Love that you brought up the Muslim student association as an example. Islam has many competing schools of thoughts with serious disagreements towards each other, yet structured rhythms help them work together and channel that diversity towards broader impact instead… perhaps it encapsulates the bigger dream for all of us Christians to learn from that example and strive (not just wish) for rhythms in local churches that can also build up the global Church. Not a pipe dream, but we still have so much work to do, and the goal is to actually strive for rhythms, not to simply think those are nice to have.
The sports-as-temple comparison here cuts deep. I've noticed how youth hockey schedules create tighter community bonds than most church structures,precisely because the rhythm is non-negotiable and daily. The Muslim student association example is instructive too, those strict prayer rhythms build real cohesion that voluntary gatherings struggle tomatch.
Love that you brought up the Muslim student association as an example. Islam has many competing schools of thoughts with serious disagreements towards each other, yet structured rhythms help them work together and channel that diversity towards broader impact instead… perhaps it encapsulates the bigger dream for all of us Christians to learn from that example and strive (not just wish) for rhythms in local churches that can also build up the global Church. Not a pipe dream, but we still have so much work to do, and the goal is to actually strive for rhythms, not to simply think those are nice to have.
Thanks Chris!
The sports-as-temple comparison here cuts deep. I've noticed how youth hockey schedules create tighter community bonds than most church structures,precisely because the rhythm is non-negotiable and daily. The Muslim student association example is instructive too, those strict prayer rhythms build real cohesion that voluntary gatherings struggle tomatch.
"voluntary gatherings," that's an interesting phrasing.
The challenge is not to fall into the opposite... compulsory gatherings!