Imitate the Gospel

Yesterday I pointed you to a few helpful posts/resources. One of those was a tongue-in-cheek post by Ray Ortlund on "How to ruin your church in 3 weeks".

Another blogger has met his post with its counterpart - "How to Improve Your Church in Three Weeks". For fun, go back and read Ortlund's post, then come back and read this one. Consider how much more difficult it is to strengthen your church than it is to ruin it.

"How to Improve Your Church in Three Weeks:"

Week One: Imitate the Gospel.

Welcome one another as warmly as Jesus welcomed you.
Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you… Romans 15:7
Greet one another with warm affection. Romans 16:16

Be as kind and tenderhearted to each other as God has been to you.
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Love one other.
Love one another with brotherly affection. Rom 12:10a, 1Thess4:9

Honor one another.
Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10b

Sing the Gospel to each other with thankful hearts.
…addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart… Eph 5:19
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16

Week Two: Imitate the Gospel.

Go hard after peace, harmony, restoration, and unity.
Live in harmony with one another. Romans 12:16
Aim for restoration, comfort one another… 2 Corinthians 13:11a
Agree with one another, live in peace… 2 Corinthians 13:11b

Do not repay evil with evil.
See that no one repays anyone evil for evil… 1 Thessalonians 5:15a

Forgive each other, as the Lord has forgiven you.
…if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Colossians 3:13

Submit to one another, according to the order established by God.
...submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Eph 5:21

Humbly, gently, patiently bear with one another.
…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love… Ephesians 4:2; 3:13

Week Three: Imitate the Gospel.

Be considerate of weaker brothers.
Let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. Romans 14:13

Always seek to do good to one another.
…always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 1Thess5:15b

Serve one another.
Through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13

Be humble.
Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:26

Tell the truth.
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices. Colossians 3:9

Encourage and build up one another.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 4:18