This past Sunday morning, between services, I stood in our "coffee connection" area and listened to the buzz of relationship and friendship.

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I love the church.

I love our church.

I love the family of God.

It is our calling to be a place to belong, a place to grow and a place to serve.

As we love one another, it attracts people like a magnet.  When a church really offers love to each other and those who are welcomed into it, you have to lock the doors to keep people out!

I read an article today entitled, "Six secrets for becoming a loving church."  (I have picked out five of them to give to you).

Let me summarize it:

1.  We must be committed to building each other up.

Note of appreciation.  Hugs in the hallway.  Phone calls of encouragement. 

Life is tough - there are enough discouraging people in the world.  We need to be encouragers, not discouragers!

We all like to be around people who are positive.  People who are going to lift us up and not tear us down. 

2.  We need to recognize the value of every person.

Even the people we don't like - or who don't like us (I am learning that it is harder to love the person who doesn't like me than the person I don't like).

That person may be immature; they may be disagreeable, but Christ died for them.

When you get your nose bent out of joint because of someone in your area of ministry or in the church (and inevitably it will), just remember:  Christ died for that person.  That shows how valuable they are.

3.  We need to stay focused on what is really important.

The essence of my walk with Christ is not external but internal. 

Back in 1917, as the Bolsheviks grabbed the reins of power through a revolution in Russia, the priests in the Orthodox Church were in a heated debate over how long the tassels should be on their robes.  They ignored the Bolshevik revolution, and instead, split their church arguing over this trivial matter!

Churches almost never have division over major issues.  They divide over trivial, foolish little things.

Are you really going to "go to the mat" over ____________ (and you fill in the blank) when there are Christians that are dying for their faith?

4.  We must must not insist that everyone agree.

I really do believe that we can walk arm in arm without seeing eye to eye.

Paul writes, "As far as it depends on you, if it is possible, live at peace with all men."  Romans 12:18

God even admits that there are some people you will not get along with!  No one "gets along" with everyone.

So if you know of someone who is nitpicking about something in your life, that says something more about them than you.

Take them to God and see what He has to say.  We can be agreeable in the midst of disagreement.

5.  We must accept one another.

Paul writes in Romans 15:7, "Accept one another just as Christ has accepted you in order to bring praise to God."

How did God accept us?  Unconditionally.  Non-judgmentally.  No one's acceptance is based upon what they do or not do.

No church will ever be perfect, but it can be healthy.  Stone Church is not a perfect church, but we are striving to be healthy. 

May we grow in joy and peace and hope and power.

Just a thought for a Tuesday.