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Christian Commune Offers Answers

There are answers awaiting your discovery regarding the current economic woes many are facing and the lack of real spiritual enlightenment and growth. Living a communal Christian lifestyle is one of them and may be God’s answer for you in this transitional hour!

During the Jesus Movement a very great infusion of energy and life poured into churches who were hungry and thirsty for greater manifestation and evidence of God in their lives. The contribution of Communes based upon Jesus Christ the Messiah and His teaching and revelation was beyond measure. Many who were leaders in the Jesus Movement were absorbed or recruited by organized religion and soon began to value financial prosperity over spiritual growth. Some of us weren’t buying that and want to shout from our grateful hearts, “The Jesus Movement is alive and very well indeed!” It is God’s Movement and direction for He has spoken from the Heavens, “This is my Beloved Son, hear ye Him.”

God sees the end from the beginning! In times like these, He still has an eternal purpose, plan and posture for us to embrace. God said it was possible to have “days of heaven on earth” (Deuteronomy 11:21) and the closest I have come to that was a Christian Commune in Northern California. I may have been born to build upon that old foundation. Let me hear from you if you want to explore the possibility of Christ Centered Communal life with a Kingdom centered vision!

There are many good Christian books such as Mere Christianity, Destined to Reign, The Normal Christian Life, Union and Communion and Dispensational Truth, but I will never write any of them! They have already been written by other great men of God. Much has also been explored in the arena of Christian communal living. Many of the practical problem solving has been experienced and tried and tested and I highly recommend building upon what has been tested and proven by others rather than starting out re-inventing the wheel! You would be far better off raising up the foundations of other generations. (Isaiah 58:12) After you have done this, take your wise master building talents, gifts, understanding, and leadership where no man has gone before. (1Corinthians 3:10) You would be far better off and be following God’s instruction by redeeming the time…particularly in these evil days when the whole world as we know it is facing great dangers and suffering!

Before starting a commune look at the cost, not just financially, but in all areas such as mental, emotional, and even the physical toll, before making a commitment! The contrasting incentive of this consideration must come from all the joy, increase in spiritual maturation and confidence in God and His faithfulness which should spring from being knit together in love! This could also be an opportunity to regain faith in the human race.

A Christ led communal life can be a bastion against the darkness, all filled with light and love. If God calls you to this lifestyle the conscious awareness that, “We absolutely know we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren” is what makes it possible for this to be a heaven on earth experience. (1John 3:14a) If we walk in fellowship with God and one another in love; faith which works by love will abound. (Galatians 5:6) From my perspective, love, which should be the principal thing, is in short supply in organized religion. Scripture insists that, “Above all things have fervent love for one another.” (1Peter 4:8) In communal situations, where leadership is coming from the throne in heaven and daily serving the heavenly vision, it will abound with the fruit of the Spirit…beginning with Love.

My experience with communal living always takes me back to a place where a coastal lighthouse was honeycombed with suspended sleeping platforms smaller than a queen sized bed where many new brothers spent their nights and did their in secret praying and meditation. Beneath them was a large hall for snacks and fellowshipping in the things of God. The presence and the communion of the Holy Spirit could literally be felt pouring out from heaven over every soul like a warm stream of honey!

My first emphasis and answer as to whether or not you should start or join a commune is to be thoroughly persuaded that God is in the move. No matter what your current lifestyle, try to hear the Lord on this one. If you know Him, follow His voice and you can’t go wrong! If you don’t know His voice, but want to…check out a Christian Commune, be sure your heart is open to being receptive. His sheep hear His voice and will not follow another. From the outside looking in…communes are a little like visiting a foreign country. At first you may not see the reason for some of the needed regulations or even agree with them. If your focus is on the restrictive differences in communal close-living, most likely you will completely miss the blessing and benefit of, “How good and pleasant it is for brothers and sisters to dwell together in unity. This is where God commanded the blessing…even life forever more!” (Psalms 133:1-3)

Think how wonderful it can be to live a holy life in a situation where you don’t have to plead for blessings, but the Heavenly Father has already pre-determined that those blessings will be there! Remember, of Jesus Christ, it is written, “To as many as received Him, He gave the power to become the sons of God.” To be in the midst of those sons and daughters of God and those in that transformative process is as wonderful as bringing a wanted child into this world. Although there is that 2am feeding and the one at 6am and all those soiled diapers! Another way of saying this is that the swimming in the river of life and the basking in the glow of Christ’s presence is always available but sometimes it’s available and accessible like it was to Paul and Silas when they were praising God at midnight in their jail cell and thanking God for being considered worthy of being beaten for Jesus’ name sake. We know God shook the situation until all the prison doors swung open and set the captives free. Those who stay in the spirit as examples of the believers are always free because they abide in the Prince of Peace.

Some basic rules are necessary in any society such as speed limits, restrictions on irrigation during a drought or whether or not your pet must be on a leash. The same is true in communes: the rules are there for those who have no respect or have not considered the affects on others in the community. Those who are led by the spirit and live to please God always try to consider others, walk in love, be polite (1Peter 3:8) and maintain concern for the general well being of the whole, not just yourself. Rules should be held to the smallest minimum and yet cover all areas where violation of the communal well-being is obvious. People who are living to please God aren’t bothered if someone tells them their room needs cleaning or they should learn to say please at the dinner table.

The church will soon feel the results of economic decline if they have not already done so. For a while partnerships between even very differing ministries may keep them on television, but for the blessing of many middle class and disenfranchised people, the communal life will be a transformational blessing beyond imagination. It is definitely a God idea whose time is come. Economics alone will eventually force some into corporate living, but God has a better idea. His plan is for a gathering of the called out ones where all can function and the Body of Christ can be built up by that which every participant supplies! While we can never ignore the contributions of money or sweat equity, when I speak about being built up or wise master building, I am nearly exclusively referring to building up the spiritual life and vitality of the people! Even when Christians live communally, a lukewarm Christian Commune makes God sick! (Revelation 3:16) Perhaps all communes in existence should bear signs which read, “Walk softly on the Earth, as you restore it,” or “The entrance of God’s word produces inner revelation,” or “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.”

If you have a desire to do either of the first two, let’s talk at [email protected] today!

 

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