Infusion Church: Escondido, CA

As we are about half-way through our Echo series, there are several questions that have arisen. Here are some of the most common ones and answers that will hopefully help you understand what Echo is all about.

Q: Why love 5? It seems like this is an arbitrary number.

A: You’re right. It is arbitrary. 30 seemed like too many for most people, so we picked a number that seemed reasonable. It could be 3, it could be 1, it could be 10. The point is that you are intentionally loving your neighbor. For some people, the concept of “love 5” overwhelms them for various reasons. I would say don’t let it. This isn’t supposed to be an overwhelming, guilt-producing thing, but rather a goal for us to work toward as a church. On the other hand, most people need some sort of tangible goal to work toward. The point is that we are intentionally serving and praying for those God has placed around you. It isn’t supposed to be complicated.

Q: It seems like you have really been stressing loving 5 literal neighbors (people who live next door to me). Is that really what Jesus was referring to as “neighbor?” Can’t my co-workers or unsaved family be my neighbors, too?

A: The second greatest commandment is “love your neighbor as yourself.” It is driven by the first greatest commandment which is “love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, strength.” If we love God, we will naturally be loving our neighbors. “Neighbor” in scripture is a pretty big-tent term. Sometimes it is used to refer to one another (other brothers and sisters). Other times, it is used to refer to anybody in close proximity to you, or anybody with whom you come in contact. More frequently, it is used to refer to those who you wouldn’t typically think of going out of your way to love. One great example was when the Pharisee asked Jesus, “who is my neighbor?” Jesus gave the parable of the good Samaritan about how this guy had been stripped, beaten up, and thrown to the side of the road. Both a priest and a Levite (the most holy and acceptable people) walked by and ignored the man. Then a despised Samaritan, who most Jewish people would have avoided, came by and showed mercy and love to the beaten man. Jesus said, this Samaritan is actually the best neighbor.

We would suggest that you don’t get too wrapped up in this concept of neighbor as much as you love your neighbor. We suggest starting with those in closest proximity to you (typically neighbors), for the purpose of seeing neighborhoods transformed by the gospel. But you certainly are not in sin or ignoring Jesus command by loving a co-worker, a family member, a friend or someone who does not live next door to you. This is just as important.

Q: The idea of Echo is overwhelming me because my life is already so full. What do I do?

A: There are a few things that may be going on here:

• You may need to re-order your life, priorities, and schedule. If the only people you are around are Christians, there is a problem. Your life simply may be out of control and need to be simplified.
• We find it hard to believe that there are no people in your life who need to be loved. If finding time to love your actual neighbors is too big of a step for you right now, consider who is it that God has already placed in your life? Is it your barista at Starbucks you see every morning? Is it you co-workers? Is it your kids? Etc.
• This doesn’t have to be a burdensome thing. In fact, Jesus said to his disciples, “Go and make disciples of all nations…” The word “go” could be translated “as you are going.” There is the idea that we are simple people of love, and as we are going, we love those around us and we are receptive to people’s needs. In other words, we care about those God has placed in our path and love. We live our lives with Gospel-intentionality instead of simply trying to make it through the day.

 

Q: I’m already loving my neighbors and the people around me. Adding 5 more seems like an insurmountable task. I only have so much time, dude. Are you really suggesting that I drop the people around me to love the people living in my neighborhood?

A: No way. Our suggestion is that you rest in the truth of the Gospel, that God will save whom he chooses to save, and that he will build his church. We have a wonderful God who knows our needs, and if you can’t love somebody because of your limitations, God will make sure that person is loved in spite of you! This should put us all at rest as we joyfully love those around us. As we have said, loving 5 is simply a goal for those of us who aren’t loving anybody with gospel intentionality. If you’re already doing this, great! Please don’t place guilt upon yourself or think that God or we expect something you simply cannot do. We celebrate and praise God that you are loving God.

Q: I’m really tired at this point in my life. Things are extremely difficult, and adding on something else is way too much for me. I feel burdened by Echo. What do I do?

A: Everybody goes through seasons where giving of ourselves is overwhelming because of our circumstances. Jesus knows your pain, and there is grace in this. We deeply value our Crowded Houses because they are not only groups of people that are on mission together to reach their neighborhood, but they are also hopefully a safe place where you can be loved and nurtured in your faith.

However, there are also those who simply love to stay in their pain and refuse help and love so they can, for whatever reason, stay in their misery. This is a real problem that only the Gospel can answer. This is why we start Echo with the whole idea of knowing who we are in Christ and finding our identity in his story. Your Crowded House can hopefully speak into this and help you through this.

Sometimes, too, the best way out of our pain and misery is to love. In fact, this may be the purpose of your difficult season - to be moved toward giving yourself to others. Please know, though, that God is great, the Gospel is about his power and grace in your life, and that Echo, if anything, is not meant to be an overwhelming proposition.

Q: I know Christian people who are hurting. Aren’t we supposed to love them, first?

A: Yes, but not at the expense of ceasing to love our neighbors as ourselves. Part of our sinfulness is that we like to be around people who make us comfortable, who we like, and who think like us. Jesus commandment to love your neighbor as yourself does not come naturally to us, otherwise he probably wouldn’t have had to teach it.

Also, our love for one another is what attracts the world to Jesus. We see this all throughout the book of Acts, for example. However, unless we’re engaging the world, and we are among the world, they can’t see our love for one another.

Q: I have a real problem with “searching” for neighbors and “serving” them with the ulterior motive of evangelizing them. Isn’t this an abusive and underhanded way of making a relationship?

A: Echo is not a scheme to underhandedly make relationships for the sole purpose of evangelizing them. Nobody likes the person who is making friends with them just to sell them something. We certainly do hope that loving people leads to them coming to faith in Christ, and this is even what we pray for. We even use the opportunities God gives us to proclaim the gospel. However, we would hope that Christians aren’t so shallow as to make insincere relationships with people. We deeply value and hope to cultivate authentic relationships throughout our city in various ways. This is why we suggest with simply searching for our neighbors and starting by serving them as friends.  As things progress by the power of the Holy Spirit, opportunities to share Jesus will arise if we’re attentive.

As a pastor, people typically know where I stand on the Jesus issue, sometimes even before I meet them. I’ve had friends tell me later on in our friendship, that it took them awhile to warm up to me because they had a fear that I was just being friends for the sake of evangelizing them. I have often been thanked by friends for valuing them and the friendship enough to build trust as a friend, first. Most of the time, this kind of thing eventually leads to them seeing something different in me, anyway, and they start asking questions, and the door is open.

Q: My neighborhood is extremely unreceptive to me and to gospel-motivated love. What do I do?

A: There are a few options:

• You may want to pray and fast for your neighborhood and ask God to give you inroads to develop friendships.
• You may need your Crowded House to speak into your challenges, or you may need some coaching on how to reach a difficult neighborhood.
• You may be in the wrong neighborhood. Sometimes we’re just in the wrong place, and God would have us live somewhere else to love different kinds of people.

 

Q: My neighborhood is extremely receptive to gospel-motivated love. I’m overwhelmed! What do I do?

A: There are a few things to consider:

• Engage your neighbors in meeting needs, and share the reason you do this. You’ll probably be surprised that if people have experienced Christ’s love through you, they will be willing to get involved in serving, even if they don’t yet grasp what the purpose is. When Jesus called the disciples, it is very doubtful that they grasped what they were doing. In fact, one can make the argument that after 3 years of walking with Jesus, they still didn’t get it until the Holy Spirit filled them with power to love as Jesus does.
• You will need some help. Making friends with other Christians in the neighborhood is very valuable. You can all be on the same team as far as meeting needs and serving your neighbors. Also, this is the value of being a part of your neighborhoods Crowded House. They can help you out.
• Recognize you have limitations. You can only do what you can do, but what an amazing opportunity you have been given! This is a huge gift!

 

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