Individual and Community

Lately (within the last two years), I've heard a new buzzword coming out of preachers' mouths:

Community.

Growing up in a church of Christ, it's not a word that was heard very often. The emphasis was on the individual, by far. There were token mentions of Hebrews 10:25 of course, but it was mostly to make sure that the individual was following what God said in His word.

Today, "community" is mentioned so often it is inescapable, as though once we establish it, it will fix what ails us and be all we ever need. Is it the same as what was previously called "fellowship" when I was growing up? It doesn't seem to be. When people speak of "community," there seems to be a heavily mystical attitude towards it. "Fellowship" was simply time together, not necessarily doing "church things" like corporate worship. Is it a matter of the new word replacing the old word so as not to be loaded with the usual definition, to try and get us to think about how we as a congregation relate to each other and redo it? Is it the influence of the 1970s in education (when social studies replaced the discrete subjects of history, geography, economics, etc.) flowering as those who are in charge of congregations' teaching come to influence in the church?

Please don't get me wrong--community (what is held in common) is essential and included in Christianity. We're going to spend eternity with these people, so what's wrong in getting started off on the right foot now? Accountability to each other, through usual friendships and other relationships with each other, strengthens the bonds that we have. My main question is why didn't we hear about community in previous years?