Website Called LOVE, INC

Subject: Website Called LOVE, INC Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:42 am

Hello, All. Its been a minute since I've started a thread. Hope everyone is doing alright.

Anyway, I was doing a search online and came to something called LOVE, INC. I thought to myself, "Oh, Great! Another website to help people fall 'in love'." But, when I took a closer look, I noticed that the INC didn't stand for "Incorporated" but "IN the NAME of CHRIST". WOW!!!! I just had to see what this was all about. I clicked on one of the many links and was happy to discover an organization built to spreading God's love across the nation with acts of loving kindness...in the name of Jesus Christ! 9,000 churches are a part of this organization, touching the lives of over a million people each year. They do about everything they possibly can to affect change in their neighborhoods, be it cleaning the streets, collecting clothes and donating them to shelters, holding soup kitchens, etc.

If you're looking for an avenue to witness to someone, a place to volunteer, an outlet to sow a seed to a ministry, need to do some community service hours or would like to help your church get involved in some outreach, you should check this out!

http://www.loveinc.org/

http://www.loveinthenameofchrist.org/

Administrator

Okay. I looked through what they had on the website, and I was wondering to myself:

What is the greatest need for these people?
Is it being addressed?

While feeding the hungry and giving to the poor are implications of the gospel, why is there nothing stating they are taking the gospel of salvation to these people? I didn't see any mention of the gospel anywhere. Perhaps I missed it.

My mother was asking me about the word "love" that's used in 1 Cor. 13. The KJV translates it as charity. It comes from the Greek word "agape," which I'm sure most of us are familiar with. When I looked at the lexical aid for Strong's number 26 entry, it spoke of being a self-sacrificing and self-giving love. Cool. I knew that much about agape love. But, there was something more written there that I hadn't pondered.

It said that agape love is not based upon the loved one's desires, but on the desire of the one who is loving them, based upon what they deem as what is needed. For instance, sick people want to be healed. But, sometimes God chooses not to heal them so that their perseverence in faith can be a testament to the keeping power of God's grace, while growing the individual in holiness. So, their physical health (while greatly desired by the one who is loved) is not deemed as most important to the one who is loving them.

With that said, peep Paul's words in 1 Cor. 13:

Quote :: 1Cr 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

That word charity is literally translated from "agape." Though we might give all we can to the poor, the needy, the sick, etc., if we aren't giving them what they most need, what does it profit me, or them for that matter?

I'm thankful for groups like this who want to help those who are suffering. But, at the same time, Jesus refused to keep feeding people because He didn't want them following Him for food.

Feeding and clothing people while neglecting their souls is not love.

I'm not saying this organization doesn't preach the gospel, but it doesn't seem to be "of first importance" as Paul said in 1 Cor. 15

Subject: Re: Website Called LOVE, INC Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:22 pm

good post expo...

Moderator

I probably didn't do as extensive as a browse as you all did, but I read Expo's post and wanted to comment. I definitely see what you're saying. And I agree....

I'm also considering 2 things.

1) We can't make the conclusion just from the website that they're NOT giving the gospel....let alone, a SOUND and accurate gospel....cause they very well could be.

2) I'm reminded of something Matt Chandler said about what his church was gonna do one day. They were gonna grill up some food, gather up bags of clothes and groceries....WHIP OUT THE LAWNMOWERS (that was crazy), and go around cutting folks lawn in the area, stuff like that and just post up in the community. I think he said they weren't even gonna bring tracts (just this one day). Cause they wanted to simply do something like this BECAUSE they are Christians. And this is something Christians do. Ever given an increasingly large tip at a restaurant WITHOUT leaving a tract? Ever just do something loving for a family member whom you know their salvation is a little shady but you did something for them that blessed them tremendously and you didn't bust out the Romans Road paper?

There are (and should be) mad things we do simply because of WHO WE ARE now. Sure we should be presenting the gospel as much as possible....but if our lives should reflect the love and the hope that lies within, sometimes you'll just do things not TO GET a response but because you are just a changed person and this is what you do now. You do LOVING things without any other (seemingly) agenda. And people can see that you are just meeting needs. No hidden agendas or (rather) alternate agendas, but that's just how a Christian does. They self-sacrifice for people...because that's simply WHO they are. LOVE INC could possibly just be a bigger form of that. I've actually seen people respond to that and then INQUIRE about what makes you do that? And then BAM, your opportunity to present the gospel......to a VERY ATTENTIVE ear. Very powerful stuff.

Subject: Re: Website Called LOVE, INC Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:55 am

I agree with Expo as well as BMorr. To me, it seems as if Christians are on two extremes:

1) Witnessing and street preaching, but never meeting the needs of the community. Never clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, visiting the sick and imprisoned...which is what we are called to do.

Or

2) Community service every day, but never presenting the gospel...which we are also commanded to do.

Because I believe the members of this board love the Lord and have a desire to spread the gospel, I wanted to encourage them to do what Christ commanded, and that was to show love, one toward another. Every Christian should be witnessing...hands down. However, every Christian should be an active community service volunteer. As a matter of fact, Christians should be dominating the community service programs in this nation...but we're not.

You're right, Expo. I didn't see alot of demand for actually spreading the gospel. But, the program that they set up is great. Why not jump on board with such an established program, and implement witnessing into the volunteer work? We sometimes complain that there aren't enough consistent outreach programs for us to be a part of. Well, here's one we may want to join. Or, we may just be able to get some ideas together from this program and make a program of our own that implements the gospel. We see the need out there. There aren't enough christians willing to stand on a soap box and preach the gospel. We really need to get on board and do that. But we are also commanded to give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, etc.

So, I challenge you all to get involved. Feed the hungry, visit the sick...give to your community. Community service is an awesome way to have that open door to spread the gospel.

Administrator

Actually, Christians and church organizations are usually the ones actually taking care of the needs of the neglected. Liberals talk about doing it, but records show that the majority of giving comes from conservative evangelical Christians.

I'm an advocate of both helping the poor and giving them the gospel. My point was "What should be our first priority?"

I agree with both B and C, here. When witnessing and helping the poor, we have to make sure that people are drawn to Christ, because of who He is and what He has done, and not just drawn to the food and shelter we may provide. When we look in John 6, we see how people were waiting for Jesus to come because they had received food from him earlier. So, we need to make sure we are pointing to Christ as not merely a provider of food and felt-needs, but a risen Savior who is going to return to judge the world in righteousness. There has to be a proper balance with our Christology.

I just thought it was odd that there was NO mention of the gospel on the site.

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