Guest Blogger: Humanistic Discipleship
I’ve invited several people to write “guest blog posts” for this blog. There are several reasons for this: 1) To offer different perspectives. 2) To generate even more discussion and conversation between blogs. 3) To introduce other bloggers to my readers.
(If you are interested in writing a guest blog post, please contact me at aknox[at]sebts[dot]com.)
Today’s post was written by Ross Rohde. You can connect with Ross via his Facebook profile, Twitter (@rossrohde), or his blog “Viral Jesus.” Also, check out the microsite for his book Viral Jesus.
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Humanistic Discipleship
In my book Viral Jesus in Chapter Eight: Viral Discipleship I note:
Today much of Christian activity seems to originate with human plans, and it is then carried out in human strength, with human results. It has nothing to do with the kingdom of God. The world does not need any more religion! It needs Jesus Christ. Religion is people’s attempts to do God’s work in their own strength. Jesus wants us to live and walk in God’s strength. God is only interested in His work, not our work. He oversees and empowers those things that originate in His heart. On judgment day, only that which was birthed and sustained by the Holy Spirit will survive.[1]
Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines humanism as “a doctrine, attitude, or way of life centered on human interests or values; especially: a philosophy that usually rejects supernaturalism and stresses an individual’s dignity and worth and capacity for self-realization through reason.”[2]
Most Western Bible-believing Christians are behaving as humanists. Yet most, if they are aware of humanism as a philosophy, would be offended by the idea that they are humanists. However, if we disdain the words, yet still behave like a humanist, we are a humanist.
The basic issue of humanism is that humans make the decisions and cause things to happen by their own will and ability, using their own rational intellect. We may do this for the best of intentions, but since we started from the wrong place and are functioning with the wrong operating system, we end up in a very desperate situation. We are lost in the woods thinking we know where we are going. All the time we are moving farther and farther away from home, away from God.
We have brought this same humanism into discipleship. Hence we focus on such things as witnessing techniques, small group dynamics, and biblical doctrine. None of these things are wrong, in and of themselves. The problem is the source of our accomplishment. We aren’t asking some prior questions. Rather than asking what is a good technique of sharing the gospel, perhaps we should ask: Did God set up this witnessing situation? How is He leading us to share the gospel? Instead of asking how can I utilize good small group dynamics to lead this group, perhaps we should ask how is God leading in the small group? Through whom does He want to minister? Instead of asking what doctrine is this Bible passage teaching, perhaps we should ask how is God ministering to us through the Bible? How is the Holy Spirit activating the truth of the Bible into our lives though His power?
For more on this subject read Chapter 8 of Viral Jesus.
- Is it possible to do good things with the best of intentions and still end up “lost in the woods thinking we know where we are going?”
- Do you believe God can actually lead the discipleship process, or is that our job?
- Can we do God a favor?
- If God leads discipleship, does that mean we have any involvement beyond being automatons? Is there any room for our creativity and thoughts?
[1] Brother Yun, Living Water, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008), 54.
[2] Merriam-Webster Online, s.v. “humanism,” http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humanism (accessed July 20, 2009).
Replay: When we had nothing to offer them but ourselves
Three and a half years ago, I wrote a post called “No produce, just relationships.” Often, when we find someone in need, God will lead us to provide for those physical needs. However, as much as the people may need that physical help, they need something else even more. God works through relationships, and when we pour our lives into other people, we are bringing Jesus Christ with us. Here is a real story that God used to teach me this lesson.
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No produce, just relationships
At the beginning of the summer, our family and some friends began to visit a local government assisted housing development. Cathy, a friend of ours who is part of the church with us, introduced us to many of her neighbors, and we met other neighbors while spending time in the neighborhood.
When we started visiting the people in this neighborhood, we would take them small bags of fresh produce or fresh baked bread. Why? For several reasons. 1) The produce and bread were small tokens to demonstrate our concern for them. 2) Often charitable groups bring in old produce, breads, cookies, and cakes that other people would not buy. We wanted to give them something that anyone would want… not leftovers. 3) We wanted to give vegetables, fruit, and wheat bread to encourage a healthy lifestyle. 4) We were hoping the produce and bread would give us opportunities to serve them in other ways, including opportunities to proclaim the gospel.
A few weeks ago, the lady that runs the produce stand (Vivian – which is another story altogether) told us that the stand was closing. That morning, as we told the people in the neighborhood that the produce stand was closing, they all said about the same thing: “You’re still going to visit us, aren’t you?” Our weekly visits had turned into more than an opportunity to hand out produce. We had begun to build relationships with the neighbors.
So, throughout the week, I often find myself thinking about and praying for Cathy, Dennis, Tina, Mrs. Jeans, Shonna and her children (Marvin, Laruen, and Mya), Mrs. Woodlief and her son Benny, and Mrs. Fort. We’ve met a few other people in the neighborhood, but these are the ones with whom we usually spend the most time. These are the people who have opened their homes and their lives and have invited us in.
If you think about, please pray for Dennis. His father passed away last Friday, and the funeral is Monday.
And, pray for Cathy. She’s struggling with health issues – emphysema and back pain.
Also, pray for Tina. Tina’s son died from an overdose a couple of weeks ago. Tina ended up being hospitalized herself because of emotional issues a few days later. Now, she is dealing with several other issues related to her ex-husband and former care giver.
Pray for Mrs. Jeans. She had skin cancer on her ear last summer. The doctor removed part of her ear, but now something else is wrong. She has also been struggling with health issues, including a couple of weeks with the flu. Plus, her nephew is having family issues also.
If you ask Mrs. Woodlief, she’ll tell you to pray for everything. But, we know that her foot often hurts her, and she has to walk with a cane then.
And, Mrs. Fort will always tell you to pray for her knee. When the weather changes – which has happened alot lately – her knee hurts as well. If you think about it, also pray for the grandchildren and great-grandchildren who live with Mrs. Fort.
We can no longer offer these precious people fresh vegetables and fruit. We still carry fresh bread occasionally. But, they’ve let us know that they don’t want the produce and bread as much as they need the relationships. For many of them, we’re their only support system. We don’t have much to offer financially, but we can and do offer the love of God as often as possible.
Do you think there may be someone out there waiting for you to demonstrate the love of God? Why not start getting involved in someone’s life today?
Replay: Continued Proclamation about the Kingdom of God in Acts
Two years ago, I wrote the post “Continued Proclamation about the Kingdom of God in Acts.” If I remember correctly, we were studying the Book of Acts together at the time. When I study books, I tend to study the book as a whole as much as possible before studying individual pieces, paragraphs, sentences, words, etc. In this way, the author’s purpose and intent is easier to distinguish. So, was Luke exhorting his readers (of Acts) to see themselves as “missionaries” sent by God to continue proclaiming the kingdom of God? I think so.
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Continued Proclamation about the Kingdom of God in Acts
Have you ever noticed how the Book of Acts starts:
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:1-3 ESV)
There are two things I want to point out: 1) Luke’s first book (the Gospel of Luke) dealt with “all the Jesus began to do and teach” which indicates that this book (Acts) deals with what Jesus continued to do and teach. 2) After Jesus’ resurrection, he talked to many people about the kingdom of God.
And the end of Acts, we read this passage:
He [Paul] lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. (Acts 28:30-31 ESV)
Again, there are two things that I’d like to bring up: 1) Paul taught about Jesus with boldness and without hindrance even though he was under house arrest. 2) Paul, as with Jesus earlier, was proclaiming the kingdom of God.
Thus, at the beginning of Acts and the end of Acts (as well as several other places in the book – Acts 1:6, 8:12, 14:22, 19:8, 20:25, 28:23) we see the importance of speaking about and proclaiming the kingdom of God. Furthermore, we see that this type of proclamation is a continuation of what Jesus was doing and that the proclamation was unhindered even when the one proclaiming was imprisoned.
It seems, then, that Luke intended his second volume to be a treatise on the expansion of the kingdom of God. However, Luke did not intend Acts to be a treatise on the beginning of the kingdom. His Gospel explained that Jesus was the beginning of the kingdom of God. Similarly, Luke did not intend Acts to be a treatise on the end of the expansion of the kingdom. Instead, the kingdom continues to be proclaimed at the end of the book.
From just after Luke finished writing Acts until today, a reader would get the idea that the kingdom of God continues to expand and therefore must continue to be proclaimed. The reader would close the book seeing himself or herself as the one to proclaim the kingdom.
There are obviously other themes in the book of Acts (i.e. dependence on the Spirit, the kingdom community created by the Spirit, the gospel’s defeat of worldly systems), but we should never overlook the emphasis on the proclamation and expansion of the kingdom of God. This, along with many other aspects of the book of Acts, makes the book a missionary book, in the sense that those reading the book recognize that they are “sent” (apostello, missio).
So… you are sent to proclaim the kingdom of God and to see the kingdom of God expand.
(By the way, did you notice that we’ll only see this theme if we read the entire book, not just memorize one verse or passage?)
What passions and opportunities has God given you?
This week, I’ve talked about the many different ways that God works through his children. God extends our heart to people in different realms – either nearby or spread around the world. He gifts us in many different ways and even works through us in ways that are different from our gifts. All of these differences display the myriad grace of God.
God also gives his children different passions (cares or concerns) and different opportunities. Now, certainly, not every desire is from God and not every door of opportunity is meant to be walked through. When we think about passions and opportunities, much care, prayer, and counsel can be helpful in determining if they are from God or not. But, that’s not the point of this post. Instead, I simply want us to think about how God gives all of us different passions and different opportunities to serve even as he’s also extending our hearts to people in different areas (nearby or around the globe) and even as he’s gifting us in different ways.
A good friend of mine enjoys working on cars. He uses that passion as a means of serving people. I don’t like working on cars, and know very little about cars themselves. But, there are other things that I’m passionate about. My goal is to allow God to use those passions and concerns as a means to serve others.
In the same way, God has given me certain opportunities that other people do not have. He gives those people opportunities that I do not have. Those opportunities can show up in their vocation, the place they live, their families, almost any aspect of life.
The question is: are we using our passions and opportunities for our own benefits, or do we see them as ways for God to work through us to increase and impact his kingdom?
As with spiritual gifts and as with how God extends your heart (i.e. to a specific group of people nearby or to groups of people spread around the globe), there are no good or bad passions and opportunities as long as they are from God and submitted to him. And, also as with those other things given by God, we tend to assume that people should have the same passions as us or that they should act on the same opportunities that God has given us.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I think it’s wonderful when a group of Jesus’ disciples work together to serve others. But, that does not mean that we all have the same passions and opportunities. Even when serving together, the diversities among us complement each other and again display God’s glory in so many different ways.
I think Paul sums up the point of this short set of quotes (I guess it’s a series) in his first letter to the church in Corinth:
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7 ESV)
So, celebrate the diversity of gifts, kinds of services, and types of activities! Exhort one another to direct those works of the Spirit for the benefit of people. Don’t expect people to serve in the same way that you do. Instead, observe how God works through them differently and praise him for it!
A well-rounded look at the “one anothers”
A couple of weeks ago, in my post “The who, what, where, when, and why of the One Anothers,” I pointed out that Jon from “Jon’s Journey” was writing a series about the “one another” passages in Scripture.
In his introductory post, he explained that he was planning to cover the 5 “W” questions related to these instructions: what, who, where, when, and why. He even added a 6th post for the question, “How?”
Jon has now completed his series on the “one anothers.” I think this is a great series, so I’m adding links to each of the posts here:
Part 1: Five W’s of One Another – intro and verses showing what the one anothers are
Part 2: Who One Another
Part 3: Where One Another
Part 4: When One Another
Part 5: Why One Another
Part 6: How One Another
I’ll just add one more snippet for Jon’s post on “when”:
Do we think most of these actions should take place at a special time or scheduled event?
We know some believers did meet regularly together. Some daily and some on certain days of the week. But I believe these verses were not only related to regularly scheduled gatherings.
I think it is safe to say they took place whenever the believers interacted with each other.
Can you imagine the “one anothers” taking place any time believers are together with one another – whether it’s just two or if it’s more? Even on Sunday morning when the whole church gathers together (as is traditional today)?
Yep. I can imagine it.
You know what I can’t imagine? I can’t imagine that the authors of Scripture intended for their “one another” instructions to to apply at all times EXCEPT when the church gathers together.
How far does your heart extend?
We all know that God gifts his children differently through the presence and power of his Holy Spirit. We also know that God gives us all different opportunities to increase his kingdom. But, lately, I’ve had a few conversations that have stretched my thinking in other ways as well.
For one thing, several people have commented about or asked something like this: “How far does your heart extend?”
Now, I should define what this questions means, as I’ve come to understand it. And, it helps me to start with what the question doesn’t mean. For one thing, the question is not asking whether or not you love God or others. In fact, for this question, loving God and loving others is assumed. Second, the question does not assume that the farther your heart extends the more you love God or others.
Instead, this question is asking something different: To whom is God directing your love, passions, and concerns? Like with the question of spiritual gifts or opportunities to serve, no answer is better or worse than other answers. However, thinking through this question can help us understand how God wants to use us.
For example, God has given some people a very strong passion and love and concern for the people immediately around them – the people that they see every day. They are content in their spirit serving the people who live near them.
For other people, God has given them a very strong passion and love and concern for people around the world. They are content when they are serving people in a variety of locations.
Finally, I think God gives all of us strong passions and loves and concerns for people somewhere along this spectrum, from the people near us to people across the globe. Again, neither end of the spectrum is better than the other. And, having passions, loves, and concerns at one end of the spectrum does not mean that we should not display love toward others (either near or far).
Instead, if we can honestly answer the question, “How far does your heart extend?” then we may be able to better understand which direction God is leading us. Is he leading us to primarily pour our lives into the people in a certain location, or is he leading us to primarily pour our lives into people in different locations?
Also, answering this question can also help us grow in the other direction. For example, if God has extended our hearts to people around the world, we need to constantly check our attitude and service toward those near us. And, if God has extended our hearts to people nearby, we need to constantly check our love and concern for those around the world.
Finally, asking and answering this question can help us check our attitudes toward people whom God is using in a different way. If we pour our lives into people nearby, do we think less of those who have loves and concerns spread around the world (and, thus, not as “dedicated” to people near us)? Or, if we have passions for people spread around the globe, do we think less of those who spend so much time loving and caring for physical neighbors (instead of shifting their concerns toward “the nations”)?
But, in general, asking and answering that question can help us determine how and where God may be using us: How far does your heart extend?
So, I’ll ask you: How far does your heart extend?
Guest Blogger: E-phesians 4:11, E-ministry for E-quipping The Church Through Social Media?
I’ve invited several people to write “guest blog posts” for this blog. There are several reasons for this: 1) To offer different perspectives. 2) To generate even more discussion and conversation between blogs. 3) To introduce other bloggers to my readers.
(If you are interested in writing a guest blog post, please contact me at aknox[at]sebts[dot]com.)
Today’s post was written by Miguel Labrador. You can connect with Miguel via his Facebook profile, his Facebook page “Making Disciples,” Twitter (@Missionaries), or his blog “God Directed Deviations.”
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E-phesians 4:11, E-ministry for E-quipping The Church Through Social Media?
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And He gave some as E-postles, E-prophets,
E-vangelists, E-pastors, and E-teachers
for the E-quipping of the saints for the work of
service,to the building up of the body of Christ.
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Ephesians 4:11,12
E-Ministry to an E-generation?
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“If Facebook were a physical nation, it would now be the third-most populous on earth.“[1] If we included all other social platforms in addition to facebook, the E-nation of the E-lectronic social realm, might in fact, be the largest nation on earth. The way we E-xecute the Great Commission may necessitate a closer E-xamination. We should not so easily dismiss the idea that Jesus would also want us to Make E-sciples.
Certainly, there can never be a complete disconnect from brick & mortar ministry, the one to one personal E-xtending of our hands in fellowship, but the E-world is a reality. How we minister to one another and those outside of the church, must include E-vangleism.
If we are all gifted, and all have individual predominant ministry characteristics, then for those of us who are active on the internet, socially speaking, doesn’t it make sense to carry that ministry into our E-spheres of influence?
Doesn’t the vast opportunity of ministry to those E-thnicities and cultures demand our attention? I am not suggesting that our E-ministries replace serving others or incarnating ourselves and being a physical Christ presence within a community, but that doesn’t mean completely ignoring the Mission E-field either.
For me, as a Missionary in the Cloud Forest Region of Ecuador, we have an abundance of face-time with the people of the region. Our “real-word” activities include, but are not limited to: weeping with those who weep, providing clean drinking water to those without, being witnesses to Jesus, encouraging and equipping the saints, and making disciples. Also, and quite naturally, as an adjunct to those activities, our social network (on-line community) has grown significantly. While some may have issue with spending time on the internet while I’m “supposed to be” out doing “real” things with “real people,” I can assure you that the latter would be impossible without the former. My E-xperiences out in the real world feed my somewhat E-ccentric online ministry. This could, and sometimes does, get out of balance, but thankfully I have E-xhorters to keep me on track.
Ephesians 4:11 is certainly multi-purpose in scope, but it’s principle components are service to others, equipping the saints, and the unity of the church. Certainly these components are not relegated to the physical world. They must, in our culture, be applied to our E-lives as well.
If you are gifted for ministry in E-vangelism, then you should be heralding the good news online as well. And if you do have the gift of E-vangelism, then, like in “real-life,” you should be helping others by E-quipping them and E-ncouraging them in their E-lives to E-vangelize others.
Likewise if your predominate Ephesians 4 gifting or characteristic is in the Prophetic, Teaching, Pastoral, or Apostolic, then those gifts should quite naturally E-xtend into your E-world where you can E-ncourage and E-quip them for the service of E-ministry.
[1] From “The Economist.”
[2] ”Escipleship” some sources for further consideration
—
Miguel Labrador
Replay: Fasting and Feasting to the Lord
Four years ago, I wrote a post called “Fasting and Feasting to the Lord.” Today (and historically for some), people tend to divide activities into the physical and the spiritual. Eating, for example, is a physical activity that only affects us physically. However, according to Scripture, fasting (not eating) or feasting (eating… alot) can be an extremely spiritual activity that affects our relationship with God and with one another.
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Fasting and Feasting to the Lord
A couple of weeks ago, I was studying the topic of fasting. At that time, I thought that I was going to be teaching from Matthew 6:16-18 –
And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:16-18 ESV)
I was already familiar with the passage in Isaiah concerning fasting –
“Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? (Isaiah 58:1-7 ESV)
But, I was not familiar with the following passage from Zechariah –
Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me: “Say to all the people of the land and the priests, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves? Were not these the words that the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, with her cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?”
And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets.
Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts. “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the LORD of hosts, “and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate.” (Zechariah 7:4-14 ESV)
It is clear from these passages that fasting and feasting (from Zechariah 7:6) pertains to more than the absence or presence of food and drink. In fact, I would suggest that, according to Isaiah 58 and Zechariah 7, fasting and feasting pertains to more than our relationship with God. Instead, God intends fasting and feasting to turn our hearts toward him, toward one another, and toward those who are hungry, homeless, poor, oppressed, fatherless, widowed, and foreign.
These are not contrary or contradictory ideas. Turning our hearts toward God will automatically turn our hearts toward other people. Why? Because God’s heart is with people. It is impossible to read Scripture without seeing that God cares for people and expects his children to demonstrate that same love and concern. In fact, if our hearts are not turned toward others, then our hearts are not properly turned toward God. If we do not demonstrate love toward others, then we do not love God.
Notice especially this rhetorical question from Isaiah 58:7 – “Is it [the fast that God chooses] not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?” This fast goes far beyond giving up food and drink. It actually goes beyond turning your thoughts toward God. This rhetorical question recognizes that when one of God’s children turns his or her thoughts toward God, that person’s thoughts are also turned towards those who have physical needs, and that person acts to relieve those needs.
I have “fasted” before, meaning that I have given up food for a specified period of time. I still have several journals that I wrote during these “fasts”. But, when I compare my “fasts” to Scripture, I see that my “fasts” were not of the type that God chooses. I remember learning many things during “fasts” – many things about God and many things about myself. But, if I honestly compare my “fasts” with the fasts that God desires (as described in Isaiah 58 and Zechariah 7), then I must admit that I did not truly fast before God. How do I know? Because my heart was not turned toward those who were suffering injustice, oppression, hunger, poverty, etc. Since my heart was not turned toward others, I certainly did not act as God desires.
I wonder… am I willing to fast now?
Disciples of Jesus struggle to follow him in the most basic of instructions
Over the last few weeks, some friends and I have been encouraging and helping one another follow Jesus by asking each other this question: “What are you struggling to obey right now?”
We don’t try to tell each other what Jesus wants us to do to follow him. We simple pray for and encourage one another to follow in whatever struggle we’re having.
As I’ve thought about this question and some of the responses that we’ve given each other, I realized something interesting: disciples of Jesus struggle to follow him in the most basic of instructions.
But, this is nothing new. Why did every author of the New Testament stress that Jesus’ disciples were to love one another? Because everyone was struggling to do that – and we still do. And, yet, according to Jesus, “Love one another” is the one most basic of his instructions of all!
We do not need to be embarrassed by our struggles to follow Jesus. We all struggle, even if we struggle in different ways and at different times. Instead, we should help one another listen to Jesus and follow him.
So, what are you struggling to obey Jesus about right now?
The who, what, where, when, and why of the One Anothers
Jon at “Jon’s Journey” has started what appears to be a fascinating series looking at the who, what, where, when, and why (and perhaps how?) of the “one another” passages in Scripture. His first post in the series, “Five W’s of One Another,” begins by asking “What?” verses/exhortations we are talking about.
Jon combines all these exhortations in a list, and summarizes as follows:
So what are the instructions in these one another verses? Hospitality, humility, harmony, not slandering, encouraging, teaching, admonishing (giving advice), agreeing with, forgiving, submitting, singing together, kindness, compassion, bearing with, serving, accepting, and the repeated call to love one another.
I’ll be honest… I’ve read and written about these verses many, many times. The “what” part is extremely familiar. I’m really looking forward to the follow-up posts in which Jon discusses the other W’s: Who, where, when, why, and perhaps “how?” even though it’s not exactly a “w” question.