The Early Christian Church lived communally. The New Testament, particularly the Acts of the Apostles, tells us what the Early Church was like. "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." -- Acts 2:42-47.
Throughout the history of the Church, there have been factions who have chosen to live in community, as did the Early Church. During the Middle Ages, Europeans organized monastic groups like the Franciscans, which continue today. In the early 19th century, American Christians formed utopian groups like the Oneida and Amana communities.
Formed in Europe during the 16th century, the Hutterites were nearly extinct when they came to North America in the late 19th century, and still exist in the United States and Canada. The Bruderhof Communities broke away from the Hutterites in the 1990s and currently are legally named Church Communities International, although they are still commonly known as the Bruderhof, which has communities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, and Paraguay.
Along with a wave of secular communes in the 1960s, several Christian communities were organized and, while many of them did not survive, some remain. The concept of the intentional community is again catching on among groups of Christians. Generally speaking, people who are living in community live with or near one another, and own everything in common, although some allow for limited personal property.
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The intentional Christian community is made up of nearly three thousand people, with settlements on four continents. Its locations are given, and information about life in the community is put forth, including its policies of a community of goods, families, education, working together, and living simply. Its policies on membership, baptism and visiting one of its settlements are put forth, and a blog is included.
http://www.bruderhof.com/
The intentional Christian community is in San Francisco, California. Organized in the late 1980s, the intergenerational community is part of the Anabaptist movement, although most of its members were not raised in Anabaptism. An introduction to the community is put forth, with information about its apprenticeship program, an overview of daily life at the community, contacts, and a blog.
http://churchofthesojourners.org/
The site is designed to give exposure to intentional Christian communities, without regard to denomination or creed. New communities may be submitted to the directory for consideration, and those that are there can be found through an interactive map, by kind, or by country, state or city. For each listed community, general and contact information is provided, with links to the community’s web site, if available.
http://www.communityofcommunities.info/
The fellowship of Christian disciples is an ecumenical Christian community overlooking Rock Harbor, Massachusetts, in which members live in the Benedictine monastic tradition. The history and an overview of the intentional community is featured, including its organizational structure, an introduction and schedules of its worship services, liturgical hours, daily readings, and a calendar of events.
http://www.communityofjesus.org/
Located at the Shrine of St. Joseph in Stirling, New Jersey, the intentional Eucharistic community was begun in 1970 by families who were looking for a Vatican II worship community, and to work for social justice. A history and profile of the community is featured, along with weekly bulletins and a community calendar, information about its governance, and access to various documents.
http://www.emmauschristiancommunity.org/
Fellowship for Intentional Community: Christian Communities
FFIC is focuses on intentional communities in general, including secular, religious, and others. This section of the site lists intentional Christian communities, offering a variety of information, such as their location, date of establishment, whether visitors are welcomed, whether it is open to new members, a brief statement of the type of community it is, and contact data.
http://www.ic.org/directory/christian-communities/
Situated in Bethel, Missouri, the intentional Christian community is much like a small town or neighborhood, with restaurants, laundry services, a graphic design shop, auto body shop, and a country store, as well as a school, college, church, and volunteer fire department. Its location, photographs and video are provided. Although guided tours are not offered, interested people are welcome to visit the community’s businesses and services.
http://heartlandmissouri.com/
Founded by Clarence and Florence Jordan in 1942, Koinonia Farm continues to serve as an intentional community of Christian believers who share their lives and their resources, following the example of the Early Church. Its history and a biography of Clarence Jordan are presented, its mission and vision is related, and information about visiting the farm, becoming a member, and becoming a partner are included.
https://www.koinoniafarm.org/
New Creation Christian Community
NCCC is a network of communal Christian houses across the United Kingdom that are shared by the Jesus Army, also known as the Jesus Fellowship Church, in which members live in community, pooling their personal incomes, having one shared bank account. A description of the network and its relationship to the church is given, its businesses are highlighted, and several articles by community members are published.
http://www.newcreation.org.uk/
Founded by a group of families from Reba Place Fellowship in 1971, the intentional community eventually became its own community, and then part of Shalom Mission Communities. A history of the Illinois community is put forth, with an overview of its farm and bakery, including its products, schedules and contacts, photographs, policy information, and worship services.
http://plowcreek.org/
Reba Place began in Evanston, Illinois in 1957 and, by the late 1970s, a Mennonite church was started as well, with communal and non-communal members. Its history is told on several pages, each of its households are highlighted, its mission and a statement of beliefs are posted, including its internships, ministries, and affiliated congregations. Its purpose, principles and practices are outlined.
http://www.rebaplacefellowship.org/
Small Christian Communities Global Collaborative
The SCC Global Collaborative site was formed as a global networking site for small Christian Communities worldwide, and for the sharing of contact data, event schedules, resource materials, and news from Christian communities throughout the world. A directory of planned communities, categorized by continent, is provided, along with book reviews, electronic books, news, and stories from other participants.
http://www.smallchristiancommunities.org/
