Do You Love People

I think every pastor, at some point in their ministry, has wondered why they are having trouble growing their individual churches or the ministry God has charged them with. I am currently faced with this dilemma. I look around and think, we are doing all the right things. Our worship is modern; there is anointing; we are bringing a strong and uncompromised word; we have the coffee at the door; our media isn’t the most cutting edge, yet better than most; our people are friendly; we send out letters to all of our first time guests; etc., etc., etc.. So what is the problem, why aren’t we growing?

Our mission statement says, “Fountain of Life Assembly of God exists as a house of worship, equipping God's people for works of service, specifically in evangelism, discipleship and serving our community.” And our vision is to be a relevant church for our time and community. We want to reach the community around Central Hardin High School, Elizabethtown Community College, South Elizabethtown, Cecilia, and Glendale and to grow an "Ephesians 4:11-13" church.

I believe we are working to accomplishing this, yet we still are not having much growth. We preach good news to the poor, we proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, and release the oppressed, following the example of Jesus, and we have seen a few people saved at The Fountain, but certainly not what we had envisioned. So where is the problem? I believe it can be found in 1 Corinthian 13.

I know what you are thinking, “I’ve read that a thousand times. I love people.” Well, let’s start in Matthew 22:36-40, “36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Summary: Love God and love those that are around you. Notice, it didn’t say love everyone, or the whole world, it said, “your neighbor” and not only love your neighbor, but love your neighbor as yourself.

In this scripture Jesus was telling the listeners that loving God was key. Look at how he said to love God, “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. Wow, that’s massive. The first question we must ask is, “am I accomplishing this?” If not, then we will never accomplish loving our neighbor. Loving God in this manner begins with denying yourself (Matthew 16:24 ~ essentially putting God and his will above yourself). Once we begin to identify with Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ…”, then we can begin to look at loving our neighbor.

So, in context, who is our neighbor. Neighbors are ones that live around us. People we know. People we talk to on a daily basis. People we have personal and sometimes intimate relationships with. It reminds me of a song from Sesame Street, “These are the people in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood, in your neigh-bor-ho-od. These are the people in your neighborhood, the people that you meet each day.” Your neighbors are the people you encounter every day.

Then we have to ask how they are to be loved. Jesus wasn’t saying a general type of love, he uses the word, “agapaó”, when literally translated means to love by doing the will of God to them. It is an action word. When was the last time you asked God what he wanted you to do for “your neighbor”? I don’t imagine this is a question that we are willing to ask very often, because we are afraid of what He might answer with. But Jesus said to agapaó them as yourself. Love them, as if they were you. How often do we do that? So what is love? This brings us to our key verses, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, “4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails.”

The problem with most churches and the body of Christ as a whole is that we do not love. I mean truly love, agapaó love. When we don’t even see this kind of love in the relationships among Christian couples, how can we be demonstrating this kind of love to the person that we play golf with, or ride to work with, or sit in the pew next to? When we treat our spouses and families with contempt, or are rude, impatient, manipulative, exploding in anger, holding grudges (of which I am guilty of all) how will anyone see love in us? If we don’t begin to agapaó at home, then at church, then how will a lost and dying world ever see that love.

When you think, “I love people”, I challenge you to ask yourself, “Do I agapaó people?” This is the challenge that the Holy Spirit has given me, now I ask it of you. Fountain of Life and Fountain Friends, do you love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and do you agapaó your neighbor as yourself? If not, what will you do about it? Time to Repent!