Community

If you have seen OIM’s logo, you will notice the three words: Justice, Community, Hope. In this blog, I will focus on Community.

Community is a term that is familiar to everyone. Within the local church, we use the word as part of an event title: Community Sunday, Community Supper, Community BBQ, etc. Churchgoers see this as a time of getting together informally and talking about many topics, all the while sharing some food as part of the activity. It is meant to be a time of connecting, of building relationships.

The concept of community in the Bible goes beyond casual social interaction. “It encompasses a deep, multifaceted relationship rooted in a shared life in Christ.” Biblical community is characterized by sharing stories of God’s goodness, of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the lives of those whom we serve, of mutual encouragement and expressions of compassion among each other, and much more.

When OIM put Community into its logo, it was and continues to be a statement of intent. OIM intends to foster the development of the Christian community among its staff, volunteers and those we serve.

Since joining the OIM team, I have been humbled by everyone’s efforts towards building community, and it is truly a beautiful thing to see and be part of. Yet, I sense the Lord wants more. More community in His name.

So, I would like to be obedient to Him. I would like to see a weekly time of Christian community where our street friends can experience the type of community that scriptures repeatedly refer to. To prepare for this new outreach, I need a prayer team that will prepare the ground for the establishment of such a community. Will you join me? I would like to meet, in person, in the OIM building, to intercede with the Lord on behalf of our street friends, asking Him for wisdom and blessing.

If the Lord is speaking to you about this initiative, please contact me.

~ Gerry Potter, Executive Director