Nikolas von Zinzendorf, a wealthy Saxon landowner, graciously hosted and received Moravian refugees during a season of Catholic persecution. Key to both their missiology and ecclesiology was the primacy of community, so much so that Zinzendorf boldly proclaimed “There can be no Christianity without community.”
The Moravians were effective missionaries, mainly due to their close knit communal atmosphere and their “love feasts,” which feature entertaining music and culinary treats like sticky buns, milky tea, and good beer.
That sounds like a decent life to me, the kind Jesus described in John 10 as “life more abundant,” or as I like to think of it, the best quality of life now and forever more.
“Every heart with Christ is a missionary, every heart without Christ is a mission field.” – Zinzendorf
I love the historical example of the Moravians, for it shows evangelism is as much about serving our guests as it is about saving their souls; the communion table was never meant to be a thimble-full of grace, but a second helping of friendship with God among his people.
Adapted from Then. Now. Next.: A Biblical vision of the church, the kingdom, and the future.