Well here I am again, equating historical societal transitions to religious experience.  Yes, I’m sure there are those that will disagree with me, but here goes. 

I have come to the realization that strip malls are ruining the American community.  Not because of the strip malls presence, but due to what the strip mall relieves communities of.  In Memphis we are plagued by strip malls.  There is a downtown area that is coming back slowly however, there is really no town square gathering space.  (Now, I know there are some historical places which are squares and a case can be made that one exists, but please read this in its entirety before passing judgment that I’m crazy.)  There is no place in Memphis in which people consistently come together to develop community. 

In fact, in many cities in the United States town squares have been set aside in favor of what I call the “Sprawl Affect”.  The sprawl affect is a phenomena where strip malls become the norm as a city grows and the effect of communal purpose is diminished among those living there.  Note that there are two items required for the sprawl affect namely (1) the removal or relegation of a gathering place within the community and (2) the diminished experience of communal living by those present.

This is not to say that there are small communities within big cities that still have town squares and a communal purpose, but this is becoming more rare.  In our individualistic society not only does the media tell us we don need nobody, but our very architecture and city planning reflects this mentality as well.

In the past year I have been traveling more for work.  Not far, mostly between Jackson, MS and Memphis, TN.  As I have traveled I experience more and more that the further one goes from the interstate, the greater the presence of community exists.  Conversely, the closer one gets to the interstate, the lesser the presence of community and the higher percentage of strip mall retail space. 

I’m not always fan of Wikipedia all of the time but ck this out.  The full article can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_square.

————-except from Wikipedia on “Town Squares”——————-

The first urban formations started appearing at least 6000 years ago. Within urban areas open public space always existed and it served a very important purpose. Along with the development of human society and the development of cities, the squares acquired more and more functions. At first, the squares were established at the crossroads of important trade routes where exchange of goods as well as ideas took place. For example, Phoenician trades–people invented numerical and linguistic pictographic inscriptions out of the need to record transactions. Another very important function of the public square was that it served as an opportunity to exercise the power of rulers with military processions and parades.

Wars and inventions of dangerous weapons, where the ambition was not only to capture women and goods, but to destroy enemies, led to cities surrounded by thick walls and elaborate systems of defense. These became very densely populated, but even under these conditions there was always room for an open public space. Its functions were expanding too. Major places of worship were placed there, squares were used as permanent or temporary markets, monuments to important predecessors were erected and revolutions or contra-revolutions were staged. The squares became the location of royal courts, government buildings and city halls as manifestations of wealth and power. They were also used for races, like the Palio race in Siena, bull fights, executions, or even just to collect rain water in large underground cisterns.

In recent times, theaters, restaurants and museums are also finding their place on the squares. Cities themselves, are actually becoming museums, a collection of human experiences that preserve numerous cultural values. Particularly since the invention of motorized traffic, the individual vehicle has almost destroyed most of the open public spaces. A car parking at one point had more value than the accumulated historical inheritance – human cooperation, technological processes, architectural and urban planning – that a square embodies.

————-end quote—————–

The last paragraph is very telling. 

So my conclusion is this.  How can we as a society fight moral impurities when we are not a community?  Read the book of Acts in the Bible and see how the community responded to The Great Commission in Matthew.  Read the letters from Paul the Apostle and experience the community presence prevalent in the Church.  Even the Roman Empire understood the importance of community and their architecture reflected this belief by incorporating great squares and gathering places for people.

Bottom line, the American community is being destroyed.  As strip malls lose income they close and the stores move elsewhere in pursuit of instant gratification profits.  In their wake strip malls leave communities decimated with countless square footage of abandoned and empty retail space, loss of tax income for cities, and countless lost jobs.  Take a drive through any part of the city that you feel is “low income” and count the empty retail spaces. 

This just goes to show that our society is in danger.  Where will we go next?  What community will be abandoned next?  In today’s economy how many small businesses will close and leave behind them a wake of abandoned retail space.  How many jobs lost?   We need to rebuild our communities not with brick and stone but with a common ideal and purpose. 

 The Wikipedia article notes, “Within urban areas open public space always existed and it served a very important purpose. Along with the development of human society…”  We need to rebuild that purpose which is the re-development of human society based in exercising freedom with humility.  Our town squares may be gone, but our unity must be rebuilt.  In order to fight the attacks of the devil we need town square communities of faithful aligned with the Will of the Father. 

There is another element to this.  The sprawl affect is not just a physical affect on our community; it is an attack on our faith.  Many display the sprawl affect in their Church lives.  Rather than conforming our hearts and minds to the Gospel, many of us get up and move on when a Church says something challenging.  Rather than trying to be formed, we pridefully say that we know everything and that those running the Church should listen to us.  This is not me saying that leaders in the Church are always right, I would never say nor believe that.  But to ignore the necessary improvement in our own self and assign all discomfort with the Gospel to those preaching it, is pride.   

We need to, as a Christian people, remember what we are fighting for.  Remember the Bible says that we are to be transformed by the renewal of our minds.  And further that we are to bear good fruit.  And further that we are the salt and the leaven of the world.  And even further; that we are called.  That we are Called.  Called to do the Will of the Father. 

So let’s stop the sprawl affect in our families.  Our children need unconditional love and they need to be formed in the light of the Gospel.  They need to be disciplined when out of line so that we as parents show them we love them by teaching what is best in God’s eyes and how to discern His Will over our own.  Do not believe the lie that discipline is evil.  Discipline is love in a true form. 
I am so tired of parents saying their kids don’t listen, yet they do nothing to deserve that respect.  God attempts to discipline us all of the time and I bet He who is King of the Universe feels the same way we do sometimes. 

Lastly, let me say this.  Church you are broken.  We have allowed the Gospel to be relegated to a non-community based individualistic statement.  There are those that say they are Christian as if it is a label.  Christian is only effective when it is a verb.  

Lord we pray that through us You would build your people places to find community.  That with our common Hope in You we would come together despite differences, united in a common purpose: to transform the world by living in Your Grace.  We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Lord and King.  Amen.