So I’m sure most people read this title and question whether I spelt something wrong.. I promise I didn’t, at least not yet.
I could write a lot of things about the last 10 days I spent at training in Gainesville, GA. I could explain how we were all hot, sweaty, and covered in red clay. I could complain about the port a potties, bucket showers, and strange food. I could even give you a description of the sleepless nights and daily exercise, but those are not the important things about Training Camp.
First, here are some basic definitions.
Community: A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
Communitas: An intense community spirit, the feeling of great social equality, solidarity, and togetherness. Communitas is characteristic of people experiencing liminality together. This term is used to distinguish the modality of social relationship from an area of common living.
The people that became part of my family at TC this week cannot be summed up by the word COMMUNITY.
As the last week progressed, the Holy Spirit moved and molded each of us present. He worked on our hearts, poured over us fiercely in worship, and showed us things covered up in distraction and denial that needed to be dealt with. We conquered things like identity, pain, forgiveness, and shame.
We strived and grew as the Holy Spirit knit us together one day at a time.
It wasn’t until day 8 of training camp that I heard the word COMMUNITAS: journeying together for something greater than we could achieve ourselves. This was the definition given by the speaker, though as you can read above it is an even more complex definition, going far deeper than the word community could ever describe.
The important thing about TC is how the Holy Spirit dominated our lives, provided immense healing and understanding, and pushed us out the other side as a picture of the early church. We are devoted to one another, we gather together to be taught and embrace the Holy Spirit, and we are and will be fruitful for the kingdom.
Acts 2:42-47
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” ACTS 2:42-47
As we prepare ourselves to go out to Cambodia in 6 weeks (crazy I know) we are dwelling on how God has shown us the kingdom within our relationships with one another. We will be going and seeking his kingdom to plant his seeds, water the seeds he has already planted there, and reap what is ready for harvest.
God is already in the places we are going, we are simply going and reclaiming territory from the enemy. We will be kingdom facilitators among the people in these places. We will be journeying together for 11 months for something far greater than we could ever achieve ourselves.
Just me, my communitas, and the Holy Spirit.
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There are 42 days until I launch in October and I am 70% funded. If you would like to become part of my support team please PLEASE do. God has provided so much already, and I am so pumped to see how he covers the rest of my needs.
*also slight route change. I will be starting in Cambodia instead of Malaysia, and Greece has been taken off our route. We have yet to hear of what country will replace it for month 11!
Prayers are always needed and appreciated!
