I put this in my Monday Challenge post and described it as “The article of the year.” It really caught my attention as one of the best articles I’ve read in a long time. Readers agreed, making it this week’s most clicked link from Monday’s post.
In cased you missed it, here are David Murray’s 10 Love Challenges.
Once you’ve read them, here is the main reason this caught me so much.
It’s easy to be taught what to do, but not how.
As a preacher, I love to investigate the Bible and help people learn it. Obviously some parts of Scripture are more practical than others. But, there is still often a gap between what listeners perceive as the what and the how.
Love. We’re supposed to love God and love people. Specifically, how do we love people? It feels overwhelming, doesn’t it?
But, love can be a witness. A great church with a great commitment to people and more specifically to loving people can be an effective witness to unbelievers and outsiders. Love also strengthens a church immensely.
That is precisely why these 10 Love Challenges are so helpful. Are they complete? No, I think you’d need more than ten. But, I would argue as a pastor that if every believer or believing family did each of these on an average of once every 1-2 months then churches would be incredibly healthier than they are now.
Thanks David Murray, for the incredibly practical advice!
Think. What about love to you struggle to apply?
Act. Try doing each of these between now and the end of the year. Let me know if you’re committing to it and I’ll be glad to check in with you at the first of the year and see what your feedback is!