This year, we have been journeying together on what exactly is the church, what our purpose is and how we fulfil that purpose (see Judy’s last 2 sessions on why joy & hesed are important for this: Part 1 & Part 2). Julia continued this week with the fifth part of the series…
Love One Another!
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34)
In Francis Chan’s book ‘Letters to the Church’, he describes how although he and his megachurch ‘Cornerstone’ were deemed ‘hugely successful’, he increasingly struggled with the difference between his experience of church versus the New Testament depiction. His heart is to see the Church really galvanised; excited about prayer, the Word and fellowship, and every member using their gifts, time and resources to further the Gospel. However, despite massive numbers attending the church weekly, he wasn’t seeing lives transformed and increasingly wondered if there could be more.
Group Identity – The Gang vs. the Church
Dear Church
Love one another!
Jesus x
On the evening of Jesus’ arrest, he first washed his disciples’ feet, explaining that they should follow his example of sacrificial love and service! (John 13:4-15) and shortly after said to them:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34)
I imagine most of us are familiar with this verse, but may not know that the command to ‘love one another’ is mentioned in scripture over 50 times! So, it’s not just a mild suggestion or a nice idea, it’s a sacred command!
In his book, Chan sets the context of the command to ‘love one another’ within a chapter called ‘The Gang’. Primarily because it’s about group identity and our identity as ‘church’, and the expected behaviours within that group.
Rob, one of Chan’s elders, spent most of his former life in a gang. He became a Christian in prison but was terrified of the repercussions and the rejection of those he loved over that decision. The gang was his family who had been there for him 24/7 for many years, who, because of his newfound faith, would come to hate him.
Listening to Rob talking about his former life, Chan recognised that ‘being a family’ was as central to gang life as it was to God’s design for the church; with gangs seemingly having a stronger sense of family than the church he was familiar with. For many, he despaired that the ‘sacred mystery of church’ had been reduced by some to attending an hour-long service at a building once a week; nothing remotely like that described in scripture. Chan observed that gang life wouldn’t operate on a weekly one-hour gathering basis, and neither would you hear members saying ‘hey, have you been to gang this week?’ However, he admits that until recently, this was his own experience: He didn’t know anything different from the norm!
Surely this isn’t the case in the UK though?
In 2022, the Evangelical Alliance carried out some research in the UK. They found that 48% of the people they asked (of 4,000 adults) said they were ‘Christians’. Of that 48%, only 6% said they were ‘practicing Christians’. They defined ‘practicing Christians’ as those who were worshipping regularly as part of a church community at least monthly, and praying and reading the Bible at least weekly.
In the Oaks, we want to aim to at least be part of that 6%. We want to know Jesus (which transforms us) and make him known (which transforms our community). If I were to do the same research, I’d go as far as to add another criterion: are you growing in love for others (harder to measure though!)?
We know the church around the world, particularly in the media, is sadly not known for the love it shows to one another.
Reflect
What would you like to be known for as a church family?
Francis Chan says “If the church is nothing else, it has to be a group of people who love one another deeply!”
Do you agree? What would it look like to be a church family known for the way we radically love one another?
“We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as it is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing” – (2 Thessalonians 1:3)
If this is Paul’s idea of a healthy community worth thanking God for, do you see this in your life? If not, what support from the church would help you in this?
Go Deeper
Watch this:
