I believe that the obsession toward social networks like Facebook and blogs like Tumblr are more driven by society’s hunger/thirst for intimate community with others. Unfortunately, REAL community can only happen outside of our families, careers and education. Sadly, though, too many (including Christians) struggle with balancing their families, careers and education with REAL community. Once-a-week “community” with home group won’t do it. It starts with selfless friendships with a home group where each member is mutually willing to be selfless and manage their time for those friendships.

The following illustration is NOT a solution but instead is a description of me: I am single, have never been married and have no children. I grew up an only child in a family where there was stay-at-home mother and a father who did contract work in the oil industry. “Careers” ended many, many years ago. I grew up surrounded by failing marriages, unhappy marriages, and peoples’ lives centered exclusively around their families and/or careers (incidentally, careers sometimes became the reason for the failed marriages!). Seeing all of this, I just couldn’t see myself happily married and careers were on the verge of extinction. So, I remained single and began looking for and finding contract work where I could.

Today, REAL community is struggling. Many look for it through the Internet in the form of social networking, coffee-shops (Starbucks) and blogging. People want to be heard and loved. But mostly, people need Jesus. And they also need followers of Jesus who will demonstrate that selfless community I mentioned earlier.