Zempel

Sacred Roads, Exploring the Historic Paths of Discipleship by Heather Zempel

Big Change Small Groups by Heather Zempel

Amazed and Confused: When God’s Actions Collide With Our Expectations by Heather Zempel

The Search to Belong: Rethinking Intimacy, Community and Small Groups by Joseph Myers