The Discipleship Community House of Tallahassee:

Transcription

1 The Discipleship Community House of Tallahassee: Community Rule I. Prologue to the Rule Discipleship Community House is an ecumenical community rooted in the free church tradition. We seek to follow Jesus Christ by being and making disciples for the glory of God. To this end, we participate in liturgical worship/prayer, study of the bible, and spiritual disciplines (a.k.a. common worship ); service and hospitality (a.k.a. common work ); and communal living (a.k.a. common life ). Furthermore, we seek to be conformed to the likeness of Christ by cultivating the fruit of the spirit (Gal 5:22-25) and the four cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude). II. On the Institution and Alteration of This Community Rule A. Any additions to, modifications of, or deletions from the house rule shall only be valid with a recorded unanimous agreement of all current members of the community. B. The wording of any added, modified, or struck text must be read aloud in its final version and then moved to an explicit vote to be considered a valid unanimous agreement. III. Common Life A. Doctrinal Commitments We affirm the following: We confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and proclaim him Lord and Savior of the world. In Christ s name and by his grace we accept our mission of witness and service to all people. We rejoice in God, maker of heaven and earth, and in God s covenant of love which binds us to God and to one another. Through baptism into Christ

2 we enter into newness of life and are made one with the whole people of God. In the communion of the Holy Spirit we are joined together in discipleship and in obedience to Christ. At the Table of the Lord we celebrate with thanksgiving the saving acts and presence of Christ. Within the universal church we receive the gift of ministry and the light of scripture. In the bonds of Christian faith we yield ourselves to God that we may serve the One whose kingdom has no end. Blessing, glory, and honor be to God forever. Amen. B. Moral Commitments Along with the Jerusalem council (Acts 15), we seek only to impose the following moral rules: 1. Abstinence from sexual immorality (see above). 2. Abstinence from pagan practices (blood, food offered to idols, things strangled) 3. Adherence to the Ten Commandments, summed up in the two greatest commandments: love your God and love your neighbor. C. General Commitments We seek to live as a counter-cultural witness to the Gospel. This means: 1. Loving God 2. Loving neighbor 3. Limiting time spent watching TV, movies, or on social media 4. Offering radical hospitality D. On Calling the Community Together for a Council 1. Community councils shall be held weekly. The purpose of these councils is to discuss matters pertaining to the Discipleship Community House, interpersonal relations, or other pressing matters. 2. Special community councils outside of the scheduled weekly meeting may be called by any member at any time; members of the house are expected to make reasonable accommodations in order to be present at special councils. 3. When the community convenes for a formal meeting, a facilitator will be appointed on a rotating basis to lead the meeting and a secretary will also be appointed on a rotating basis to record the minutes of the meeting.

3 4. When it is a member s turn to either facilitate or record the minutes, he or she may decline so long as reasonable time is given for selection of an alternate. E. Meals 1. Borrowing habits from the early Christians for whom meals functioned as a substantial form of fellowship and hospitality (and for the practicality of space), our community will share together in the preparation and consumption of evening meals as schedules allow. 2. Each member of the community will provide a predetermined monetary contribution for the purchase of the food pertaining to the aforementioned meals reached on an informal consensus. 3. All community members must make their best effort to be present at meal times. If ongoing conflicts arise, the offending community member must discuss with the rest of the house. IV. Common Worship A. Prayer 1. Because our common life is united and sustained not on our own power, but by that of God, corporate prayer as response of praise and thanksgiving is an essential dimension of our community. The community s Free Church character informs this practice by adopting and following the prescriptions and instructions of its own prayer manual: Daily Prayer. 2. Our community is committed to corporate prayer every weekday, in the evening, unless an informal consensus should determine that performing such a service is either not possible or beneficial according to the circumstances. 3. The leader (officiant) of the evening prayer services shall be chosen on a rotating basis, each member fulfilling his or her role in turn unless an informal consensus should approve a substitute. 4. For the purpose of simplicity and uniformity, the leader of the services must adhere to the general directions and instructions in the community prayer manual, Daily Prayer, unless an informal consensus should approve a substitute. 5. All community members must make their best effort to be present at all times of corporate prayer. If ongoing conflicts arise, the offending community member must discuss with the rest of the house. B. Bible Study 1. Because our common life finds the Bible to be God s inspired, authoritative word for matters of faith and practice, we commit to studying it together one weeknight per week. This night may coincide with the aforementioned community meal and council.

4 2. The facilitator of the bible study shall be chosen on a rotating basis, each member fulfilling his or her role in turn unless an informal consensus should approve a substitute. 3. The content of the bible study shall be chosen by an informal consensus, but should be from or directly about the Bible. 4. All community members must make their best effort to be present at bible study. If ongoing conflicts arise, the offending community member must discuss with the rest of the house. C. Spiritual Disciplines 1. Because our common life seeks to stir each house member on to faithful discipleship in Jesus Christ, we will strive to practice spiritual disciplines together as a house, or to encourage one another in individual disciplines as appropriate. These include the disciplines of fasting, prayer, meditation, study, silence, simplicity, solitude, service, confession, guidance, celebration, etc. 2. Each member of the house is expected to be engaging in daily spiritual disciplines. These will not be prescribed, but will be a subject for accountability to the group during nightly prayer and confession. V. Common Work A. In the House 1. As we confess that God has given us one another in this community to exhort, encourage and assist one another in all aspects of our lives, these members rely on and support one another in the common work of the house, recognizing that such work is an act of service to all in the community and an act of thanksgiving to the God who sustains this community. 2. All members of the community should mutually participate in the common work of the house. 3. The common work of the house and the method of its assignment can be decided through an informal consensus. B. In the Community 1. Because God tells us to love our neighbors, and because service is a spiritual discipline by which we carry out the work of discipleship, we commit to serve alongside one another in our community (soup kitchens, youth programs, construction projects, community gardens, etc.) 2. These service projects will be decided upon through an informal consensus. 3. At minimum, we will engage in one service project every other week. 4. All community members must make their best effort to be present at all times of service. If ongoing conflicts arise, the offending community member must discuss with the rest of the house.

5 C. Through Hospitality 1. Following the regular practice of the early church to show radical hospitality to friend and stranger, we commit to opening our house to the neighborhood for community potlucks and gatherings. a. These potlucks shall happen one time per month; the date shall be decided by informal consensus. b. All community members must make their best effort to be present at potlucks. If ongoing conflicts arise, the offending community member must discuss with rest of the house. c. The object of these potlucks is to show Christian hospitality, but also to share the gospel with whomever we may encounter, as appropriate. 2. Furthermore, we commit to opening our house to those who are at risk of homelessness, who are in dire need of a place to stay, or who are short-term visitors to Tallahassee. a. To this end, we shall keep a bed open in the office/play room for guests. b. Only those who are referred by a member of the house will be allowed to stay (i.e. they should not be total strangers). c. An informal consensus must be reached as to whether or not a guest may stay in the home. d. A guest may not stay for more than 30 consecutive days without paying rent, unless an informal consensus is reached to prolong a guest s stay. I hereby acknowledge receipt of this community rule and agree to abide by its terms while living at 1105 Cuerno St, Tallahassee, FL Signed: Date: