So what exactly is a faith community? As far as I can tell what is meant is a church. But what is with all this faith business? Doesn’t a hockey team have faith in each other and their strategy and their coach? Don’t the kids in their science project group have legitimacy as people of faith? It takes tremendous faith to let half your grade rest in three similarly irresponsible 10th graders. Are these not likewise faith communities?
Why do Christian communities feel this need to proclaim faith as their distinctive tie that binds? Do we really think that faith exists inside church and there is a faith vacuum outside? Of course not.
And no, it is not just a handy witnessing tool. You are not so sly when you say, “Oh, I was just hanging out with my faith community today.”
“Oh, yeah? A faith community, you say. And where did you get this foreign substance known as faith? I wish I had some faith that I could place somewhere. Spill the beans of faith!”
“Jesus gave me some!”
Yes, Jesus. The fella that blesses the Christian with the mutant superpower of Faith. Oh, if only the world would realize how awesome it is to have faith in something – anything! Surely, if there is one thing our communities can bless the world with it is faith. Maybe we should open up our faith storehouses and let the faith roll down the hill into the faithless valleys of darkness.
I need faith in something more than just having some.
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Sounds like you might vote Hilary afterall eh?
I have faith that the claims of Jesus are true and that He is God in the flesh and he claimed to be. Having faith in His claim enables me to consider faith in humanity. When my faith in humanity is challenged, I can hold on to the faith that His claim is real. This helps me to realize that humanity is fallible and will sometimes fail us. When this reality is viewed with an eternal perspective (that comes with faith in Christ), it stifles this burden.