One of my all time favorite shows was “The Apprentice”. Ten or so business types would compete in a “reality” show for Donald’s attention and hopefully a position with his company. The business planning and strategy that went into each weeks challenge was fun to watch. It was also fun to sit on the sofa and yell at the screen.
So why am I bringing this up?
My own apprenticeship is half over today. Yah…it doesn’t seem possible, but time flies when you’re having fun.
An apprenticeship at Koinonia is the 3rd step in a five step process a person goes through in order to become a member or “steward” of the community. Most folks here call this a time of “discernment”. I’m not sure what all that means, so I asked Bren. She told me it simply means listening.
Each step allows and calls for more responsibility in the community and more listening to the still small voice of God to see if this is where He wants you. Living in community is defintiely a calling. It’s a calling to a lifestyle, a calling to commitment to a ministry of sorts and a calling to supporting other folks as they carry out their ministries. It’s not for the faint-of-heart or those looking for a free ride. Living in community can be messy at times.
You know all the struggles that go on in a typical church? Well, imagine if you had to live with those people twenty-four and seven. You can’t just leave the source of your irritation at the church door, but you go home with them. You see them the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. You eat lunch with them and you work with them. See what I mean? It can get messy.
But the apprenticeship period has also been a learning time for me. I’ve learned more about people, but more importantly I’ve learned alot about me. Yah…it’s all about me; there I said it for you so you don’t have to.
What have I learned about me? I’ll have to bring you up to speed another day.
