Fostering a Community

"I am trying to grow a community." This was the mistake I made as I worked on a "community" developing project at Denver Seminary and have repeated as I have tried to grow DiscGolf Neighbors.

Now as I am hard at work trying to build a community once again but now with fellow discers, I realize my mistake and logic once again. As I discovered with "community development" here in Denver, no one can grow a community. 

Sure it may seem that by your efforts people start to connect more, are not lonely, and begin to develop lasting relationships. But if you measure your results by the number of participants, happiness of those you are serving, and living by their approval and tirelessly thinking about them...you become weary sooner or later. Being a slave to Facebook, Twitter, and Blogging to make others happy and in return making yourself happy is an endless pursuit. It is like eating "subtraction stew"- the more one eats the hungrier one becomes (see the Phantom Tollbooth and link http://doughboytoironman.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/subtraction-stew/).

As I discovered with "community development"... no one can grow a community. 

I would like to suggest an alternative mindset...instead of building a community we can help by "fostering."As a follower of Jesus and a Christian, I have gained much insight by dialoging with a community of fellow journeyers and from the following passage in 1 Cor. 3: 6-9- 

"You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building." (emphasis added)

One key point to consider is that God makes things grow. I can try to make DiscGolf Neighbors more likable, palatable, and even try to convince you through compelling words, humor, and "new and trendy" insights on discs and courses that you must follow me...but that would be as hazardous to one's health as "subtraction soup." Even if we did decide to grow the sport of discgolf and together we worked to grow a community of disc golfers, we would quickly become fatigued and eventually burn out feeling bitter and frustrated at the discgolf community. 

Yet we are not without hope! You and I may not be able to grow a community BUT you and I can help foster a community. Foster is defined as follows: 1) to encourage or promote the development of 2) bring up (a child that is not one's own by birth). What a relief to realize...we don't have to grow our neighborhood but are simply fostering a neighborhood of fellow discers! In other words, the pressure is not on you and I to produce results or gain our identity through the success or failure of growth...but to take what we have been given and encourage and look after those we are serving by fostering relationships. 

You and I may not be able to grow a community BUT you and I can help foster a community.

So accept my sincerest apology as I have tried yet again to fill myself on subtraction soup (growing a community of discers), when what my and your aim should be is to foster a community. As weird as it may sound, I even believe that God cares about discgolfers and would be honored by growing relationships and seeing a community fostered that honors Him on and off the course.

Recovering from misplaced shots!

Your neighbor,
Joshua

Won't you be my neighbor...

Our purpose and drive is simply this- No one should have to disc alone! Fostering a community of disc golfers across the country.

Whenever you go to a new neighborhood there is always this awkward feeling of being in somebody else's turf for the first time. There are "unspoken" rules and expectations. Its like being in middle school again for the first time- there is a sense of adventure but at the same time you don't know where to go.

In the same way, whenever you go to a "new" disc golf course. There is an awkwardness, "Where does hole 1 start, what discs should I throw, or where is the next hole?"

In our experience, there has been no better feeling than having a stranger who quickly becomes a friend and  welcomes you to their block and takes you through the course. While you play together you begin to relax as they give you recommendations, laugh with you at misplaced shots, or maybe even inviting you to hang out with them off the course. So that is what we are trying to do- connect you with the guys and gals who know their home turf and invite you into their backyard to play. Before long, you can continue to pay-it-forward as you help fellow journeyers.

Through this journey, there will be misplaced shots but our hopes is that we can journey together as the sport of discgolf continues to expand before us. But I have one question for you, "Won't you be our neighbor?"

-Your neighbor,

Joshua