SIMON PHIPPS

This book is a classic on the life of community. I have read it several times and this time I decided to make fairly extensive notes to try and capture more of what Bonhoeffer is saying. I have published these notes for anyone who is thinking about reading this and would like to get an idea of what it says, or for someone who has read it and wants to quickly refresh themselves on it's basic content. For a small book it has a lot to say, so if you enjoy these notes I highly recommend reading the whole book if you haven't. You can get a copy of the book from here (please note this this is an affiliate link which means that I get a small amount from the sale of the book). 20 Things I Learnt From This Book There is so much that this book has to say but here are 20 key things that really stuck out to me: 1 – To dwell in fellowship with other believers is a great blessing . We often take this for granted because we experience it daily, but we should thank God for it ...

In Acts 6:1-17 we see a curious scene. We find ourselves in Jerusalem , and the fledgling church is growing and has set about providing food for the widows in Jerusalem. To be a widow at this time would have been a difficult life. Typically being a widow meant that you were too old to re-marry, and couldn't work. Caring for widows and orphans was a major part of Jewish culture and history (Deuteronomy 14:29, Psalm 68:5, Isaiah 10:2, Malachi 3:5 etc.), and was also a particular concern for Luke - the author of Luke & Acts (Luke 2:36-38, Luke 18:1-8, Luke 20:47, Luke 21:1-3, Acts 9:36-43). The section also distinguishes between two types of people there at the time: Hebraic Jews Hellenistic Jews Hebraic Jews were the natives in that place. They represent the dominant people group in that area. Hellenistic Jews were Jews who had moved to Jerusalem from outside of Palestine (diaspora Jews), therefore their culture and language were much more influen...

Food is a great unifier. Throughout the Gospels we see Jesus using food to bring people together. When He wanted to get through to Zacchaeus He went round to his house for a meal. When He wanted to explain what the kingdom of God is like, He did it using a meal ; and told us to carry on that practice. Jesus came from a tradition that also used meals to signify certain things . In the Jewish tradition they celebrated feasts such as Passover, Pentecost, Yom Kippur and Tabernacles; handing on the wisdom to the next generation. The same is true for every civilisation. Food acts as a central point that people gather around. It was a place where stories were told and wisdom was passed down.  It was a place that fostered community and developed family, because we all need food to survive . We are moving further and further away from the origins of our food. The food we consume is more heavily processed and perfectly cleaned than ever before. We expe...

I am a terrible dancer; literally. My signature move is called the ‘crazy octopus’. I invented it. But I love dancing, especially when no one is looking. I have always wanted to take dancing lessons, so that I can look better on the dance floor, but also because dancing with someone is such a beautiful thing to behold. In the ancient Orthodox tradition, the Trinity is viewed as a dance. The son moves around the father and spirit, the spirit moves around the father and son, and the father moves around the spirit and son. Each one complementing the other, each one equal. The dance itself breathing life into creation. We are called to join in this dance with God, to move in rhythm with Her. I guess that this is what they call discipleship, what they call ‘being the church’. When I think of the dance, what kind of music are we dancing to? What do the steps look like? I imagine it has to start with love, seeing as God is love. The scriptures paint the picture: Justice, mercy, peace,...