here with me. However, I felt that he really was not. Therefore, to be present or to be attentive to another person means to be fully involved in the process of listening.fourth requirement of listening is trust or honesty. When you are listening and other is talking to you, it means that the person trust you. Sharing ourselves is based on trust and honesty between people. Anything less of it will destroy the community. I would to add that trust also requires security and respect of what the person is talking to you. People need to keep the secrets and wounds of others and respect their insights. An assurance of confidentiality is an essential part of being a listener. In the same time, trust does not appear in one day. The learning to trust to others takes a lot of time. From my point of view, the starting point of trust should be not in the people s relationships, but between person and God, because sometimes we need also to learn how to trust in God., The fifth quality of listening is remembering. Our listening should move into remembering of what we have heard. Sending a thank you note, reminding someone you are praying for them, embracing them after church, offering a simple gift or encouraging e-mail or phone message - these simple gestures shout, I remember! , The faith communities need to grow and develop in the ability to listen to the people who are around them. Christians need to keep this precious gift of listening. In this context, I would like to suggest the discipline of meditation as a practice for the ability to listen. At the beginning of this discussion, I want to say that this point can have a stranger sound, even sinful, for many Baptists in Ukrainian context. The application of meditation in the daily Christian life could seem as something exotic in Ukraine. From my point of view, the foundation of this problem is in the wrong and misleading interpretation of Christian meditation itself among the faith communities., Richard Foster calls the Christian meditation as the discipline. Morton Kelsey explains that Christian meditation is the attempt to provide the soul with a proper environment in which to grow. Another author Hulme William Edward says that meditation is the practice of the presence of God. Foster adds that it is the ability to hear God s voice and obey his word. Consequently, our ability to listen is flowing from our ability to hear and listen to God. We, as Baptists, like to talk and to proclaim the good news. Therefore, I think that listening can be a challenge for the Baptist communities, particularly in Ukrainian context. However, precisely this challenge can teach us how to stop and to listen to others. Kelsey compares this with stopping a car when one sees the STOP-LOOK-LISTEN sign at a railroad crossing. I think that Ukrainian Baptist communities should apply this sign STOP-LOOK-LISTEN to their lives as well. Therefore, Christian meditation is the first step to learn to be quiet and silent, because it is a time for receiving, for silence, for listening ...
1.4 The virtue of hospitality as a foundation for sharing
from my own Ukrainian culture, I can say that Ukrainians actually are hospitable people. Therefore, consideration of hospitality is quite close to the mentality of my nation. Nevertheless, some faith communities would think that the organization the refreshments or just spending some time to talk with others after the Sunday service will be the hospitality itself. However, the implications of it should go much deeper. is a virtue. There is another definition which characterizes it as one of the pillars of morality upon which the universe stands. The Greek word philoxenia can be used for hospitality. This term bears in itself two words with different meanings. One is phileo which is used as the general term for love. Another is xenos which implies the stranger. Consequently, the word philoxenia could means as showing the love for a stranger. When there is this showing of love for the strangers, it means that faith community is alive. However, it is not optional point for the community. The practicing of hospitality is necessity for Christians. Christians should show their readiness to follow it. Shannon defines hospitality as a bridge which can help the theology with daily life. In the same time, it should be a voluntary act. It should go from the attitude of a grateful heart. Hospitality involves our gratitude for the love of God and His care of us. Then, we can share with others what we have received from God., Still there is a strict division on public and private spheres of life. The life becomes so similar to the iceberg. People can see just one part of us, but another part is hidden under water of confidentiality. However, the walls of our security should be broke down to allow God to be the Lord of our entire lives as Christians. If God is not...
