I take for granted that I can ask a group embroiled in conflict to stop for prayer. I take for granted that the people joining me in prayer have some experience of God in their lives. I take for granted that we all have a common purpose and a common understanding that unite us.
In most instances, I'm not even aware that I have these assumptions about the people I work with on a daily basis.
On the occasions when I am outside of a church setting, I realize how much I miss these commonalities. What? We're not praying before the meeting? We don't use words like "discernment", "call" and "prayerfully"? I feel much more disconnected from the group, like we are strangers who wander into each other's company for a short time and wander out, instead of being a community.
I heard a twin once describe what he imagined life would be like without a twin. He talked about the way that other people described their existence in the world and concluded, "It just sounds so lonely."
Church is that twin for me: a companion along life's journey. Not that we don't fight or disagree as siblings do. Not that it isn't hard to commit yourself long term to a community.
It's just a lot less lonely that way.