"Any Christian community that will be a healing force in society, must possess and demonstrate Christ's spirit of forgiveness. As the community receives His kind of forgiveness, it becomes healed, and as it gives His kind of forgiveness, it becomes healing."
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A Place to Belong by Robert A. Williams Trafford Publishing
book review by P. Hooper
"Koinonia," a term found in the New Testament, means "fellowship; community" or "the living community of persons." Williams claims that many Christian churches fall short of the kind of supportive community that Christ formed when He lived. He wrote this book to address how people can make their own place in the church and how they can help build a community that meets others' needs better.
Church picnics and socials are great, but Williams says the problem and its solutions go much deeper than that. Church members need to be open and honest with each other, allowing them to be vulnerable and admit their mistakes, thereby avoiding hypocrisy. Williams provides a useful and practical list of ways to combat pretense.
Another solution is to emulate Christ in relationships. Jesus' love was unconditional and selfless, much stronger than the kind of love most have for their fellow man. Like Christ, Christians need to be tolerant, loving and infinitely kind to others. William also explores the subjects of the healing power of forgiveness, serving others selflessly, and centering the church on Christ and God.
Filled with personal experiences and scriptural accounts, this book is incredibly thoughtful. Williams delves deeply into the question of Christian community and asks some tough questions. His answers to bringing about koinonia are not easy, but are biblically sound. Never trite or simplistic, this book is likely to leave readers feeling validated, not judged. Williams seems to have a good grasp on how to make a community welcoming, supportive and Christ-like.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review