// January 25th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Article, Link
The Washington Post Magazine today features a wonderful article about A Simple House, A Not-So-Simple Life. It’s a really great article that helps explain a lot of the things we’ve been working through living in community. It also features a couple of quotes from my housemate Dawnielle Miller and mentions our community, Casa Chirilagua. Let me know what you think!
// August 27th, 2008 // No Comments » // Article
The September_October 2008 edition of Relevant Magazine features a wonderful story on community living by Matt Conner entitled “I Live With Another Man’s Wife.” Unfortunately it is only available in print at this time (if this changes, I’ll put a post here), so pick up a copy of Relevant and take a look.
// February 27th, 2008 // No Comments » // News
Over the next few months Culpeper House will be losing some of the members of our community…Â Josh and Sarah are returning to Florida to be with their families, Ryan is planning to move into an apartment with his brother, and Sarita will be leaving for Uganda.
Times of transition provide excellent opportunities to refocus. Over the coming weeks we will be focusing on the vision that God has put on our hearts as a community and how to best structure ourselves moving forward. This will help us better transition new people into Culpeper House as we move forward.
If you or someone you know is interested in exploring the possibility of being a part of Culpeper House, please e-mail us at info@culpeperhouse.org.
It’s an exciting time, but also a sad time as we will very much miss those who are leaving.
// February 27th, 2008 // No Comments » // Article
Another article about New Monasticism ran in the Boston Globe earlier this month, but I forgot to post it.
// January 29th, 2008 // No Comments » // Article
Ran across a wonderful article in the LA Times:
It is well worth checking out!
// August 21st, 2007 // 2 Comments » // Commentary
Jan at Church for Starving Artists wrote yesterday about the need to hear one another’s stories in building authentic community.
Sharing our stories is so important.Â
I’ve found it the best foundation to lay for any group whether a missions team, intentional Christian community, or sunday gathering.
It enables us to love one another so much better. Suddenly I have a glimpse into why Susan does all those things that drive me nuts and it’s not so bad any more. I’m able to sit in silence less awkwardly becaue I now know why John never speaks. Knowing how Jim grew up affords me more grace when he snaps at me.
A practical suggestion, having done this quite a few times by this point, is to have someone who is willing to be particularly vulnerable go first and set the tone. It’s also good to encourage everyone to have a turn, sharing only what (and if) they are comfortable, taking particular care to value however much or little is shared. It can take people a really long time to share their story, so I’ve found, if it’s a small group, taking a weekend retreat with the primary purpose of hearing everyone’s story makes it actually less arduous and forms a great foundation for authentic Christian community.
// August 14th, 2007 // 1 Comment » // Commentary
I used to think that I truly enjoyed conflict.  While I was in primary and secondary school, I loved to debate and was quick to jump into a fray. As I’ve grown older, I’ve abandoned debating (having the desire to win) and started discussing (having the desire to learn). I’m quick to challenge prevailing wisdom and theology and to seek to get to the Truth. For me, it’s a socratic excercise that is apart from my feelings and who I am. It’s why I used to think I was not conflict averse.
The last several weeks though, I have come into the realization that I am completely and utterly conflict adverse if the conflict has to do with interpersonal relationships or who I am. It’s why I don’t speed when I drive.  Avoid breaking rules. Hate getting into trouble no matter how minor it is. And choose to ignore conflict instead of resolving it. Real conflict exhausts me. I don’t want to hurt or be hurt, so I pretend it doesn’t exist.Â
I’m happy to change what I think–in fact I love for people to show me where I am academically wrong as it means I can be correct tomorrow.  However, I am not excited about changing who I am. I avoid conflict when it means that I might actually have to change what I do–become less selfish, love on another person’s terms, do something I find boring or banal. Changing one’s position theologically takes mere moments and comes at little cost. Changing how one lives takes time, long, arduous time. It’s costly and it hurts–the Refiner’s fire is always uncomfortable. Conflict requires me to contemplate the fact that I am not who I desire to be, that I am broken, sinful, and imperfect. However, it is the only route to growth and holiness.
We live in community so that we can grow and become more like Christ. Growth often, if not always, requires conflict. It’s why we have a committment to not only resolve conflict, but to acknowledge it when it exists. It’s the thing I find hardest in community. I love being surrounded by people 24-7–serving them and sharing the gospel. I am easy-going and love sharing hospitality and bearing joy. I enjoy listening to other’s problems and binding up their wounds. I am made for community and so much of it comes completely and utterly naturally for me–it seldom if ever feels like a sacrifice. And what a blessing that is! The thing is, it means that I can so often ignore the fact that I am broken, selfish, and sinful; that I need to grow, need to learn, need to sacrifice, and need to change. That I, too, am in need of the Spirit’s transformation.
// July 17th, 2007 // No Comments » // Blogs
This morning I read a short blog post on Common Grounds entitled, “What does authentic Christian community look like?”
In it, Meghan Gouldin asks us to finish the sentence: “Authentic Christian community____________________.”
It’s what each of us living in community grapples with daily. At least I hope we do.
Read her post and respond at
http://commongroundsonline.typepad.com/common_grounds_online/2007/07/meghan-gouldin-.html
// May 18th, 2007 // No Comments » // Audio
Artist: Speaking of Faith
Duration: Appx 58 min
Created: Thu, 10 May 2007
Category: Speech
Subject: Shane Claiborne
Interviewer: Krista Tippett
NPR’s show Speaking of Faith this week explores New Monasticism in an interview with Shane Claiborne.
// May 4th, 2007 // 4 Comments » // Commentary
It’s a question I am often asked. It’s also a question that makes me cringe. I mean, I know what they are asking, but I feel to respond with Grace Community Church or even Culpeper House is woefully inadequate.
I mean, as much as I love the people in each community and believe that they are in fact my Church, to describe either one simply as my Church denies a core reality of Church.
I mean, Church is not a destination or a club, it’s not something that is even geographical. It is much more organic than that. I believe that I am not only called to be a follower of Christ all the time, but to be the Church all the time. This simply is impossible if I define Church by an organization or building. Not to mention unhealthy. Christ spent much of His time in the world. We have created churches that are clubs, places that shelter us from the world rather than equipping us to love those of the world.
For me, Church is and happens whenever 2 or more followers of Christ gather for the purpose of seeking after Him (the above diagram is far from exhaustive). Sure, it’s something that happens on Sunday mornings, but it’s also something that happens many times a day in my community. We can be the Church when we are having dinner with friends, during late night conversations, during Bible Studies. I’m having Church when I spend time with the homeless downtown. I’m having Church when I spend time with His Gathering in Ft. Myers, Florida and when I’m eating breakfast with Stu. In fact, I’m having Church when I’m praying alone, as the Holy Spirit dwells in me.
I recently read a great book about being the Church, So You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore by Jake Colsen. It’s available in print, but you can also download it online at http://www.jakecolsen.com/JakeStory.pdf. It’s not Shakespeare, but it was really interesting to me—it’s not social justice at all, but presents a view of the Church that is incredibly different and to which I’ve only recently begun to be exposed. It’s a very worthwhile read and, if you read it, I would love to hear what you think.
Posting tweet...
Powered by Twitter Tools
Copyright © 2010 Matt Pritchard. All rights reserved.
