Training a team of missionaries (soon departing for Africa) in our home last week helped me see first-hand what we're missing. They filled every nook and cranny in the house and many of the available hours of the day. But somehow, it wasn't a drain. Doing life together seemed more natural than protecting my territory. Meditating on the subject of community, I thought of these symbols:

Pineapple

In Colonial times, the pineapple was a symbol for hospitality. Pineapples were an exotic taste treat and highly prized. The hostess who provided them for her guests had spared no expense. Even today, a flag with a pineapple on it represents an open door and an invitation to come in and enjoy a drink and the company inside.

We need more pineapple flags flying in front of our houses. And along those lines, a good test of community is the doorbell. If people have to ring it, then you still have a ways to go to get to community.

Broken clock

We fill too many of our days with things that don't matter. It's not that any of the activities in and of themselves are bad, it's just that there are too many of them. People need to stop getting in their cars and going places. They need to turn off the TV. They need to create a space where community can happen.

Yesterday, after going to the institutional church (we are the church after all – we do church every day, not just on Sunday), I was tempted to spend the afternoon watching football. Instead I spent time with my community. The more time you have to give, the tighter your community is likely to be.

Fireplace

There's something about a snowy night outside and a warm fireplace inside. When you're a kid, you delight in the stories told around the fireplace. Karen and I have a sign that says, "Live, Love, Laugh, Dream." All that happens most in one of the smaller rooms in our home - the family room. It has a fireplace, a couch, two chairs and some pillows. Next to the kitchen, it's the busiest room in the house.

What kind of atmosphere do you cultivate in your home? Is it warm and inviting – does community form there? Do people come early and stay late?