So I’ve discovered that church planting is like having a baby. Parents, you can relate with what I’m about to say; Before having a kid we know in theory of what it’s going to be like. We come up with plans of disciplining, ways to for our kids to eat ANYTHING we feed them, and I know we’ve all made the ignorant comment, “And this is how nap time and bed time is going to take place in my house!” Let’s be honest, we have no idea what we’re doing. We certainly have theories of parenthood and somehow, along the way, those theories get shattered.
I think this is good though. It teaches us that our knowledge comes from the Lord and that every child is different from one another, and once again, this is a good thing! But is this the same when it comes to church planting? Should every church be approached the same way when it comes to starting from scratch? I had the opportunity to visit many different churches before my family and I moved to Mount Pleasant South Carolina and I’ve concluded one thing;
They’re all different.
And yet, all of the ones that caught my hearts attention WERE ALL THE SAME in that they DID NOT SHY AWAY FROM READING ALL OF GOD’S WORD! Theirs something amazing when it comes to teaching God’s word in a verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, precept-upon-precept manner. People want to hear God’s Word TAUGHT to them not the Pastor to PREACH to them.
In my quiet time with the Lord today, I read from Matthew when the scribes asked Jesus what the greatest commandment in the law was? I love Jesus’ response;
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).
This is vital. This according to Jesus is, THE GREATEST thing we could ever know. We are called to love one another. Sounds easy right? Try applying this verse when you’re driving! But I also discovered this is something that every church NEEDS to be mimicking and is COMMANDED to do. This love that I’m talking about is what DEFINES us as believers!
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).
Can you imagine if we applied this to our everyday life? Can you imagine the impact this would make with our family and co-workers? Can you just see the Holy Spirit radiating from you so powerfully that people see the love of Jesus with your words, conduct, faithfulness and purity? The beauty of all this is that Jesus would get the glory NOT YOU!
You could be one of the most brilliant expositors of scripture and go to church every Sunday and if you’re really spiritual, you might go to church TWICE A WEEK! Wow! But according to Paul if you’re doing all these things and doing it WITHOUT love…it becomes pointless;
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
The love that Paul is talking about, is a love that gives because it wants to. It’s a love that doesn’t demand repayment of any kind. It’s a love that is NOT self centered! This agape love, is so profound that it became the very reason that motivated Jesus to come to this world. It is a love far beyond what you and I can comprehend. And yet, this is the same love Jesus commands us to demonstrate with each other because He knew it would be the only way to convince a sinful world that His love for them was soo deep that he was willing to die for them.
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:8-9,13).
If we simply believed deep down that this “Great Commandment” was truly great, I think it would change everything in our life. In fact, I think it would be the greatest pursuit of our lives! What motivates you to love those who don’t love you? What will convince you that everything Jesus said is actually true? Why call ourselves Christians if we’re not even following this great command?
I think, if we fell in love with Gods Word, our hearts would break for the things that broke Gods heart. And it all begins with a love for the lost, or as they say it here in the south, “to kill them with kindness.”
