We live caught between two concepts – the ideal and the real. Sometimes it is as though we are full of idealism and anticipation. This is common when we are young. As we grow older our expectations may moderate, or we get disillusioned by the gap between the ideal we long for and the reality of what we actually encounter, even after our best efforts. In this process many get disillusioned with church, whatever variety of church it may be.
A perceptive exploration of community comes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book ‘Life Together”. Though penned about 80 years ago, as Nazi Germany lurched towards its own perverse ideal, Bonhoeffer’s insights spoke to me as I wrestle with the ideal vs the real in my own life and experience.
He writes:
“Innumerable times a whole Christian community has broken down because it had sprung from a wish dream. The serious Christian, set down for the first time in a Christian community, is likely to bring with him a very definite idea of what Christian life together should be and to try to realise it. But God’s grace speedily shatters such dreams. Just as surely as God desires to lead us to a knowledge of genuine Christian fellowship, so surely must we be overwhelmed by a great disillusionment with others, with Christians in general, and, if we are fortunate, with ourselves.”
Bonhoeffer goes on to speak of Christian community being grounded in Jesus Christ, not in human energy, or human visions for the future. As such, community embraces weakness, failure and vulnerability. Christian community will never be perfect or ideal, because we all bring our own business, baggage and agendas to the table of common life.
As I read Bonhoeffer I am confronted by my own broken dreams and idols of idealism. Yet I know I have actually witnessed much of the strength of Christian community. Indeed, the grace of God gives us glimpses of real community in the church of God, glimpses of people being real with each other, supporting each other through their journeys of life, sacrificing quietly in one way or another, pointing beyond themselves to the love of Jesus which makes it possible. Such a community is worth being part of.
So if you have experienced disillusionment with church, don’t be surprised. Neither give up. Perhaps there were expectations that needed crucifying. Perhaps it is an essential part of the journey to reality, to true fellowship and community with other Christ followers. Such is the challenge of ‘life together’, and such is the way whereby the church may indeed bring real hope to the world.