The Beautiful Community: Unity, Diversity, and the Church at Its Best

by Irwyn L. Ince Jr.

In probing the preferences churches ask questions like: “What is the history of our church?” “What drives the content of our Sunday morning liturgy?” “What value do we place on music?” It asks these kinds of questions to discern whether it’s serious about the desire for beautiful community in its expression of life together. Or is it simply after a multicolored but mono-cultural life? Is it only interested in different hues in the pews? If beautiful community is the desired pursuit, then how should the Sunday morning liturgy change to communicate welcome to a church’s diverse neighbors? What sermon application points speak to the core cultural concerns of a church’s diverse neighbors? What community life practices are inviting to a church’s diverse neighbors? In what ways does a church need to listen and learn from its diverse neighbors in order to grow while also making disciples?

So, the Son left his beautiful communion to take on our fragility, weakness, and vulnerability so that he could restore us to communion with God and each other. And our great joy is that in our pursuit of beautiful community, we are participating in the beautiful plan and purpose of our beautiful God. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am enveloped in love.