We All Need Each Other!

Archbishop Desmond Tutu often speaks of an African concept called “ubuntu”. He describes our existence as a community. “A person is a person through other persons; I am human because I belong, I participate and I share”. Our life is not a solitary journey but one in which people join in and share in our experiences. It is in this place that we are the strongest and most vulnerable. When we allow people to share in our lives we either gain great strength and courage or experience great pain and abandonment. I have experienced, and frankly probably caused, both! It is my prayer that I have learned from these experiences so deeply that I will walk with much more enlightenment and compassion for all!!

We all need one another but we must learn to operate within a circle of mutual respect, not a chain of command. The basis of all gatherings must be love and respect, and to embrace each other as brothers and sisters. Every one of us is broken in one way or another. Therefore we all need each other in order to complete who we were designed to be. The Greeks used the word “ecclesia” to describe gatherings of Christian brothers and sisters, later to be called the “church”. The problem with most churches is that they become a power and control source. It seems that whenever we pull together a group of people in any kind of structure someone feels it is necessary to appoint a leader and therefore make rules and take control of where they go and what they do. We all need one another but we do not need to be controlled. The African concept of Ubuntu is a common sharing of all to extend the community. It’s the companionship that carries us through the stages of life that are most painful and without these rich relationships we would probably never make it. My heart aches for those that have had to walk the path of pain or shame alone.

I would like to extend the concept of “ecclesia” to any group of people that are committed to the community of brotherhood. Martin Luther King defined love as “understanding and creative, redemptive goodwill for all mankind”. Christ told us to “love one another as I have loved you”. He laid down his life for us and our sins. “one love, one blood, one life; you got to do what you should. One life with each other; sisters, brothers. One life, but were not the same. We get to carry each other, carry each other” to borrow a line from arguabley the greatest band of all time, U2! “Love is a temple love is the higher law”.

I believe the ecclesias of the future will be virile, courageous, nurturing, grace filled communities that center their practices on helping each other not controlling each other. The ecclesia is a group not a building! It is all of us coming together to carry each other. I believe that many of us will gather and carry the true message of Jesus to the world. Grace, love, acceptance and a true brotherhood that is committed to each other no matter what. That we walk in communion with the spirit that no one will be left behind. As God will never leave us, we in return will never abandon one of his children. The turn off of modern church and organizations is the judgmental and controlling nature of most leadership. It is these very groups that repel people from God more than accomplishing the great commission. Many people can’t imagine ever trusting another community enough to want to return to any kind of faithful practice. I am a Christian and I love Jesus but I often feel I have more in common with people outside the church than inside the church. Most of us get just enough religion to inoculate us from it! We get force fed rules through fear tactics! It becomes about power and control instead of relationship and liberation. It has gotten to a point where religion has nothing to do with Jesus and the message of his life and death.

Lets gather in love! Lets embrace our differences and carry each other. We do need each other but we don’t need to control each other. Lets commit to serving, healing and representing the true message of love and grace. You are worthy, you are beautiful and I am proud to call you my friends!!!!!!!!!