--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Community has become a buzzword in the…" description: "\"“Community has become a buzzword in the church in recent years. Overbusy individuals hope they can cram it into their overstuffed schedules like their ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/brian-d-mclaren-8226_community_community-has-become-a-buzzword-in-the-c_1069865.jpg" --- # Community has become a buzzword in the church in recent… ![“Community has become a buzzword in the church in recent years. Overbusy individuals hope they can cram it into their overstuffed schedules like their membership to a health and fitness club (which they never have time to use). Churches hope they can conjure it with candles, programs, or training…” quote by Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/brian-d-mclaren-8226_community_community-has-become-a-buzzword-in-the-c_1069865.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/brian-d-mclaren-8226_community_community-has-become-a-buzzword-in-the-c_1069865.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/brian-d-mclaren-8226_community_community-has-become-a-buzzword-in-the-c_1069865.jpg) > ““Community has become a buzzword in the church in recent years. Overbusy individuals hope they can cram it into their overstuffed schedules like their membership to a health and fitness club (which they never have time to use). Churches hope they can conjure it with candles, programs, or training videos. Anabaptists know that community is far more costly than that: one cannot add it to anything, rather one must begin with it in order to enter it, practice it, and preserve it. They realize that community involves proximity, and that proximity involves land, and that our ties to one another can never be separated from our ties to the land, the watershed, the local economy in which we live. They have an instinct about the deep ties between community and sexuality, community and freedom, community and economics. I suspect that Anabaptists know more than they know that they know in this regard, and I hope we all can learn from them before they forget.101”” [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Community is not an add‑on but a foundational, land‑tied practice that shapes sexuality, freedom, and economics; it must be lived, not scheduled. **In simple terms:** Community must be lived, not scheduled, and is tied to place and deeper values. Key Takeaway Prioritize lived community over superficial programs. Themes community spirituality place economics freedom Mood reflective serious Type theological social When to use this quote - church gatherings - urban planning - environmental stewardship Key Concepts social ecology theology Anabaptist practice Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to “begin with community”? - How can churches embed community in daily life? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anabaptists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anabaptists-604740/) [Anabaptists Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anabaptists-know-2659600/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Health and fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-and-fitness/) [Know Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-community-1722592/) [Local Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/local-economy/) [Realize Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realize-community-437069/) [Videos Anabaptists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/videos-anabaptists-2659601/) ## Related quotes > [People need to realize that community colleges really give you a good education. And they do - that's just a simple fact of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-biden/people-need-to-realize-that-community-colleges-really-give-you-a-good/) [Jill Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-biden/) > [As a young, Black man in America, I look out and (realize) that our community is the most affected by HIV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/as-a-young-black-man-in-america-i-look-out-and-realize-that-our/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [“In solitude we can come to the realization that we are not driven together but brought together. In solitude we come to know our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/in-solitude-we-can-come-to-the-realization-that-we-are-not-driven/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [I don't really know what 'community' means. And I never use that word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hughes/i-don-t-really-know-what-community-means-and-i-never-use-that-word/) [Chris Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hughes/) > [We know that where community exists in confers upon its members identity, a sense of belonging, and a measure of security. . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/we-know-that-where-community-exists-in-confers-upon-its-members/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [If people grow things themselves, their children understand, then schools in the area know that this community's generating something with its own energy, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-potts-dawson/if-people-grow-things-themselves-their-children-understand-then/) [Arthur Potts Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-potts-dawson/) > [If you want to know anything about community, you have to realize that the contemplative side is essential. Community without retreating and quiet time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/if-you-want-to-know-anything-about-community-you-have-to-realize-that/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“In a sense the rise of Anabaptism was no surprise. Most revolutionary movements produce a wing of radicals who feel called of God to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-l-shelley/in-a-sense-the-rise-of-anabaptism-was-no-surprise-most-revolutionary/) [Bruce L. Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-l-shelley/) > [“Just as the Anabaptists were scorned by Protestants and Catholics alike, anarchism been dismissed equally by the political Left and Right in modernity.  But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-steenwyk-mark/just-as-the-anabaptists-were-scorned-by-protestants-and-catholics/) [Van Steenwyk, Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-steenwyk-mark/) > [“From the very beginning of the movement in the sixteenth century, Anabaptists shared a deep suspicion of the so-called Schriftgelehrten - the university-trained scholars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-roth/from-the-very-beginning-of-the-movement-in-the-sixteenth-century/) [John D. Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-roth/) > [With subjectivity in philosophy, anarchism in politics goes hand in hand. Already during Luther's lifetime, unwelcome and unacknowledged disciples had developed the doctrine of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/with-subjectivity-in-philosophy-anarchism-in-politics-goes-hand-in/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [ Ye \[Anabaptists\] be proud contemners of the free grace of God offered to man in Christ Jesus. For with the Pelagians and Papists ye… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knox/ye-anabaptists-be-proud-contemners-of-the-free-grace-of-god-offered/) [John Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knox/) > [“Community, then, is an indispensable term in any discussion of the connection between people and land. A healthy community is a form that includes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/community-then-is-an-indispensable-term-in-any-discussion-of-the/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The development of oil and gas resources depends more on capital than labour, and exporting oil and gas neither generates maximum returns from these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalid-a-al-falih/the-development-of-oil-and-gas-resources-depends-more-on-capital-than/) [Khalid A. Al-Falih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalid-a-al-falih/) > [I don't think it's particularly useful to be going to another country and staying in a classroom and just studying in the classroom. What's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-dolan/i-don-t-think-it-s-particularly-useful-to-be-going-to-another-country/) [Robert J. Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-dolan/) ## More by Brian D. McLaren > [I love writers who are insightful enough to be cynical but choose not to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/i-love-writers-who-are-insightful-enough-to-be-cynical-but-choose-not/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“I have a confession to make.121 Almost every time I tune in to religious radio or TV, I want to change my religion. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/i-have-a-confession-to-make-121-almost-every-time-i-tune-in-to/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“If, for you, orthodox means finally “getting it right” or “getting it straight,” mine is a pretty disappointing, curvy orthodoxy. But if, for you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/if-for-you-orthodox-means-finally-getting-it-right-or-getting-it/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [That in itself is an act of peacemaking, because we're seeking to align our wills with God's will, our dreams with God's dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/that-in-itself-is-an-act-of-peacemaking-because-we-re-seeking-to/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“The wise preacher of Ecclesiastes might say, “There is a time for everything—a time to be laid-back and a time to be outraged; a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/the-wise-preacher-of-ecclesiastes-might-say-there-is-a-time-for/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [Since I was introduced to the practice of God's presence, which in turn led me into the contemplative way, I have nearly always felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/since-i-was-introduced-to-the-practice-of-god-s-presence-which-in/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“There’s a lot of dirty theology out there, the religious counterpart to dirty politics and dirty business, I suppose. You might call it spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/there-s-a-lot-of-dirty-theology-out-there-the-religious-counterpart/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“For me, Carol, we can't be faithful to God unless we're faithful to the facts, faithful to the data if you will. And so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/for-me-carol-we-can-t-be-faithful-to-god-unless-we-re-faithful-to-the/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [The scarily brilliant Romantic poet and visionary William Blake dared to say what many of us have perhaps thought but kept to ourselves: “A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/the-scarily-brilliant-romantic-poet-and-visionary-william-blake-dared/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“A generous orthodoxy is like that. It acknowledges that we’re all a mess. It sees in our worst failures the possibility of our deepest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-acknowledges-that-we-re-all-a/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“Why is it that the choice among churches always seems to be the choice between intelligence on ice and ignorance on fire? —as quoted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/why-is-it-that-the-choice-among-churches-always-seems-to-be-the-2/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“globalism (for better or worse) transforms personal and ethnic identities, creating hyphenated and cosmopolitan identities—in which people consider themselves first and foremost citizens of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/globalism-for-better-or-worse-transforms-personal-and-ethnic/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [We must never underestimate our power to be wrong when talking about God, when thinking about God, when imagining God, whether in prose or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/we-must-never-underestimate-our-power-to-be-wrong-when-talking-about/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“We must, therefore, never underestimate our power to be wrong when talking about God, when thinking about God, when imagining God—whether in prose or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/we-must-therefore-never-underestimate-our-power-to-be-wrong-when/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [You know what, the thing that breaks my heart is that there's no way I can answer it without hurting someone on either side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/you-know-what-the-thing-that-breaks-my-heart-is-that-there-s-no-way-i/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) [Explore all 82 Brian D. McLaren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) ## More Community quotes > [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [The strains and stresses suffered by the individual in society are grounded in the normal functioning of that society (and of the individual!) rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-strains-and-stresses-suffered-by-the-individual-in-society-are/) [Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/) > [Hackney gets a bit of a bad rap, but it's the only place I've ever lived that felt like a community. I know my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-horgan/hackney-gets-a-bit-of-a-bad-rap-but-it-s-the-only-place-i-ve-ever/) [Sharon Horgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-horgan/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [It rolls off my back. Ridicule doesn't mean anything - even from people you're supposed to wear knee pads around, like the scientific community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-schultz/it-rolls-off-my-back-ridicule-doesn-t-mean-anything-even-from-people/) [Dwight Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-schultz/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) [Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Perhaps the greatest and least visible form of impoverishment caused by the Corporate State is the destruction of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/perhaps-the-greatest-and-least-visible-form-of-impoverishment-caused/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) [Browse all 13,840 Community quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Community has become a buzzword in the church in recent years. Overbusy individuals hope they can cram it into their overstuffed schedules like their membership to a health and fitness club (which they never have time to use). Churches hope they can conjure it with candles, programs, or training videos. Anabaptists know that community is far more costly than that: one cannot add it to anything, rather one must begin with it in order to enter it, practice it, and preserve it. They realize that community involves proximity, and that proximity involves land, and that our ties to one another can never be separated from our ties to the land, the watershed, the local economy in which we live. 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