Eight Strengths of a Faith Community
Deeply Woven Roots book by Gary Gunderson [1]
by David Tillman – April 2010
Introduction to Pastoral Care, United Theological Seminary, New Brighton, MN
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Deeply Woven Roots, written by Gary Gunderson, primary concern, as it relates to ministry, is the church needs to provide health, healing, and hope to their congregations and their extended community. He states, “Congregations are where people come together, gathered by God to serve God’s intentions of renewing and redeeming the whole world, not in domination but in love.” (p.2). Congregations need to play a greater role in strengthening not only the spiritual aspect of their community but also attending to their physical, psychological and safety needs too.
Here is a brief description of the eight strengths that Gunderson believes are markers of a faith community:
1 – The Strength to Accompany is “The power to bring people into meaningful relationships in the context of God’s love (and) is at the root of every congregational strengths.” (p.28). Accompaniment builds upon these five actions, 1) including the frail, 2) creating helping roles to make it easier to volunteer, 3) building new networks to deal with systemic needs, 4) changing expectations with healthy social expectations and 5) offering visibility by making invisible people visible in the congregation. (pps.32-37).
2 – The Strength to Convene is utilizing the power of convening, or bringing people together, to draw upon each person’s talents, time, treasure and wisdom “to successfully gather diverse groups around difficult issues.” (p.49).
3 – The Strength to Connect is the ability in “creating links across which resources, assets, power, and knowledge flow throughout the community.” (p.53).
4 – The Strength to Tell Stories is “to help people understand the connection between events and relationships.”(pps.68-69). “The congregation puts things in context by telling and reinforcing stories that explain who we are and how we should act. It does this not only for individuals, but for families, communities and social movements.” (p.69).
5 – The Strength to Give Sanctuary includes the church building which provides a sanctuary, a safe haven, used for the good of the individual, congregation and community. Also the faith community gathered together for the Sunday service or any other event creates a sanctuary for the community.
6 – The Strength to Bless is out of love. It is important to include and offer blessings to everyone in the community. To walk with hurting people and go after them with a blessing if they decide to leave. To expect confusion as people become aware that the faith community is blessing people as people needing blessing will increase in numbers. By being aware to not use blessings to gain alignment or control people in the congregation. (pps.93-104).
7 – The Strength to Pray as Gunderson states prayer “is the closest we come to God” (p.107). To incorporate pray into the church’s culture is vital. To use a teaching prayer to learn how to prayer, use a healing prayer as prayer makes a difference in people’s lives and use Group/Public prayers to deepen congregational life. (pps.113- 116)
8 – The Strength to Endure when taking all the other 7 strengths we see the church community endures. “Congregations always are intergenerational.” (p.124). The church community is always changing, babies are born, people get sick, people die, and the youth one day become the elders. Congregations “endure and build healthy communities that endure too.” (p.126).
I see the value for a faith community to use these same eight strengths as they provide health, healing and hope to their extended neighborhood, city, state or world communities. What better way to do what Jesus has taught; to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, through incorporating these eight strengths in our personal lives, our faith community, and our extended communities.
[1] Gunderson, Gary. Deeply Woven Roots, Minneapolis, Fortress Press, 1997. pps. 2 – 126
