The Lord saved me when I was a freshman in high school in the context of a para-church ministry. Unfortunately, I didn’t commit to a local church at that point in my life. Oh, I attended church — actually, more than one. But I wasn’t taught the importance of baptism nor the necessity of having godly leaders over me and the accountability of fellow believers in an individual church.
During college, I was a Bible major, ironically to become a pastor of a church. It wasn’t until my senior year of college that I finally joined a church, and that was mostly to get a discount on tuition at the seminary I wanted to attend. During seminary, I quickly joined a church, but looking back, this church was more about attracting people with creativity instead of compelling people with the gospel and leading people to submit to Christ.
As you can see, I made some poor “church life” decisions once I became a Christian, but God was so patient with me. Heading into my final year of seminary, a friend who was the youth pastor of my church asked if my wife and I wanted to join him in a tiny church to help him out as he was about to leave our current church and become this church’s pastor. It was a church of 25 that had recently experienced an ugly split, but my friend assured me that most of the “mean people” had left (and the two or three mean people who remained died fairly quickly!).
“We’re in!”
And that was the beginning of a year spent with the most loving church I have ever experienced. Please hear me carefully: my current church is marked by love! But perhaps I have such fond memories of this previous church because it was the first authentic, loving church I had ever known.
What made it so memorable? Not the sermons, though the pastor was faithful to teach the Bible. What about the music? Was it great? Uh, no. There are three words that summarize what made this little church such a loving body of believers.
First, happiness. These believers simply enjoyed being together. They came early and stayed late. I can still see their smiling faces and hear the buzz of discussions that occurred before and after the services. To walk into those gatherings was a respite from the world’s selfishness and pain.
Second, hospitality. We were regularly invited into people’s homes for food and fun. The majority of the church members were older, so this was especially educational as a young married couple to see older believers not only open their homes, but interact with one another and demonstrate quiet faithfulness after decades of marriage and church attendance.
Third, hundreds. What do I mean by that? It was early December, and by now four or five seminary couples had joined the church. It was the Sunday before most of us would travel home to see our families. At some point, one of the deacons passed out an envelope to each seminary couple. Inside was either $200 or $300 (my memory fails me). Most seminary families are not exactly living with surplus financially, so this felt like thousands of dollars to each of us! When we asked them why they did that, the main part of their answer was, “Because we love you!”
Happiness, hospitality, and hundreds — that’s the kind of love we enjoyed, and it’s really God’s will for any church.
Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more. (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10)
Perhaps this loving church I experienced will inspire you. For example, you can raise the love temperature in your church by eagerly participating in meetings — showing up early and staying late — and routinely taking an interest in others. Just a little effort in this direction might stir a revival of selflessness and happiness in your gatherings.
You can also participate in hospitality. Not everyone has a home conducive to having people stay over, but almost any place will do for an afternoon coffee or evening meal. The first church I served as a pastor had a very poor family who invited my family over for supper. If I remember correctly, we each got two scrawny chicken wings and a tiny portion of something like green beans. Our stomachs were not full by the end of that night, but our hearts were. What’s stopping you from serving others like this? Whether you welcome people into your home or help others in the church who invite people over (bring some food, help with the set up and the dreaded clean up, etc.), this may be the most significant ministry of your life!
Finally, you may not have hundreds to give to those in need, but you probably at least have some tens. You definitely have the gift of time to offer to others — perhaps babysitting, or helping with their garden or yard work, or caring for their pet while they are away.
What is to keep your church from being the most loving church someone has ever experienced?