Jesus'ing Alone? Is it Possible?

Dear Brothers and Sisters of FAC

Someone shared with me recently that they almost gave up on Church until they started attending FAC. I was encouraged but saddened by this. Encouraged of course that FAC rescued them from a growing trend away from church prevalent among young people in our culture. I was saddened however that, according to a recent Barna study, only 3 out of 10 young people who grow up in Church will continue to follow Jesus by going to Church. Do you notice the way I worded that: "follow Jesus by going to Church"? This Sunday I will be referring to a book called "Bowling Alone" written in an attempt to understand the diminishing of community in America. Its a secular book, but describes well what is also happening in Christian community. (You will have to come Sunday to hear the premise for the book.) Is it possible to live for Jesus apart from community? I am so glad my friend concluded that it is not. By the way, note the number of times in Mark's gospel that Jesus taught in the Synagogue (the church of his day)? Community mattered to Jesus. He taught where people assembled, but he also mobilized the assembled (the church, not the individual) to carry out His Great Commission. You don' read much about individualism in the scriptures. It's challenging then to take such an inter-dependent model of community and figure out how to fit it into a culture that is so independent. I sure look forward to talking about how this all brings renewed life into our christian experience. And of course, I cannot wait to worship with you this Sunday.