Based on the number of days that this quote has made me smile and think, I'm nominating it for "Quote of the Month". This is Eugene Peterson (the guy who wrote The Message translation/commentary) on the difference between a small group and a Christian community, in an interview with Radix magazine:
"...people say, 'Well, we take care of community by having small groups.' Well, those aren't communities - those are people you like. And, you know, a community has to have people you don't like in it."
How could not liking someone ever be positive? Isn't that a vice rather than a virtue? Maybe not, because I think Peterson means here that if you are in a Christian community with only people you find pleasant, there is definitely a problem. If you like all the Christians you know, that either means 1) you're not really getting to know people, or 2) your church intentionally or unintentionally is repelling people who are different in one way or another.
Having this perspective really takes the pressure off, especially if you're like me and you have to 'get along' with everybody. There is nothing special about loving the kind of people who love you, are similar to you, etc. If you only surround yourself with those people, how will you know that your community is based on Christ? You wouldn't, because you have built-in to your small group alot of other things on which to build community. When you are fellowshiping with people that you ordinarily wouldn't spend time with, then you can be confident that you have a real Christ-centered community. What else would bring you together?
So make sure you church has some really annoying people in it - that way you will know it's a church and not a social club!
