great commandment

Won’t You Be My Neighbor

/ Dennis Griffith / 1 Comment

A group of pastors invited the mayor of their city to discuss his dream for the city, along with the issues that were hindering that dream from becoming a reality.  The mayor came with a list of pervasive issues that the pastors in this group were eager to address: at-risk kids, elderly shut-ins, dilapidated housing, and hunger.

But before addressing these issues the mayor said to the gathered pastors:

“After thinking about all of these things, it occurred to me that what our city really needs are good neighbors….The majority of the issues our community is facing would be eliminated or drastically reduced if we could just become a community of people who are great neighbors.”

 To this statement one pastor responded:

“Here we are asking the mayor what areas of the city are most in need, and he basically tells us that it would be great if we could just get our people to obey the second half of the Great Commandment.”

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Love Your Neighbor

/ Dennis Griffith / 2 Comments

“What do you want your church to be known for?”, I was asked.   

“I want this community to know that Walnut Hill Church loves them,” I replied.   I want people to know we care about them, and that we are for them, even if they will never darken the doorway of our church. 

I believe that this is what Jesus demonstrated on earth; and I believe that’s what Christ’s church is called to be and do.  (In this way we demonstrate the Gospel that we ourselves need, have received, and that we declare.) 

I have been at Walnut Hill only a short time. But I have already seen that love more thoroughly characterizes this church than any I’ve ever been a part of.  I’ve known wonderfully loving people in our other churches – and been recipient of their gracious affections – but love just seems to permeate Walnut Hill.   So while expressing unconditional love for our community is a tall order, I have hope that by God’s grace at work in us we will be able to both demonstrate & declare the Gospel: the free gift of the Grace of Jesus Christ.   

And we are not alone…My good friend, Don Waltermeyer, just sent me this article that appeared in the local paper in Washington, PA.  It’s such a great example I wanted to share it…

Church Uses Free Food, Football to Spread Gospel