Video Transcript: The Loving Leader

Okay, so a couple weeks ago, we talked about being a Christian leader. You all thought that  was a good idea, right? To be a pastor. That's a Christian. And then last week, we talked about being the prayerful leader. I hope you did something with that. I hope it affected your prayer  life this week. You know, we said the bare minimum, all you did as a pastor as a leader was  just pray for your people by name, you know out of Ephesians 3 prayer. And that's all you did  that that would just thrilled me to go. Are you kidding me? So all these guys seriously prayed  that prayer for their people and meant it and came to the presence of God asking for that.  I've been thinking about if we had the confidence that just the leaders pray that over the  people every week, when you use have confidence about the future of the church, okay, this  is gonna be good. This is good, we can't go wrong, this prayer went into it. We're set. And now the rest is gravy. You know, let's just let's just figure out the rest of it. So So I hope that had an impact on your life and that it impacted your actions. So this week, we're going to talk about  the loving leader. And again, this is one of those topics where you go, Well, of course, why do  you think we're doing this is because we love people. But I just got to tell you, I promise you  promise you promise you. in ministry, it is so easy to minister without loving people to just fall into this habit of oh, it's Sunday morning again, go do this, this is this. Or it's time to teach  again. Okay, let me put this lesson together and not even give one thought to do I care about  the people that I'm speaking to? I mean, seriously, think about today, this morning? Did you  look around and go I love these people? Did you think that to yourself? Did you make  decisions today, because you so cared about these people. And that's why you're taught them more. That's why you encourage them, or that's why you had that difficult talk with him.  Because you love that person. Because I'll tell you what's gonna happen in ministry. It's very  easy to get annoyed by people. I don't know if you've noticed that. But it's hard to be  annoyed and love at the same time. And it's weird. It just happens where suddenly there's a  switch. And now people start bugging you. And their sin just annoys you. And suddenly you're just trying to get rid of that sin and you're not really thinking because I love him. And because I love her, and I want so badly for him or her to be right with God. That's why I'm saying some of these difficult things. It's out of love. I mean, you can be very successful in the world's eyes or in the American churches eyes, even if you don't love the people you minister to. And it's  crazy, but I think about you know, for example, I speak and so I get these requests, hey, will  you come speak here we come speak here. And why do people ask me to go speak? Is it  because they know I love their people? No, I A lot of times I'll get in front of a crowd. I mean, a lot of times I'll get done speaking and think to myself, Oh, I forgot to love them. It's crazy. But  you know, I just got into your thing and you didn't look people in the eyes and think, oh man, I care about this person. This is why I'm saying that you guys got to get this because I I care  about you and I want you to face God one day and for him to look at you and go Well done.  You know I want your your relationship to be so right with them because I care about you. Like I can go through a whole sermon without that thought. Without loving anyone. And I'm telling  you that the longer you're in ministry, I think it's easier and easier to do ministry without  loving and because you know what to do you know what to say you get into the habits and  the back of your mind. You go wow, you know, I mean it's all out of love or, you know, I'm  saying this is a this is a really, really important thing. Because if you're not in love with  people, you'll constantly be thinking, how does this affect me? Okay, the opposite of love is  self love. You're just always thinking me. Well, if I take into person, how's it gonna affect me?  If I, you know, if you just think about self versus it's like, man, that seeing a starving kid and  you just don't think about yourself, you just go into, boom, I work mode, I love mode, I got to  care for this kid, I've got an order nurture back to hell, I gotta get him something to eat. You  know, it's like if he saw someone passed out on the ground as dying, you don't think to  yourself, you know, if you realize he's taking his last breath, you immediately going to love  mode, dial 911 Do what you don't think, Oh, I'm going to be late for that class on love. You  don't you don't think about how it affects you. But that's what love does. And that urgency at  the moment. It's like, you're not thinking about yourself, because this is what Christ saves us  from is this self centeredness? You know, verses that II Timothy 3 in the last days, people can  be lovers of themselves. And in the church, people start counting the costs weighing it out.  And you know, this is really going to affect me, this might affect my family too much, rather 

than just love. Like, what can I do for this person? How can I serve this person? How can we  figure this out together? In John, chapter 17, is the passage I've shared with you guys before.  But it's that that prayer that Jesus prays in John 17, right before he dies? Well, is that right  before but it's like before he's being, he's going to be betrayed, it's his last time with the  disciples, and He closes in prayer. And he says in verse 20, I do not ask for these only, but  also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you  father are in Me and I in you, that they also may be in us so that the world may believe that  you sent me a few phrases in there that are, are huge. Verse 21, that they may all be one,  just as you father on me and I in you. Just as you father are in Me and I in you, He says that  again, in verse 22, he says, glory, the glory, you have given me I've given to them that they  may be one even as we are one. I in them, you and me that they may become perfectly one,  so that the world may know that you sent me and love them, even as you've loved me. So  Christ prayer, before he's heading to the cross, I mean, what if What if you knew you were  going to die this week? Okay, and I was like, Hey, can you just come up and say a few words  to us? Those are pretty heavy words. And so here Christ is at the end of his life, his last  gathering with his disciples, and what's his prayer? Father, like, just as just as or even as you  and I are one, may they become one. Okay, that's the goal here is to be so loving that. Okay,  imagine the Father's love for the son. Have you ever thought that that's the goal here? Have  you ever prayed, God, God helped me love, Francis, as much as you love your son? You ever  prayed that? Lisa? No, not even you know, but you know? Because I think we almost look at it  as don't you look at it. Let's be honest, as an impossibility. Could you ever love me as much as the Father loves his son? He just kind of think no. But Jesus prayed it. Why would he pray  that? There's some sort of oneness that he wants of the church. And he uses those specific  phrases just as or even as, I mean, I used to kind of look at this as an impossible thing. I didn't even strive for I didn't really notice that. But now lately, I'm going Oh, God. I mean, You  created us, You know us and so why would the Son of God pray something that's not possible? And why would he pray something that's not going to be answered? It's like he's saying, No,  Father, here's my prayer. I'm not asking you to take them out of the world. I'm praying for  those who are going to believe in the future 2000 years ago, two years In the future, I'm  sorry, 2000 years in the future, I'm praying that there'll be one. This is my prayer. Like, is that  the goal in your mind? Okay, these are the things we'll forget what does get into ministry and  say, Oh, he was drinking this way he got drunk. Let me let me fix that, you know, or all these  two girls are fighting. You know, let me try to break it up. We just get into these modes, or  he's weeping because his kids suffering. And we'll do these things. And never forget the  overarching man, what is what Christ what was this oneness, and we don't want to get caught up in tasks, but to believe in this room, God, we can become one, especially amongst the  leaders. So this is what is going to be multiplied. Remember what we're focusing on our own  character? Because if we're not this way, guess how are churches going to be, you know, if we show up kind of do our duty, and then leave, guess what the church is going to be like. And  honestly, when I first started church, this was 22 years ago. I was 13. But 22 years ago, you  know, when I started the church, I had no thought of this, like, this wasn't the goal. I actually  wanted a place where people could show up hear a message about God and from God,  worship God, and then go home. I didn't, personally I didn't need any more friends. And so I  just created this church was like, I don't want to be friends with everyone. You know, a lot of  these people are gonna annoy me, you know, whatever else I want to pick, the ones that I'll  be friends with. I want to choose that there was no thought of man, I want a room. You know,  if we're going to gather in a room or gather in a house, we gather apart wherever the most  important thing is that we become one as the father and the Son are one. That was the  farthest thing from my mind. See, I saw church as a place where I would go quietly, sit in the  back somewhere, do my business with God, because I do love God, and I do want to get close  to him. But once I've done that, then let me go my own way. That's seriously what I thought,  and that seriously the way I created the church, I figured, well, there's gonna be a lot of  people like me. And so let me do that we don't to be all in in each other's business. You know,  let's just interact with God. That's what church is for, you know. And it wasn't years later that I start really studying the Bible openly and going, Okay, God, what are you asking for? What 

are you asking for? Because I had accomplished something, I got 1000s of people to come  into a room and listen to a sermon. And that's what I had in my mind. But you look at  scripture and go, What did God ask for? And you realize they wanted a group and I, and I've  shared before, it's like, I've heard several pastors, you know, say, Gosh, it wasn't until later on that I looked in Scripture and saw what God wanted of his church. And I realized I created  something different, kind of like Cain and Abel, you know, it's like Cain going well, but I  brought you a bunch of awesome veggies, you know, like, you know what it took to grow  these, that was a lot of work. And God's not what I asked for meat. And in the same way, in  the church, I can quickly go, but I got a ton of people to sit in a room and listen to me speak.  And he's like, that's good. But what did I want? What did I pray for? Unity, Unity, Unity. And so, you know, I've said before, it's like you offer God is awesome plate of spaghetti. But he  ordered a steak, you know, don't care how good that spaghetti is. That's not what he ordered. And you go to His scriptures, and you go, Oh, in fact, I shared that about a year ago with  some friends and they started a church and they call it the steakhouse. Thank you, cuz they  want to remind themselves like, No, this is what it is. This is what we're after. What did God  asked for? And, man, I want to keep that on the forefront of our mind because we can get  caught up in other things like, okay, look, this is awesome. We're smaller. And it doesn't cost  any money, which I think is great. Because we're mindful, we're giving all his money away to  other places. But even that is so secondary. Being smaller, and getting in these groups is our  opportunity to really know each other and be in each other's lives and love one another and  actually care. And I'm telling you, it's just not the norm. And in the busyness of our lives, is so  hard for us to remember to look each other in the eyes. And actually think, Okay, wait a  second, I care about this person. So because I love this person, it's the most loving thing I  could do or say to him or her right now, and operate that way. And so you get that that's the  goal is that we would be one as a father and son are one. But the other phrase in that  passage that that freaks me out is the word so the word so that verse 23, I in them, and you  and me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me  and love them, even as you love to me. Okay, so why does he want us to be one so that the  world may know that You sent Me. So that so somehow our unity determines whether or not  people believe that Jesus is the Messiah? Have you ever thought that since that's why this  isn't just Okay, let's love also, okay, we preach the Word. We do this, we do this, we do this?  Yeah. Why don't we? Why don't we also love and it's like, it's not like a side note. It's not like  a, you know, appetizer. It's like, wow, this will determine whether or not people believe in  Jesus. I want that to soak in. Okay, let me read it again. John 17:23. I in them, and you in Me,  that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent to me and  love them, even as you love to me. So there's that phrase again, even as so so so if we  become one, this is this is the if, okay, this is scripture? Is Jesus Prayer, if we become perfectly one, the world's gonna believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and they're going to believe that we  are loved by God. Okay, do you know you got to ask me? Do I believe this? Do I believe that if  we became perfectly one, like Jesus prayed that people will literally believe that Jesus is the  Messiah, and believe that we're loved by God? And if you say yes, that's the word of God, I  believe it. Then how then should we live? Right? So what? That that's the thing is, I didn't  think this way, when I first started a church. I was thinking, Okay, I know how to get people to  believe. Okay, let's put a service together, where we had a really cool band. So they see, hey,  they're just like the world. And let me speak like, let me let me be so funny. You know, I'm  funny. And let me let me appeal to that and show them that I'm a normal guy just like them.  But I got this relationship with God. And then then I'll bring in like, you know, maybe  sometimes professors to show them look, this makes sense. You know, and Bible teachers  that can can talk about prophecy and explain, look, you know, how could this have happened? You let me go through Daniel, let me go through Isaiah, let me explain these things. And that  will make them believe. I remember, as a youth pastor, my thought was, okay, let me get if I  can get the quarterback of the high school football team, the head cheerleader, if I can get  them in my youth group, that's gonna bring everyone else and they're gonna say, oh,  Christians are cool, you know, and they're all just gonna, you know, pray a prayer, and there'll be in Heaven with Me. And that's the way I think. That's why this, this, this verse bothers me. 

Because I like math. Chinese, you know, I like, you know, two plus two plus four, you know,  it's just, I know, you do this, and this equals this, but and I look at this equation, become one.  And they're gonna believe that Jesus Messiah, and believe that you are loved by God. Why,  what? That doesn't make sense. That equation, does it make sense? And so what we'll do is  we'll start pursuing all these other things that make more sense in our mind. But whatever  I've been saying all along, this book is about trust and faith and things that don't make sense. It doesn't make sense to march around a city seven times. That doesn't make any sense. It  doesn't make sense for two people to climb up and fight a whole army. But it works, you  know, it doesn't make sense to climb out of a boat onto water and walk. So it doesn't make  sense that, you know that that people would just, you know, go in a pit of fire and walk out  unscathed and not even smelling like, that's the point is I do believe my way, Moses, do you  believe that you the stuttering, you know, clown, you can go in and lead these people out, it  doesn't make sense that you could, you know, get to the Red Sea, and it would just part for  you. That's it's always been about trust in God's method. And so here he's saying, look, here's the prayer of Christ. You can do your crowd breakers, you can do bring in your famous people  or your scholars or whatever else, or what have you actually sought after this. And said, God,  I'm just getting a group of people, and we're going to somehow become one, through the  power of the Holy Spirit, we can do this because you pray that this can happen. And you say,  if we do that, then the world is going to know that you sent me. I actually think that Paul took  it a step further. And in Philippians. Philippians chapter 1 Verse 27, he says, Only let your  manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am  absent, I may hear of you that you're standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side  by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a  clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. Think of  these words, okay. Paul says that, if we are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving  side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents, is a  clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation. Here's the equation again, right?  Strive side by side, and don't be afraid. equal, they're going to believe they're going to be  destroyed and that you're saved. This plus this equals this, do you believe that? Again, it's  one of those equations where you go, that doesn't make sense. So as long as we can become  one, lock arms, standing firm on the gospel, and not be afraid of anything. Okay, got that  picture in your mind. could just imagine just us forget all the other people, if it was just us,  okay? And we're just, you just go, oh, man, everyone in this room is crazy about me. And I'm  crazy about them. anyone in this room would give the shirt off of their back for me, and vice  versa. And we're not afraid. Yeah, the world's changing. We're not scared. Yeah, people are  terrorists are here and they're, you know, I don't care. That's good. I'd be a great way to go.  You know, and just go, we're not afraid we're not afraid of anything. Do you believe that that  equals, the people out there going, we're going to get killed. We're we're gonna be judged by  God for the way we're living. And those guys, they're actually saved. So that's what Paul says  in Philippians. Again, this is where our faith comes in. It's like, do I believe this? Do I believe  it's so much that I say, You know what, Lord, then that's what I'm going to create. See, these  are the things that were in my mind when I led that big church. And I go, Gosh, I'm liking a lot  of things we're doing. But we're missing some pretty important things. It's great that you love  the Word of God, you love biblical teaching, but there's a depth in our relationship that God  wants that we have to get there. And this is where you start losing people. Like, gosh, I don't  want anyone to know me that deeply. And I don't want to know anyone else that deeply. It is  so much easier to just keep our distance and just do these church services, and have these  Bible studies. But to be perfectly one, like the father and son are one of asking a lot. But Jesus says that's where the results will be. And so this is this is big stuff. So So you know, that's why I say that this is this is fundamental. Like, just love your people. Okay, this isn't rocket  science. But as we pray for your people, this we actually care about them, you know, actually  love them and have this as your goal. As you pray through that list of people, God, I want to  be one with these people teach me how to do I don't I don't know how you do it. It's just once  that burden is on you, you go, Okay, I got to make this happen. This is what God asked for.  This is the state he wants, I'm going to make it happen. And God by the power of your Holy 

Spirit, this is what we pursue. So then success isn't just a man love having a crowd. But  success is we became one father's one. So know your people. I remember at my old church  when we started breaking things up, and we got to know people. It was shocking. Like people  that sat in the front row for weeks that we just for years, we knew nothing about him. And  then we get to know them or like what in the world, you start hearing about what they  struggle with. I remember one pastor coming back, you know, one of my elders, he came  back, I don't think he's an hour yet. But he doesn't matter has nothing to do with story. He  comes back. And he goes, Hey, man, we got to pray for you know, that guy that sits in the  you know, third row, whatever, every week, and yeah, I used to be a jazz know used to be a  pastor. No, he used to be a pastor. Yeah. You guys know what he did Friday night. As I got  together with him. I asked him about his life and everything else. You know what he did Friday night. He was so depressed and wanted to die, that he went out and slept with as many guys  as he could, hoping to contract AIDS. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, that guy. Are you kidding  me? Like is what happens as you get in you realize, man, people are dealing with some  serious things. And it's very easy to just get up preach a sermon, go home, you know, get  your kids. How was everything in these, these little conversations? And God said, no, no, I  want you to know each other. I want you to dig deep. I want you to have relationship with  these people. I'm going to tell you story after story of just people, when we finally get to know them and others that we didn't. I mean, I remember one time, you know, reading on the in  the news, on our newspaper in back in Simi Valley about this policeman who went and killed  someone that week, and then killed himself. And I'm thinking, wow, that's tragic. That's tragic. And then someone on my staff goes, Oh, by the way, he was at church on Sunday. What? Like, you know, that go back over my notes is like, what did I preach on and, and I realized I didn't  even share the Gospel. And at that point, I go, You know what, I'm not I'm not preaching  without the gospel anymore. Like, I don't care. I don't care what verse we're in what passage  we're in, that's got to get out because I don't know who's out there. And I've got to let them  know. And maybe that was his last chance. It's like, okay, this was in his mind had to be like,  Man, I'm so angry. I'm so jealous. I'm going to kill this person. And I'm just gonna take my own life. We all just go to this church, everyone's been going to this church. Let me just show up  there. And this made my life and what he is some talk about Babylon the great Revelation 13 I still remember it. And and it's like, man, what do they get when they're there? And I mean, I  trust the sovereignty of God and everything else. And we don't want to put too much on  ourselves at the same time, we have this responsibility. And I just think and how many times  do we go we sit next to someone and have no clue. And the thing we can't do is assume that  now that we're smaller, everyone knows each other. That's not That's not true. Not you can be lost in a group of five we can just have a miniature service you know, and so we try that's why we like Okay, let's get them in our homes is not be focused on privacy. Let's live with each  other. You know, I mean, we're doing everything we can to facilitate this, but it's the love still  has to be in your heart that desire to go and I really want to know these people. I mean,  that's, that's Paul's example. I Thessalonians 2, starting verse 5 says, well, we never came  with words of flattery as you know, nor with a pretext for greed. God is witness nor did we  seek glory from people, whether from you or from others that we could have made to demand as apostles of Christ, that we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So being affectionately desirous of you, we are ready to share with you not only  the gospel of God, but also our own selves because you'd become very dear to us. goes on for you remember brothers that are labor and toil, we work night and day that we might not be a  burden to any of you. While we proclaim to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses and God  also how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct towards you believers. For you  know how like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you, and encourage you  and charge you to walk in a manner worthy of God who calls you into his own kingdom and  glory. Man, what a great passage, isn't it? Anyone in ministry, man, that's a passage to just  remember, okay, and remember, it's in I Thessalonians 2. But in verse 7, we were gentle, like  a nursing mother taking care of her children. Okay, is that if Paul can look at his people and  go, Look, you guys know, I was like, Mom, you know, how I just I like you were my kids. And I,  you know, a mom is gentle and cares for you. And I like a mom like nursing you. You know. But

then, then he goes on in verse 11. And he says, you know how, like a father with his children.  We exhorted each one of you, and encouraged you and charge you to walk in a manner  worthy of God. So Paul's gone, man, I was like Mom and Dad, you look, this wasn't a job to  me. I wasn't proud. I wasn't pastor, preacher, Apostle. This, this, this this. He was I could have been, I'm an apostle, that's like, top dog. This is it. I'm Paul an apostle. And because I'm an  apostle, here's what I want you to do for me. You know, he could have done all of this. I am  Prophet so and so I'm apostle. So on. He goes, No, no, what did I do? He asked for anything  from you. I was like a mom. Didn't you see the way cared about you? Like, I was like a mom.  Mom, we just you know, mothers are they just, it doesn't matter what time of night, the kids  hurting man, I'm there. That's just me. I just nurtured you saw that. I want to try to get  something from you. Mom's not there to say, oh, you know, so pay me or do this or that. It's  just it's in my nature to care for you like my kids. And then it goes, and I'm like, Dad, where?  Man? Yeah, lay down the law. There were times but the way I did it was like a father because I  want what's best for you. So you know what, these are the rules. These are the guidelines.  And I am going to encourage you, and I am going to get in your face. But I do that with my  own kids. Because that's how seriously I take this, I don't think of you as a bunch of kids that I babysit. I think of you like my own children. And so if we can just get that mindset of the  people in my church, the people in my home, I'm not babysitting them. I'm not a babysitter. I  don't come on Sundays and Wednesdays to babysit. These are my kids. And that's a different  mentality. So I'm telling you if you ask me to babysit your kids I mean, hopefully you wouldn't  have been not that great at it. Uh, you know, but if you know, we watch some of your kids  sometimes and I don't know, it's hard because I don't get to hit him. I almost don't know what to do some. But I'm joking. I'm joking. Since this is filmed. I'm joking. Um, but like, it's just  different. Your kids come over, I got him, whatever. I'll watch him for a little bit. Maybe I'll  teach him something. Maybe I'll feed him something but send him home. And I just feel like  that's what we think of in church. You know, versus my own kids. Versus when we adopted.  It's like, okay, a whole nother level. Now. She's mine. And she drives now. You know, it's like  the responsibility everything is now this is a completely different level. That's what Paul wants us to do. That's what Christ wants us as leaders to say, I'm not just looking at these people, as kids, I babysit, this is family now. And so start going through your list of people. And going, if I really saw them as my spiritual children, I'm responsible. See, this is a whole different  concept than what I was used to see, because now, once a child has a mom or dad, and  there's that responsibility, we can all kind of relax. You know, it's like, okay, she's got a family  now. See, what we used to do was say, Hey, are you a new believer, go to class 101. Okay,  and then go to class 201, then go do this, then go do this, then go to this. And, and we put  them almost in these group homes. And what we're transitioning to now is saying, now we're  giving them a spiritual mom and dad, you know, it's saying, hey, adopt this guy. He just  entered the waters of baptism, see yourself as a spiritual dad. And so the spiritual, that  doesn't mean you have all the answers, I still take my kids to the hospital. Because I don't  know how to fix a broken bone. I don't know how to do this, or that I use the rest of the body,  you know, I, but I'm responsible, I'll take them to the hospital, you know, I have ownership.  And that's what I'm saying with this one is like, can we love people to the way to the point  where we have ownership, I'm not talking about 30 people, you know, I'm just talking, pick  three or four, where you go, okay, these are going to be my spiritual children. And I will know  what's going on in their lives. And I'm gonna love them like a father, like a mother. And if  anything gets messed up, it's on me. You know, and then you teach those three or four, okay? You see how I'm doing this with you? I want you to do that with three or four people. And once you do, that your church is covered. And all you care for, that's the thing, that's this whole  idea of being a leader of even 20 people isn't necessarily really leading the 20 It's you just  picking three people and saying, Let me dig deep into these three, and let those three each  dig into three, you know, this is the idea behind it. And then we're done. Okay, because the  truth is, is I can't know, the people in this room deeply. I can't parent, all of you, you know,  you just can't do it well, and so that's all right. Okay, let's give responsibility to people and  saying those three guys, three years. I don't have time to know everyone. We all work jobs.  And we go look, this is, this is the way it's got to work. And it's gonna it's you guys are 

experiencing it. And it's tough. Being a family is difficult. And I don't need to read I Corinthians 13. You know, you know what it says? It doesn't matter. Doesn't matter how good of a speaker you are. If you speak with the tongues of men and angels, if you don't have love, you're just  making noise, your resounding gong or a clanging cymbal, doesn't matter your faith, it  doesn't matter. This, this this this, it's all about love, right? I mean, read it some time.  Actually, let me read it. Forgive me that's another thing is maybe this is I was sovereign.  Some of our temptation is to think that we have such wise things to say. Right? I have been  teaching for 30 years. So forget about that passage. Let me just elaborate or pontificate on  something else. And that's just pride. It's a sin. It's just stupid. These are the words of God.  And sometimes we can say the verse and then spend 40 minutes talking about it, rather than  giving honor to the word and so forgive me for that. This is the word These are the words of  the eternal God through the apostle Paul, I Corinthians 13. If I speak in the tongues of men,  and of angels, but have not love, I'm a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have  prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as  to remove mountains, but have not love, I am not Nothing. If I give away all I have and if I  deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love does not envy or boast, it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way. It is not  irritable, or resentful. It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things endures all things. Love never ends. As for  prophecies, they will pass away. As for tongues, they will cease. As for knowledge, it will pass  away, for we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when the perfect comes, the partial  will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a  child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but  then face to face. Now I know in part, then I shall know fully even as I have been fully known.  So now faith, hope and love abide these three. But the greatest of these is love. It just says it  all. And I think we've all been part of churches that are known for something other than love.  Right? This guy has the gift of prophecy. This girl has the gift, you know, it's just whatever it  is. And I guess the dream is, could we really be known for our love? Like the leader literally  loves these people like his own children. Like there's no difference. It's insane. And then the  people started following that example. The awesomely of our church like that. The pastor  prays for me as much as he prays for his own kids. Like he's on his knees. And I can, I can tell  he really cares about me that much. meant that's the way it's like, like having a mom and a  dad like having a family. Like, we all gotta keep these things as the goal. Because what  happened in the book of Acts, was an answer to the prayer of Jesus, where the people saw  that, wow, look them. They just sell their stuff. They don't care about their stuff. There's not a  single needy person amongst them. They just sell and give and care. And the Lord was adding to their number daily. Who was like, they trusted John 17. You know, they trusted that prayer  of being one they sought after that. And look what happened. The Lord added to their number daily. And as a strode side by side for the sake of the Gospel, unafraid. People started  believing the miracles were happening. And so I think a lot of times, we can just gloss over  this, and move over this. And I guess my last thought is, in on that book of Acts, the way they  loved each other wasn't just feelings. And I think that's, that's where I think it it included  feelings. It's not absent of feeling like like robots, but but it was action based that's that was  the Asian mindset was, well, if you love me, you'll obey what I command. You know, that was  the mindset. That's why James is like, well, what good does it do if you say, Hey, be warm and filled, and you don't do anything for them? And so I think that's why, you know, a couple of  weeks ago when I talked about that, that church, and in China, that village where we all were  like, Whoa, you know, because why? Because it was action is action, action, action. And so,  and that's the whole idea of hospitality. It's like, you're showing action to strangers. And that  first church doesn't say they had deep feelings for each other. Now they said whenever  something was a need, someone would sell something and take care of them. And the word  wasn't about freeloaders either. Because if a man doesn't work, let him not eat. And so it's  like, man, everyone was working for the common good, and was a beautiful thing. So that  that's why this is so important. It's so important that it's a part of you, that we're not just  doing something. We want to be this loving group. That's the dream. Okay. Go from big church

to small church just to have a smaller church. It's just know I'm pursuing this dream of I really  think that today, in our own 2015 In the US, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be one  perfectly one like the father and son are and it's just keep striving for that. And it starts with  us, loving deeply, and taking these people as our children. So