2. The Twelve Laws of Building a Healthy Growing Ministry The Law of Love

3. Growing churches are characterized by warm, caring, initiatory relationships that grow out of a culture committed to hospitality, laughter and celebration of who God is and what He is doing among them. Text – Romans 12:9-13 Growing churches are characterized by warm, caring, initiatory relationships that grow out of a culture committed to hospitality, laughter and celebration of who God is and what He is doing among them. Text – Romans 12:9-13

4. I. Objective of this Session

5. To help us as pastors understand the importance of measuring and promoting the qualitative factors in the life of the church over and above any quantitative factors. We need to understand that it is not only theologically correct to make our goal to become more loving but also pragmatically more effective when seeking to grow a church with high impact, to measure the qualities of love in the environment of the church rather than simply numerical goals.

6. II. Major Teaching Points

7. a. An exposition of Romans 12:9-13 in which authenticity and purity are the foundation for genuine love.

8. II.Major Teaching Points b.One of the most powerful and attractive means of reaching unbelievers and building up the body of Christ is for authentic, warm loving relationships to be a spontaneous and ever-growing part of the culture of the healthy church.

9. II.Major Teaching Points Romans 12 verse 1-2 : A holy offering verse 3-5 : An interdependent body verse 6-8 : Supernatural abilities and gifts to fulfill Gods purposes verse 9-13 : All happening in an environment of love Romans 12 verse 1-2 : A holy offering verse 3-5 : An interdependent body verse 6-8 : Supernatural abilities and gifts to fulfill Gods purposes verse 9-13 : All happening in an environment of love

10. 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with Gods people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:9-13 (NIV)

11. III. Research

12. It can be demonstrated there is a significant connection between laughter in the church and that a churchs qualitative and numerical growth. It is interesting that such a significant factor which, according to the data, definitely has the status of a church growth principle receives almost no mention in church growth literature. (NCD, 36).

13. IV. Practical Implementation

14. a.This demands modeling by the senior pastor and key leaders in the church that they do not take themselves too seriously but take God very seriously. b.A sense of humor is a part of the formal and informal life of the church. a.This demands modeling by the senior pastor and key leaders in the church that they do not take themselves too seriously but take God very seriously. b.A sense of humor is a part of the formal and informal life of the church.

15. IV.Practical Implementation c.The hospitality and specific mechanisms for building a culture of warmth and caring is absolutely vital in the life of the church. Ways to do this include: 1. Have a good system of ushers and greeters in your church. Enlist ushers who love people. c.The hospitality and specific mechanisms for building a culture of warmth and caring is absolutely vital in the life of the church. Ways to do this include: 1. Have a good system of ushers and greeters in your church. Enlist ushers who love people.

16. IV.Practical Implementation c.The hospitality and specific mechanisms for building a culture of warmth and caring is absolutely vital in the life of the church. Ways to do this include: 2. Train people to look for the needs, pull seeds, find out who might need to be loved. c.The hospitality and specific mechanisms for building a culture of warmth and caring is absolutely vital in the life of the church. Ways to do this include: 2. Train people to look for the needs, pull seeds, find out who might need to be loved.

17. IV.Practical Implementation c.The hospitality and specific mechanisms for building a culture of warmth and caring is absolutely vital in the life of the church. Ways to do this include: 3. Be a friendly, warm, loving pastor. 4. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, giving preference to one another. c.The hospitality and specific mechanisms for building a culture of warmth and caring is absolutely vital in the life of the church. Ways to do this include: 3. Be a friendly, warm, loving pastor. 4. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, giving preference to one another.

18. IV.Practical Implementation d.Although we as humans tend to fall in love with size as a matter of success, research indicates that churches over 1,000 are usually weakest in the area of loving relationships. Thus the crucial need is for: 1. A vital small-group ministry 2. An intentional focus in the worship services on the importance of the individual d.Although we as humans tend to fall in love with size as a matter of success, research indicates that churches over 1,000 are usually weakest in the area of loving relationships. Thus the crucial need is for: 1. A vital small-group ministry 2. An intentional focus in the worship services on the importance of the individual

19. IV.Practical Implementation d.Although we as humans tend to fall in love with size as a matter of success, research indicates that churches over 1,000 are usually weakest in the area of loving relationships. Thus the crucial need is for: 3. The modeling of genuine concern and love for the community d.Although we as humans tend to fall in love with size as a matter of success, research indicates that churches over 1,000 are usually weakest in the area of loving relationships. Thus the crucial need is for: 3. The modeling of genuine concern and love for the community

20. V. Key Questions

21. 1. What one thing can you do to become more loving, which will increase the atmosphere of love in your church?

22. VI. Helpful Resources/Tools

23. Natural Church Development, pages 36-37 Love One Another, audio series from Walk Thru the Bible Natural Church Development, pages 36-37 Love One Another, audio series from Walk Thru the Bible

24. VII.Questions and Answers