The 5 (or 6) C's: Removing the Parentheses

Following are some thoughts courtesy of the Female Withrow...

I think it is time to remove the parentheses from C # Six. I am tired of being the frightened Church that we have become in so many ways. Let us recognize the real cost of truly dying to oneself. Let us rediscover what radical discipleship and love means. I am tired of comfort. I am tired of ease. Are we truly the Church if we are not suffering?


Also, in the Withrow's last entry he writes, "Do we need or want to have a vision and defined directions/purposes at this point or does that come later?" This is what I feel most excited about and called to right now. My short answer is "yes" and my hope is that is what's done in our cohabitation these next 2 years. My hope is that we truly answer these questions and decide who God is calling us to be. My fear that if this is not our first true work, then certain important and healthy parts of us becoming the Church will slip by us. In mind important, but in practice that importance becomes unconvincing.


Blogger kevingoldsberry responds with, "To be hesitant, as in lacking readiness is a good thing. Not hesitant in doing it, but hesitant before you approach something like forming community for the good of community because it can be such a hairy and great thing. Being too ready spoils sometimes." He also brings his always sage advice. I (of course) want to avoid the "overkill" that sometimes I have experienced where there comes a point when "vision statements" have been talked about so much that we forgot about living them.


The community in Philadelphia, The Simple Way, has both a Statement of Faith and a Statement of Action recognizing not only what they believe, but how they should live.


The Female Withrow