Quotes About Community

The city as the engine for social change and increasing well-being is one of the truly great triumphs of our amazing ability to form social groups and collectively take advantage of economies of scale.

We can devolve to develop smaller, or even rural, communities that are just as plugged in as living in the heart of a great metropolis.

Thus it should appear to everyone that the best pastime of all is to be often in good company, far from unworthy men and from unworthy activities from which no good can come.

In each of us there is a little of all of us.

Under certain circumstances, one nowhere feels as lonely and lost as in the metropolitan crowd.

For, to be a stranger is naturally a very positive relation it is a specific form of interaction.

Friends are very important to me, and I have always had many of them. There are probably many reasons why this is so, but two seem to me more valid than any of the others I am a naturally friendly person, and I hate to be alone.

Societies need strong mediating communities through which traditions of personal virtue, common good and ultimate meaning are transmitted to new generations. It is hard to see how such communities can flourish without a religious dimension, and in traditionally Christian lands, that means a Christian one.

The neighbors are scary enough when they're not dead.

Every man is the architect of his own fortunes, but the neighbors superintend the construction.

Do unto yourself as your neighbors do unto themselves and look pleasant.

In the city a funeral is just an interruption of traffic; in the country it is a form of entertainment.

a generous backer of your town's museums, schools and churches.

Truth is not exciting enough to those who depend on the characters and lives of their neighbors for all their amusement.

Today's churchless adults are not remarkably less favorable toward churches in their community; if anything, there is simply a growing "yawn

In our experience, as believers practice loving attitudes and behavior toward others inside and outside their faith community, unchurched friends and family don't have to be talked into church participation. They seek it out, drawn by the promise of love.

The key, of course, is loving the churchless for who they are rather than for what they can offer our church

We've by far had the most success inviting people into our community life by inviting them to serve alongside us. As a matter of fact, that's about the only thing that's worked consistently as far as "official" church activities go. The other thing that has worked is parties—birthday parties, Super Bowl parties—where we invite churched friends and unchurched friends just to connect.

One thing we hear from churchless and churched people alike is that they intensely desire the local church to provide what no other group can offer: an experience of the presence of God.

In the midst of the emotional and spiritual upset that occurs when a church hurts or disappoints us, we tend to lose sight of the fact that the local church is merely a collection of people on a challenging journey - a group of people that are involved in a long-term transformation process.

But a local body of believers is the only place they can meet God together with his people. What a privilege to facilitate encounters with God week after week! When it's humble and sincere, it never gets old.

Our studies consistently show a large majority of people leave their church's service without feeling as though they have connected with God. If those who regularly attend depart with such disappointment and confusion, what must it be like for those who are new to the church adventure?

Consequently, if the church is going to leave a permanent mark on the community through a growing body of changed lives, it must constantly expand its leadership capacity, which entails both an increased number of leaders and an enhanced quality of leaders. Also

Despite all the opinions churchless (and churched) people offer about musical styles, architecture, sound systems, creativity, intellectualism, and the menu of programs provided by churches, none of these is the main attraction. These elements are nice sideshows, but people don't come to church for the carnival rides. They come to meet God. People complain about the uncomfortable seats and stale popcorn when center stage is empty of the main event.