I have seen so many books on church strategy and missional techniques and most of them have great things to say. So if you are interested in this sort of thing, read what you can. But remember this: God’s strategy for the church is essentially very simple. It is this: love one another. When a church does this, it creates fertile soil from which will come a rich garden bed of wonders. If you do not have love, then you are just a colourful package without any contents. So for your part, cultivate love in your heart for others. Fight against those things in yourself that destroy your relationships: pride, jealously, envy, bitterness, and so forth. If someone offends you, check your reaction. You may feel that you have the right to be offended, but are you responding in love or retaliation? Perhaps this is one of those times where you need to give up your ‘rights’ to achieve a greater good? Honour other people as being greater than yourself. That is how you cultivate love in your heart. Devote yourself to the well-being of the other person. If everyone did this in the church we would be everything that Jesus was when he walked on earth. Love is the key. Love opens the doors for the power of God to work through us.
Think about how you can love other people today. Has someone offended you? How are you reacting to that? Are you honouring others above yourself?
Read Romans 12:9-10
