Christ taught his followers to love God with all their being, and to love their neighbors as themselves. ( See Matthew 22:37-39) This is a tall order! But it is clearly the way Jesus himself lived, and it is this devotion to God and others that marks the Christian fellowship as reflecting his mission in the world.
In a new book dealing with practical hospitality for congregations, my friend Randy Hammer has written: "For a church or other community of faith to really convey a sense of welcome and hospitality, they must let the world know that they are seeking to live the law of love... Living the supreme law of love will influence everything we do in the church setting." [52 Ways to Ignite Your Congregation, The Pilgrim Press, 2009]
Yes, and it influences what we do outside the church setting, too, of course. Who can be attracted by a practice of discipleship that seems to make no difference in the way we Christians interact in our churches? And who can be inspired by a discipleship that seems to make no difference in the way we live in the day-to-day world?
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