The Community Circle

My first IV the fall of my freshman year was an amazing, life-changing night. And I'm still learning and applying lessons from that night. Yes, I would like to explain you every detail of the night and explain more about IV to you, but I'm going to save that for another post. For those of you who may not know, IV stands for InterVarsity. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA is part of a global university student movement. At Grove City College (my alma mater), we were IV Missions Fellowship, since we were already on a "Christian" campus.
So, it was the first IV of the semester, and chapter president Brian Barry (now IV legend, husband of Jackie, father of Caedmon and Anglican priest) shared the vision for the chapter for that year. I don't remember everything he said, but I remember what he had us do; it is something I'd like to do with so many groups of people. He had us all get up and hold hands in a circle. "Isn't this nice?" he asked. There we were, smiling, looking at each other and enjoying being with one another. He continued in classic Brian Barry, New Hampshire guy style. (This is obviuosly my rough paraphrase but you'll get the idea). "We have community here. Holding hands shows the unity that we have. It's great. But we can't just stay this way. We have a greater purpose. We want to stay united, but we don't want to stay facing inward. Jesus is the center of our community and we have to share Him with others that they can also be united with Him. So, how can we face outward, yet still stay united and not let go?" He let us think for a minute or so about how we could turn our circle inside out. Then he showed us how. He had two people next to each other lift their connected arms and then had the people across the circle from them walk through. Soon our circle was inverted. We were still all holding hands, but no longer facing inside. We were facing out, ready to take on the world for Christ together.
Like any other metaphor or analogy, this can only be taken so far. But what a powerful lesson it is! How often do groups of believers stay facing inward, becming stale, complacent and ingrown? How often do we fear to take on the world for Christ? It's done better when in community! Yes, it is extremely important to have fellowship with one another, but it is also vital to face outward and invite others to join the beautiful community that is the family of God. And, check this out- teaching the community to face out and reach others will actually strengthen the community (when done right). This might not seem so powerful to you right now, but mull it over for a few years and watch the communities you are in and around. I think you'll want to join me when I say "Let's face out!"
Oh yeah, and one more motivational factor-I believe that facing out is obedience to Christ. :-)