A Healthier Church by Gary Wilkerson

Gary Wilkerson
July 30, 2018

Paul, a pastor, an elder and an apostle, had started a church in Corinth. He cared deeply for the people in his congregation and had a special message for them: "If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3).

Paul often taught on doctrinal matters but at this time he was speaking directly to "family” ”” the people who came together locally. He was appealing to them to become healthy believers, and he wanted to assure them that he loved them beyond reason ”” as they should love one another. The world is full of division and rejection so new believers need to encounter something entirely different in the church.

For some, it is easier to love the inhabitants of Africa or India or China than it is to love one another in your church body. People have problems and they aren’t always faithful and loving and forgiving. So sometimes it is difficult to remain in the love of Christ for them ”” but that is what God is calling us to do. And that is what Paul is talking about. You can wear yourself out evangelizing in your city with the passion and zeal of a missionary, but if you don’t love those around you, all that is not effective.

We can make converts to Christianity, but in our hearts we must have love for one another. I long for all Christians to have an evangelistic, on-fire passion to reach the lost and poor and needy, but I also long to see them filled with love. The more we seriously strive to be the Body of Christ that Paul is teaching about here, the healthier the church becomes and, likewise, the healthier new disciples become.

Health is contagious just as sickness is contagious so let’s endeavor to spread the love and joy of the Lord to those around us.

I get what Gary is saying and I just cringe.

He's not wrong about loving those in the pew, he's not wrong about being filled with love, he's not wrong about being a healthy disciple.

To me, what is cringe-worth is pitting evangelism against love for the body. When folks read this stuff you know what they do ( and they wont say this) "Well, we need to get our act together at home before we decide to go out and love the world to Jesus" What is the effect? No evangelism at all. Just more inward focused navel-lint checking.

Rare to see a "worn out evangelist due to busyness bringing people to Christ" that has no love for those in the pew.
When I read this, it seems to be written from a purely pastoral non-evangelist point of view.

News flash...those who are outward focused upon the lost and hurting are far more likely and truly body-minded because they are adding to the body, caring for the body, speaking and serving the body, this false dichotomy where 'bringing in the lost' are 'those people' and then there's the body. What? is there any truth to that kind of thinking? None whatsoever. So while Gary wants more love in the pew it is doubtful he will every get it because the pew will become inward focused and become a 'click' a select few that 'know how to love each other' and yet be utterly devoid of evangelism, compassion for the poor or afflicted.

I say, bad recipe and exactly what we don't need in the Church...more internal focused millennials and more inward focused older adults looking for the next move of God to thrill, chill and give them happy feelings in Jesus.

I say, we don't pit evangelism against love for the body, what we do is teach the body that loving in deed not word makes the real disciple, so love those in the pew love those outside, love those hurting here, love those hurting out-there.

And yes, that context pulled 1 cor 13 text only goes to show this sort of thinking is off, look again at the example Paul give in Cor 13, its about sacrifice, speaking, knowledge not poured inward but poured outward.
We gain nothing when we act upon motives that are not the love of God, we gain nothing when we do nothing about the great commission as well.

quote "Health is contagious just as sickness is contagious so let’s endeavor to spread the love and joy of the Lord to those around us."

So, lets spread some love outside the pew, outside the church walls, outside your living room, outside your video game room, outside into the work place...it's false to think that true Christian love needs to pick it's locale before its effective.
Quote:"You can wear yourself out evangelizing in your city with the passion and zeal of a missionary, but if you don’t love those around you, all that is not effective."

Spoken like a true pastor/elder, congregationally focused while the world has no idea about the gospel. Tragic.

Hey brother Marvin; Gary Wilkerson runs World Poverty Solutions and World Challenge, he also is a pastor. Take some time to read what this man does in evangelism and helping the poor and impoverished; he also encourages christians to evangelize very strongly. He travels around the world evangelizing. As busy as he is, he actually took time to pray for me personally (he offered to!) and encourage me to live out my faith by reaching out to others.

Remember the words of Jesus: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:35. Remember Jesus commanded us to love one another; when the world sees the love we have for each other, they will be attracted to that.

God bless you brother

Hi Nigel: Praise God for what he is doing.

I am very thankful he is as evangelistic as you say.

I looked him up, No doubt a seasoned minister of the gospel and helper of the afflicted, his religion is not vain.

I stand by every word I said, I didn't diminish love toward the brothers, I explained that love confined to the brothers is a love that will never been seen by the world.

Quote: "Remember Jesus commanded us to love one another; when the world sees the love we have for each other, they will be attracted to that."

When Churches are busying "loving one another" evangelism is on the back burner never to return again. Why? Because when they become addicted to praying for each others dog, or praying for each others birthdays or praying for each others dental appointment the focus upon God's kingdom vanishes. Their love becomes so inward focused and inward concerned...all there every shall be is one more us-4-no-more meetings plus birthdays, mens football game, womens bible study, or even better beer and burgers night for the family.

Nigel, what the world sees is not godly fellowship and love, they see what they already have, beer, burgers, friends, birthdays, football games, girls night out, and kid times together...the world has this already and have perfected it. The difference is...we add a religious element to it and they don't.
Do you see? Our religious element attracts no one, it doesn't offer what they don't already have, it doesn't offer Jesus, it offers a religious camaraderie.

Brother they cannot tell the difference...because they are not interested in finding out and we are counseled to 'love one another' and this is how we do it. Im not out of touch with Christianity...I am in the midst of it and this is what is going on.

No, it's not 'loving one another' it's folding up our evangelistic signs, putting away the bible and getting out the games, videos, picnic food, shorts and golf shoes and proving God is not the center of our meetings...its about making friends in Church that have the same impotent view of God and his commission.

Marvin, do you believe what Jesus said? The love christians have, especially for one another, is so far above and beyond what the world calls "love" as to be almost unrecognizable to them. They should know something is different about christians. I am trying to be kind and not judge, but maybe you're not seeing true expressions of genuine love in your church/circle of friends. Or maybe you do see it and you're hurt or jaded in some way. Only God knows your heart brother.

I see that the way to reach the world is to make the church holy, and you can't separate love from holiness; love is the essence of holiness.

Hi Nigel: It's entirely possible I have confused or mis-stated my view.

Putting it plainly, I fully agree we should and many of us do love one another as the scripture teaches.

What I see practiced by so many in Churches ( half dozen or so I associate with) are Christian gatherings that focus not upon Jesus or his kingdom but upon our worldly entertainments that we enjoy in common. For the non-believer, they do not see something in those meetings/gatherings that they do not already have and enjoy. In short those 'loving-one-another get togethers' attract no sinners, nor do they see Jesus or something special and different about them or me if I attend such a gathering.

Now there are bible studies that are Jesus/word/kingdom focused that's for sure, but take those same men out of that setting and get them together into one of their homes, it's never about Jesus/word/kingdom its about food, fun and entertainments. I am not bashing fun and personal enjoyments...but I am saying that there is nothing in that which would attract a sinner to say "wow, look at the love of God in action among them" Its indistinguishable from the sinners fun/entertainment...minus the cussing and drinking ( usually ).

I hope this clarifies.

I agree with you; sadly this is what you see in many churches/ bible studies/ home groups etc.

But that is not what Gary is talking about.

I personally have no fellowship whatsoever. I have been to just about every church in my town (except catholic) and I don't sense the presence of God in any of them. People lives aren't being changed; I talk to the members and they are almost exclusively worldly minded. I will say something like "how has the Lord been speaking to you lately" or "isn't the presence of Jesus wonderful" etc. and they look at me like I just got beamed down from Mars. I am not condemning them and I do pray for churches regularly in my town.

I believe that there is still true fellowship and brotherly love among christians, the kind that will draw sinners in.