Embracing the GNSP Mission

"A church in love with Jesus and humanity", the slogan of Greater New Saint Paul Baptist Church says so much about who we are, who we live for and how we live.

But how do we apply this beautiful and frankly grand declaration of love for Jesus and all peoples to our daily lives and ministries as a congregation?

The first thing we declare is that we are in love with Jesus. That's not just a beautiful place to start it's the perfect place to start because how can we truly learn to love anyone, even ourselves if we don't first learn to fall in love with the One who loved us so much that He died to save us. Galatians 2:20 says it best, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me," Jesus exemplifies love, because He loved us all the way to the Cross; He literally loved us till death. Take a moment to bask in that; what amazing love, or as the song says what amazing grace God has given us that we have been put right with Him through such a love centered sacrifice. This is so important because before we can consistently do for others it helps tremendously to embrace, rejoice in and be thankful for what has already been done for us.

It is on the strong foundation of finding peace, joy and strength in Jesus' love sacrifice on the Cross for us that we can stand as the example of how to live lives of loving others; to be willing and intentional about sacrificing for others. And this love that God has shed abroad in our hearts by the impartation of the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5) is to be shown, after God, to fellow Christians and then to the rest of the world. Jesus' new commandment of love was and is to "love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" - John 13:34-35. In this commandment Jesus sums up how we should strive to love one another as fellow Believers; Jesus was speaking to His disciples and commanding them to love each other, one disciple to another. This love that we have for one another is what makes the house of God healthy and capable of going out into the world and shedding God's love abraod in the hearts of people in the world, that they might come and seek Jesus for themselves. Think about it, if a child grows up in a home with little to no love in it or dysfunctional love at best, that child will venture into the world broken and unable to properly love others outside that home. It starts at home, it starts in the Church where we are all in one spiritual family. When we learn to love one another in a godly way within the walls of our church we can then share that same love when we venture outside church. Though that love, as aforementioned is rooted in selfless sacrifice for others that leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Fortunately, God mercufully provides us with clearer instructions on how to love one another His way.

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, the Bible tells us that, "4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails". This is what God has to say about love, its more than an emotion it is an act of the will, it is the way we think about others, it is our capacity to forgive, it is our genuine desire to endure with and for others, its a force of truth, hope, perserverance and so much more. It would be so good for us to meditate in this scripture and let God reveal to us how He wants us to love one another in the ways that honour and please Him.

We as Christians, as born-again children of God, as disciples of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior have all that we need already poured into us to love Jesus and to love humanity and we have the good instruction of God's word on how to apply the love He has given us in our daily lives; to show others love and not just say we love others. So brothers and sisters of Greater New Saint Paul Baptist Church, we have a mission that should color each day of our lives, a mission of love. People in the world say that "cleanliness is next to godliness", but we who abide in the Word of God can hold to a different phrase - "Lovingkindess is next to godliness".

As we go forth and live the GNSP Christian way as God commands us to in Christ let us ponder these inspiring and encouraging scriptures:

~ 1 Corithians 16:14 "Let all that you do be done in love."

~ Philippians 1:9 "I pray that your love will overflow more&more and that you will continue to grow in knowledge and understanding."

~ Proverbs 3:3 "Let love and faithfulness never leve you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart."

God Bless!