CALLING, VISION, ORGANIZATION
Why live in community?
Every Christian is called to be a part of a community of believers in some way (see Romans 12:1-16, Ephesians 4:1-16, Colossians 3:12-17, Hebrews 10:19-25). Living in an intentional Christian community provides consistent and frequent opportunities to practice the principles of Christian living, to receive encouragement from other believers, and to learn from one another. Ultimately, these experiences help us as we seek to “reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).
Our mission
Our mission is to be a vocationally focused community where Christian hospitality is practiced in an academic medical sphere that is occasionally hostile to faith and often indifferent to the true Christian meaning of caring and curing. We welcome followers of Jesus and their families from different ages, ethnicities, denominations, and social backgrounds. Our goal is to accompany and aid in the Christian formation of people who are training or working in fields related to medicine (particularly in doctoring, dental medicine, nursing, public health, and research).
Why we exist?
The Longwood Christian Community exists for three basic reasons:
What is our theology?
Our community is ecumenical in that we have not aligned ourselves with one denomination or creed. A personal commitment to Jesus as Lord and Savior and the truthfulness and reliability of the Bible are core LCC values. We adhere to the historic creeds of the ecumenical church (Apostles’, Nicene, Chalcedon), have been deeply influenced by the Reformed and Evangelical tradition, inspired by the passion and love of God found in the Charismatic and Pentecostal movement, and warmly receptive to Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions.
We openly accept the Bible as God’s written Word (although we recognize that the Bible is a complex book and cannot always be interpreted literally), and believe that a right interpretation leads to a belief in the mystery of the Trinity, recognition that Christ is God’s eternal Son, and that salvation comes alone through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
We believe that salvation is a necessary transformative experience that includes repentance from sin, a heart-felt dependence on Christ alone, and that this salvation is by faith not by our works of righteousness.
Finally, it is part of our goal to gently foster a life that is increasingly holy and joyful, so that we experience the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), identify and live into our spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14; Romans 12), learn how to be disciples of Christ within our specific health related fields, and become increasingly freed from idolatries connected to money, sex, status, and pride. We do not desire to be a community of judgment and accusation but gently encouraging one another to become more like Christ in thought, word, and deed..
What is our leadership structure?
LCC is overseen by a Board of Trustees who have responsibility to oversee and carry out LCC’s mission and entrusted to deal with the financial and business aspects of the organization. The spiritual life of the larger community is served by our community pastor, tasked to provide spiritual counsel and prayer, teaching, and gospel witness. In addition, each LCC household has 1 or 2 House Leaders, who serve other household members by helping coordinate house logistics and seeking to foster healthy relationships within their houses.
What is our relationship to local churches?
LCC is a spiritual entity that patterns itself after certain aspects of the monastic communities of old, in that we live life together throughout the year. Our community model is similar to an “order” which has roots in the early church and has brought to the larger Body of Christ a specific calling and gifting. Theologically, “church” manifests itself both locally and universally. LCC falls in-between the local and universal church. Practically speaking, this means that in addition to life together in LCC, all our members participate in traditional churches in Boston. We encourage LCC members to hold dual memberships in LCC and in a local church that meets on Sundays. These are not competing memberships but are complementary since each provides participation in Christ’s church in overlapping but unique ways of the Holy Spirit. So we do consider ourselves theologically as part of the greater church and we are legally organized as a church entity according to Massachusetts state laws.
What is our statement of faith?
Our Statement of Faith can be found here.
Every Christian is called to be a part of a community of believers in some way (see Romans 12:1-16, Ephesians 4:1-16, Colossians 3:12-17, Hebrews 10:19-25). Living in an intentional Christian community provides consistent and frequent opportunities to practice the principles of Christian living, to receive encouragement from other believers, and to learn from one another. Ultimately, these experiences help us as we seek to “reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).
Our mission
Our mission is to be a vocationally focused community where Christian hospitality is practiced in an academic medical sphere that is occasionally hostile to faith and often indifferent to the true Christian meaning of caring and curing. We welcome followers of Jesus and their families from different ages, ethnicities, denominations, and social backgrounds. Our goal is to accompany and aid in the Christian formation of people who are training or working in fields related to medicine (particularly in doctoring, dental medicine, nursing, public health, and research).
Why we exist?
The Longwood Christian Community exists for three basic reasons:
- First, academic medical work is time consuming causing spiritual isolation. As a simple answer to the problem of time, it has been our approach to have Christians live closely with one another. Having other believers in your house creates opportunity for fellowship and encouragement that most Christians who are working and training in Boston otherwise miss.
- A second challenge, the rise of secularism in the university, requires that each one of us seek relationships with others where we can pray together, share our doubts, offer insights from our day, and teach one another what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in the thick of medicine. The community exists, not to escape secularism, but to build one another up in the faith.
- Finally, we exist together as witnesses to the academic medical community in Boston. Through hospitality, friendships, and open dialogue on questions of faith in medicine, we work together in the mission of bringing the gospel to others. In other words, we do not exist only for our own flourishing, but desire individually and corporately to live and speak the good news of Jesus Christ. There are no pre-subscribed formulas or additional practices expected of each person in our community. Rather, we do ask that you agree with this basic mission, and find ways – according to your gifts, time, relationships, and opportunities – to bring Christ to those who are around you.
What is our theology?
Our community is ecumenical in that we have not aligned ourselves with one denomination or creed. A personal commitment to Jesus as Lord and Savior and the truthfulness and reliability of the Bible are core LCC values. We adhere to the historic creeds of the ecumenical church (Apostles’, Nicene, Chalcedon), have been deeply influenced by the Reformed and Evangelical tradition, inspired by the passion and love of God found in the Charismatic and Pentecostal movement, and warmly receptive to Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions.
We openly accept the Bible as God’s written Word (although we recognize that the Bible is a complex book and cannot always be interpreted literally), and believe that a right interpretation leads to a belief in the mystery of the Trinity, recognition that Christ is God’s eternal Son, and that salvation comes alone through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
We believe that salvation is a necessary transformative experience that includes repentance from sin, a heart-felt dependence on Christ alone, and that this salvation is by faith not by our works of righteousness.
Finally, it is part of our goal to gently foster a life that is increasingly holy and joyful, so that we experience the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), identify and live into our spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14; Romans 12), learn how to be disciples of Christ within our specific health related fields, and become increasingly freed from idolatries connected to money, sex, status, and pride. We do not desire to be a community of judgment and accusation but gently encouraging one another to become more like Christ in thought, word, and deed..
What is our leadership structure?
LCC is overseen by a Board of Trustees who have responsibility to oversee and carry out LCC’s mission and entrusted to deal with the financial and business aspects of the organization. The spiritual life of the larger community is served by our community pastor, tasked to provide spiritual counsel and prayer, teaching, and gospel witness. In addition, each LCC household has 1 or 2 House Leaders, who serve other household members by helping coordinate house logistics and seeking to foster healthy relationships within their houses.
What is our relationship to local churches?
LCC is a spiritual entity that patterns itself after certain aspects of the monastic communities of old, in that we live life together throughout the year. Our community model is similar to an “order” which has roots in the early church and has brought to the larger Body of Christ a specific calling and gifting. Theologically, “church” manifests itself both locally and universally. LCC falls in-between the local and universal church. Practically speaking, this means that in addition to life together in LCC, all our members participate in traditional churches in Boston. We encourage LCC members to hold dual memberships in LCC and in a local church that meets on Sundays. These are not competing memberships but are complementary since each provides participation in Christ’s church in overlapping but unique ways of the Holy Spirit. So we do consider ourselves theologically as part of the greater church and we are legally organized as a church entity according to Massachusetts state laws.
What is our statement of faith?
Our Statement of Faith can be found here.
OTHER PRACTICAL MATTERS
How much privacy will I get?
Our objective is to live together and share our lives. Even so, each single person has his or her own room, which provides a good bit of privacy. Married couples typically have two rooms (which are usually used as a bedroom and a living space or nursery) on the top floor of a house, which also provides the couple with privacy from the rest of the house. The kitchen, dining room, and living room are shared spaces, so there is generally not a lot of privacy in these areas. The common living areas provide excellent space for spontaneous encounters or scheduled fellowships.
Are house dinners optional?
No. Since weekly house dinners are the main times for the whole community to gather for fellowship, teaching, sharing, and prayer, those who live in LCC are expected to attend house dinners unless there is an unavoidable reason for one’s absence (e.g. working; traveling for work, interviews, or vacation; illness; etc.).
Are the two annual retreats optional?
No. At LCC, we consider the two annual winter retreats central to building community, finding time to gather for fellowship, teaching, sharing, and prayer. The LCC Fall Retreat typically is held in September (date varies year to year), and the Winter Retreat is on President’s Day weekend in February. Setting aside these two weekends each year is a sign of your commitment to community life. Those who live in LCC are expected to attend the annual retreat, unless there is an unavoidable reason for one’s absence (e.g. weekend work schedule that could not be altered even with advance planning; travel to/from important interviews, illness; etc.).
Are prayer nights optional?
Yes. While attending the short prayer times weekly is highly encouraged, we recognize the fact that the demanding schedules of health professionals make it difficult for members of LCC to commit to regularly attending prayer times.
What is a “covenant agreement”?
In LCC we use a covenant agreement that states the spiritual terms that community members pledge to abide by. All community members entering LCC sign a covenant agreement as sign of their commitment to living together in a manner that that is holy before God and men. A covenant is distinct from a contract or other secular agreement in that it involves a third party, God as witness. But again, LCC is not a cult, and community members don’t commit to any unreasonable terms or pledges.
When is a good time to join the community?
In general, its a good idea to contact LCC as soon as you know that training or work will lead you to Boston. This will afford time to engage in a discernment process whether indeed living in community and joining LCC is something you would like to pursue. We would like to get to know you, meet you, and engage on this exciting journey with you early on. You will also have a chance to meet Christians that have lived in LCC for one ore more years who can share their experience with you and answer questions you may have. Upon signing the covenant agreement (see above) you commit to entering the community.
Will I have a private bathroom?
In most cases, it is unlikely that household members will have a private bathroom. Typically, the occupants of the two bedrooms on a floor share the bathroom on that floor. It is our policy to have single-gender bathrooms, so in the rare cases where a one bedroom on a floor is occupied by a man and the other is occupied by a woman, it may be the case that one of them would have the bathroom on that floor to themselves depending on the gender makeup of the rest of the house.
Does it feel strange for single people to live with a married couple and vice versa?
Since this is not a particularly common situation, it may seem like a strange idea initially. However, it really does not feel strange, especially after you have lived together for a few weeks. Actually, there are a lot of great things about it. For example, the single people in the house can learn a bit about marriage —preparing them for marriage if called to it-- and the married couple can rely on their single housemates in addition to each other for encouragement and support.
What is it like to have single people living with families that have children?
In general, it’s a great experience. The children in our community bring a lot of joy and fun to us. There can be some challenges that come with living with children, like crying during the night (depending on the child’s age) or common areas that are a little messier than they would otherwise be. However, the benefits of living with children far outweighs the challenges. In addition to the joy that children bring, single people can benefit from living with a family by learning a little about parenting before potentially having children of their own (if the Lord so blesses them). The parents can also benefit from living with single people by having a few extra people to help play with or keep an eye on the children on occasion (but obviously no one is expected to provide actual babysitting services!).
Can I bring my car?
There is street parking available for local residents. Once you have proof of address, you can apply for a resident parking permit at the Boston City Hall www.cityofboston.gov. In general, you will find that all amenities are located within 2 to 5 minutes walking distance. This includes: Stop & Shop, US Post Office, and all teaching hospitals in the Longwood Medical area. The T-stop to downtown Boston is also located very close.
Our objective is to live together and share our lives. Even so, each single person has his or her own room, which provides a good bit of privacy. Married couples typically have two rooms (which are usually used as a bedroom and a living space or nursery) on the top floor of a house, which also provides the couple with privacy from the rest of the house. The kitchen, dining room, and living room are shared spaces, so there is generally not a lot of privacy in these areas. The common living areas provide excellent space for spontaneous encounters or scheduled fellowships.
Are house dinners optional?
No. Since weekly house dinners are the main times for the whole community to gather for fellowship, teaching, sharing, and prayer, those who live in LCC are expected to attend house dinners unless there is an unavoidable reason for one’s absence (e.g. working; traveling for work, interviews, or vacation; illness; etc.).
Are the two annual retreats optional?
No. At LCC, we consider the two annual winter retreats central to building community, finding time to gather for fellowship, teaching, sharing, and prayer. The LCC Fall Retreat typically is held in September (date varies year to year), and the Winter Retreat is on President’s Day weekend in February. Setting aside these two weekends each year is a sign of your commitment to community life. Those who live in LCC are expected to attend the annual retreat, unless there is an unavoidable reason for one’s absence (e.g. weekend work schedule that could not be altered even with advance planning; travel to/from important interviews, illness; etc.).
Are prayer nights optional?
Yes. While attending the short prayer times weekly is highly encouraged, we recognize the fact that the demanding schedules of health professionals make it difficult for members of LCC to commit to regularly attending prayer times.
What is a “covenant agreement”?
In LCC we use a covenant agreement that states the spiritual terms that community members pledge to abide by. All community members entering LCC sign a covenant agreement as sign of their commitment to living together in a manner that that is holy before God and men. A covenant is distinct from a contract or other secular agreement in that it involves a third party, God as witness. But again, LCC is not a cult, and community members don’t commit to any unreasonable terms or pledges.
When is a good time to join the community?
In general, its a good idea to contact LCC as soon as you know that training or work will lead you to Boston. This will afford time to engage in a discernment process whether indeed living in community and joining LCC is something you would like to pursue. We would like to get to know you, meet you, and engage on this exciting journey with you early on. You will also have a chance to meet Christians that have lived in LCC for one ore more years who can share their experience with you and answer questions you may have. Upon signing the covenant agreement (see above) you commit to entering the community.
Will I have a private bathroom?
In most cases, it is unlikely that household members will have a private bathroom. Typically, the occupants of the two bedrooms on a floor share the bathroom on that floor. It is our policy to have single-gender bathrooms, so in the rare cases where a one bedroom on a floor is occupied by a man and the other is occupied by a woman, it may be the case that one of them would have the bathroom on that floor to themselves depending on the gender makeup of the rest of the house.
Does it feel strange for single people to live with a married couple and vice versa?
Since this is not a particularly common situation, it may seem like a strange idea initially. However, it really does not feel strange, especially after you have lived together for a few weeks. Actually, there are a lot of great things about it. For example, the single people in the house can learn a bit about marriage —preparing them for marriage if called to it-- and the married couple can rely on their single housemates in addition to each other for encouragement and support.
What is it like to have single people living with families that have children?
In general, it’s a great experience. The children in our community bring a lot of joy and fun to us. There can be some challenges that come with living with children, like crying during the night (depending on the child’s age) or common areas that are a little messier than they would otherwise be. However, the benefits of living with children far outweighs the challenges. In addition to the joy that children bring, single people can benefit from living with a family by learning a little about parenting before potentially having children of their own (if the Lord so blesses them). The parents can also benefit from living with single people by having a few extra people to help play with or keep an eye on the children on occasion (but obviously no one is expected to provide actual babysitting services!).
Can I bring my car?
There is street parking available for local residents. Once you have proof of address, you can apply for a resident parking permit at the Boston City Hall www.cityofboston.gov. In general, you will find that all amenities are located within 2 to 5 minutes walking distance. This includes: Stop & Shop, US Post Office, and all teaching hospitals in the Longwood Medical area. The T-stop to downtown Boston is also located very close.