Demonstrating Love: Church Feedback

SMS Responses from the Church on "When We Demonstrate God's Love, What Happens?"

Sunday 16 October 2011

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1.    Less talk and more action – love in action

2.    We should not live two lives, one in the church building and one during the week at home, at work, etc.  We should be consistent.

3.    Amen

4.    Church community that happens between services

5.    How?  By helping when it’s NOT convenient and by devoting energy to other’s welfare rather than our own.

6.    When people ask how I am and I know in that question they are asking me about my relationship with God and holding me accountable in my faith.

7.    We His followers must also be servants, willing to serve in any way that glorifies God!

8.    God’s love is demonstrated when someone wants to enrich, build up, and encourage everyone around them.

9.    God’s love is demonstrated when we are willing to go beyond what is comfortable and easy and become uncomfortable in the sacrifice that we offer those we meet.

10.  Becoming God centred resulting in unconditional love towards others.

11.  Honest – Open – Real relationships.  Sometimes you have to be brave and open up before you realise you are not alone.  Community is the special love we can show and share.

12.  Best sermon ever, thanks John.  Just throwing some encouragement your way!  My answer – ENCOURAGEMENT.

13.  A constant, everlasting, deepened fellowship that transcends all barriers, heals broken lives and hearts, builds each other up, all in a meaningful way; with an overflow to all those we come in contact with.

14.  Love one another!

15.  People need to know and experience God’s daily love.  How can we love people without knowing and experiencing God’s love?

16.  I think LOVE is living for Christ through servanthood, hospitality and graciousness.  Giving our time not because we know it’s right but because we LOVE God and our neighbours.

17.  The love we have for one another within our church as brothers and sisters in Christ.  And then the extension of this love through Him, to the surrounding community.

18.  If we are family, we need to get to know one another better.

19.  Honesty and Authenticity.  No matter what, people living and loving and giving and being together.  People so caught up in love for the Lord and others that they don’t even think about themselves.

20.  Hands-on caring.  Taking a bold step in faith to care for others.  Find out the needs of others.  Especially people we may not know!

21.  God’s love is demonstrated through service, sacrifice and true/real fellowship

22.  People who understand Kingdom, live out love... people who don’t understand Kingdom can’t see how this is relevant in demonstrating God’s love in the Church.

23.  We demonstrate god’s love to EACH OTHER; Christ-centred believers ministering  Christ’s love to one another (including visitors and those who don’t know Him yet!)  This is bigger than us.  This is from the SPIRIT of God Himself.  So?... let’s DRINK UP PEOPLE!!!

24.  When people ask how I am and know in that question they are holding me accountable in my faith.

25.  Absolute DEVOTION to God and to one another.  God and others first.

26.  Day to day support of those in the body, great Jesus-centred friendships and relationships, reaching out to people within the body and outside of the church.

27.  Preach it, preach it... AMEN

28.  Actions speak louder than words and feelings... A church is just a gathering if it does not impact and make people uncomfortable in the shoes... showing true Godly love for all.

29.  Spending time together, helping each other, doing things together.

30.  When we can love one another, without being aware of our differences, but in a caring unconditional manner.

31.  Believers should share what they have with other believers in need, selflessly, Acts 2:45.

32.  Random acts of kindness.

33.  The tsunami of love and support received from many people in the church when a family tragedy occurs.

34.  Jesus is the model.  How did He discern acts to demonstrate love?  “Everything I hear the Father say I say, everything I see the Father do, I do.”  This requires intimacy with the Father.  Not a formula.  Not necessarily sacrifice.  Obedience is better than sacrifice.  It’s ALL about positioning oneself to hear and being willing to listen, say and do.  Daily, hourly.  If the church universal did this, love would be powerfully demonstrated.

35.  We can be hurt by “the church” but the church is filled with imperfect people.  We need to look to God first who loves us perfectly.  Love other, because he loves you from everlasting to everlasting!

36.  Family and true acceptance where people feel free to be real and honest without feeling judged.

37.  The demonstration of God’s love in the life of a church is - unity, a passion for Jesus Christ, being authentic with one another, accepting each other even those who are slightly different.  Not judging others or looking down on them, making those who are new feel welcome and accepted.  Building one another up, encouragement, love, being a good example to one another and practising what we say.  Really living a life of a Christian, a follower of Jesus.

38.  Can we love two families Or three, or four.  MBC, Common Ground, Church on Main, St Martins or are we baptised into one family – Christ.  Is it possible to belong to one and not the other? Should we belong to any?

39.  We tend to avoid anything that will cost us anything.  But I do think we can do a lot more without it costing much – greeting or sitting with or chatting to someone does not cost much.  We are so selfish we don’t even do the easy things (we should do the hard things too, but at least start with something), one other thought – and it’s worked for me at a new church – people on the outside can also make an effort to engage, often we are not unwilling but unaware or distracted.

40.  Hospitality to strangers, both on a Sunday at our meetings, and the rest of the week.  Inviting people into your homes, makings space for them in your life.  Intentionally including them in friendship gatherings, despite the fact that they might be different and seemingly unlovable.

41.  Serving each other selflessly, putting others before ourselves out of our love for the Lord and  the realisation of what He did for us.

42.  A good indicator as to whether you are demonstrating god’s love is if others are seeing the fruits of the Spirit within your daily life.  For fruits to appear – this requires ACTION!  A farmer doesn’t “hope for the best”, he analyses the land, he monitors the weather, he treats the soil and WORKS HARD!

43.  When people give sacrificially of their time or money to help others in need.

44.  The way we treat one another.

45.  Our outward response to God’s word demonstrates God’s love in the life of the church.

46.  Practical support, a variety of depths of friendships, affection, hospitality, being known and affirmed, receiving and giving prayer.

47.  Something as simple as welcoming a visitor, getting to know them and making them feel welcome.

48.  When people are healed – spiritually, physically and emotionally.

49.  Concern and compassion for others.  Sharing in others’ joy and sorrow.  Love without conditions.

50.  God’s love is demonstrated when people become involved in each other’s lives so that they’re able to look after each other.

51.  God’s love is demonstrated when we REALLY notice people.  We see them as  we would like to be  seen.

52.  Practicing/speaking God’s truth in love, regardless of what the world or other Christians think – spurring one another on in faith, love and holiness.

53.  United believers.

54.  It’s unconditional and consistent.

55.  Servanthood

56.  Fellowship, going the extra mile, getting out of your comfort zone, real love.

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