Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Love

Of Course, love is a difficult word to define. But let me try listing what I think the future of Christian love should involve:
  • loving without putting our acts of kindness on a pedestal. What ever happened to giving in secret? Glamorous charity is not charity at all.
  • loving without strings, unconditionally, no bait and switches.
  • being unconcerned about being unnamed, rewarded, or repaid
  • prioritizing others, even in the midst of our own discomfort
  • advocating for the undefended
  • being a voice for the voiceless
  • being better listeners to those who need to be heard
  • being a church without walls-simple church, organic church, mega church-it's all good. We are one church.
  • seeing the church as the home of the fringe, the misfits, and the marginalized, where these same people lead with real authority.
  • willing to lay down our lives for others, like first-century Christians did when pandemics struck their cities. They stayed when others left.
  • responding immediately to global crisis
  • long term commitment to radical and sacrificial compassion for the poor.
  • being a gentle conversationalist with the world
  • showing love for Christ more than love for Christianity as a culture
  • creating a place where all are truly empowered, led, and seen for who they are. A place where everyone finally reflects the majority of a multi-cultural world. Jesus didn't really have long, blonde hair and blue eyes! (or did He?)

Dave Gibbons - pastor, New Song Church

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