Returning to the Way (Part 2): When We Become Known More for What We Oppose Than Who We Follow
The Church is called to stand firmly on biblical truth, but are we equally known for the love of Christ? In Part 2 of Returning to the Way, we explore how truth and love were never meant to compete and why our witness should reflect both the convictions and compassion of Jesus.
Series: Returning to the Way
A three-part series exploring how the Church can rediscover biblical discipleship, servant leadership, and the mission Jesus entrusted to His people.
You are reading: Part 2 of 3
Next Article → Rediscovering the Church Jesus Intended
If there's one question that's really stuck with me over the years, it's this:
If someone completely unfamiliar with Christianity just watched our conversations, our social media posts, our public actions, and how we interact with our communities, would they think we’re mostly known for our love, or for what we oppose?
I must admit I am working on this one.
This question isn’t meant to downplay the significance of truth. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The Bible consistently urges believers to stand firm in their faith, reject false teachings, and hold on to sound doctrine. The New Testament never suggests that Christians should water down their biblical beliefs just to fit in with the culture.
However, the New Testament also doesn’t separate truth from love.
Somehow, in various parts of today’s Christianity, we’ve acted like we have to pick one over the other. We’ve set up false dichotomies where love is seen as a weakness and truth is treated as a license for being harsh. But Jesus never exemplified either of those extremes.
He was overflowing with grace and truth.
Not just half grace and half truth.
Totally full of both.
Jesus never compromised on holiness, yet sinners were attracted to Him. He didn’t dilute God’s standards, but the broken found hope in His presence. He boldly confronted hypocrisy while showing incredible compassion to those who acknowledged their need for mercy.
That should make us think.
If Jesus perfectly represented truth and love, why do we often find it hard to keep them together?
Maybe part of the reason is that it’s easier to win arguments than to truly love people.
Arguments need information.
Love demands sacrifice.
You can win arguments from afar.
Love needs us to be close.
Arguments usually don’t cost us much. But love can cost us everything. The apostle Paul really got this struggle. When he wrote to the church in Corinth, a group dealing with division, pride, immaturity, and confusion about their beliefs, he didn’t just tell them to get smarter. He reminded them that knowledge without love is just hollow. He even claimed that someone could have amazing spiritual gifts, incredible faith, and deep understanding, but without love, it all means nothing.
That’s a pretty heavy thought.
Just think about it: standing in front of Christ one day and realizing that our focus on being doctrinally correct was never supposed to take the place of having a Christlike character.
Throughout the history of the church, every movement that has truly changed communities has been characterized by a mix of conviction and compassion. From believers saving abandoned babies in the early days, to Christians looking after plague victims while others ran away, to missionaries working hard to translate the Scriptures into languages that hadn’t been reached, and regular churches providing food for the hungry and support for widows, the Church shines brightest when it shows truth through acts of sacrificial love.
People didn’t just hear the gospel.
They witnessed it.
Yet, at some point, many of us have started to be more defined by our responses.
We respond to culture.
We respond to politics.
We respond to moral decay.
We respond to theological mistakes.
There's definitely a time and place to tackle these issues. Christians are meant to figure out what's true and what's not, and to speak up when it counts. But when our message turns mostly reactive, something sneaky starts to happen.
People begin to miss what we stand for because all they hear is what we're against.
It's ironic that Jesus spent way more time sharing the Kingdom of God than he did responding to the Roman authorities.
He dedicated much more time to healing the hurting than he did to criticizing society.
He focused way more on mentoring twelve disciples than on trying to get the thumbs up from the religious leaders.
His ministry was all about intention.
He didn’t overlook sin.
He just chose not to let sin take center stage in His mission.
His mission was all about redemption.
You can see the same theme in the book of Acts. The early Church didn’t gain recognition because they had the best political tactics or cultural sway. They became known because everyday people were so changed by the gospel that whole communities couldn’t help but notice what God was doing among them.
Their generosity was really noticeable.
Their unity was really noticeable.
Their courage was really noticeable.
Their compassion was really noticeable.
Their joy was really noticeable.
Even their opponents recognized that these believers had "turned the world upside down."
Sometimes I wonder if we've accidentally flipped our priorities.
Instead of asking, "How can we show Christ's love?" we often start with, "How can we defend Christianity?"
Defense has its role. The Scriptures tell believers to explain the hope they have inside them. But when apologetics is separated from love, it turns into just an intellectual fight.
The aim of defending the faith has never been about winning arguments.
The aim has always been about winning hearts.
This is where the Church needs to be cautious not to mix boldness with being abrasive.
Biblical boldness isn't just being loud for the sake of it.
It's about being faithful no matter the outcome.
Similarly, biblical love isn't just about being sentimentally tolerant.
It's about being honest because eternity is at stake, while also treating everyone as beings made in God's image.
When we share truth without love, it often drives people away before they can even hear the gospel.
On the flip side, love without truth doesn't change anyone through the gospel.
The Church needs a balance of both.
One of the clearest signs that something has gone off course is when non-believers are more aware of what Christians are against than who the Savior is that Christians share.
Just think if our communities recognized us mainly for how our ministries helped restore marriages.
For how lonely individuals found a family.
For how those struggling with addiction discovered hope.
For how single mothers received support.
For how foster kids found loving homes.
For how the needy were looked after.
For how prisoners were reached out to.
For how neighborhoods thrived simply because followers of Jesus were part of them.
Will people still have differing opinions about our beliefs?
Absolutely.
Even Jesus faced rejection.
The gospel has always challenged human pride.
However, there’s a significant distinction between people being upset by the message of the cross and being upset by the messenger.
One is sometimes unavoidable.
The other can often be avoided.
As followers of Jesus, we aren’t meant to create offense.
We’re meant to share Christ faithfully.
This calls for a humility that’s becoming increasingly rare in our society.
It means listening before we speak.
Serving before we demand.
Repenting before we criticize.
Loving before we label.
We need to remember that every individual we meet, no matter their beliefs, politics, lifestyle, or history, is someone for whom Christ sacrificed Himself.
That truth should influence every conversation we engage in.
Maybe this is one of the biggest challenges the Church faces today.
Not to lessen our commitment to truth.
But to be so filled with Christ’s love that every tough conversation, every biblical stance, every act of correction, and every public statement is clearly driven by the desire to see people reconciled to God.
When Jesus mentioned that the world would recognize His disciples by their love, He wasn’t outlining a marketing plan.
He was highlighting the proof of a changed heart.
So, the real question isn’t whether we’re standing for truth.
The real question is whether we’re standing for truth in a manner that reflects the heart of the One who is "full of grace and truth."
Because the world doesn’t just need Christians who are correct.
It needs Christians who embody Jesus.
In the next and final segment of this series, we’ll dive into what it looks like to return to biblical leadership and disciple-making, and why the future well-being of the Church relies not on creating better institutions but on developing individuals who genuinely follow Christ.
Rooted Reflection
One of the greatest temptations is to believe that standing for truth automatically means we are reflecting Christ. But Scripture calls us to something deeper. Jesus never asked His followers to choose between truth and love because He embodied both perfectly. As His disciples, our goal is not merely to be right, it is to become more like Him.
As you reflect on this article, resist the temptation to think only about the Church as a whole. Instead, ask the Holy Spirit to examine your own heart. How do you speak about people who disagree with you? Do your words point others toward Christ or simply reinforce your opinions? Every interaction is an opportunity to reflect the character of Jesus. May we become people who never compromise biblical truth, yet whose lives are so marked by humility, compassion, and love that even our hardest conversations reveal the heart of Christ.
Questions for Reflection
When people interact with me, are they more likely to remember my convictions or the love of Christ they experienced through me?
Have I ever allowed being "right" to become more important than representing Jesus well?
Are my conversations on social media, at work, and in my community marked by both truth and grace?
How can I intentionally demonstrate the love of Christ to someone with whom I strongly disagree this week?
Does my life reflect the balance of grace and truth that Jesus modeled, or do I naturally lean toward one at the expense of the other?
If someone only knew Jesus through my words and actions, what picture of Him would they see?
Continue Reading
➡️ Next in the Series
Returning to the Way (Part 3): Rediscovering the Church Jesus Intended
It's one thing to recognize where the Church has drifted, it's another to know how to move forward. In the final part of this series, we'll explore what it practically looks like to return to biblical leadership, disciple-making, and a Church marked by truth, love, repentance, and the mission of Christ.
Read Part 3 → Rediscovering the Church Jesus Intended
Returning to the Way (Part 1): When We Protect the Institution More Than the Mission
Has the Church become more committed to protecting institutions than pursuing the mission Jesus gave us? In Part 1 of this series, we explore the subtle shift from disciple-making to institution-building and why every church must continually measure itself by the authority of Scripture rather than tradition alone.
Series: Returning to the Way
A three-part series exploring how the Church can rediscover biblical discipleship, servant leadership, and the mission Jesus entrusted to His people.
You are reading: Part 1 of 3
Next Article → When We Become Known More for What We Oppose Than Who We Follow
I love the Church.
That statement really matters, because what comes next isn't coming from a place of cynicism or bitterness. It's coming from a place of genuine concern, strong belief, and hope. The Church is Christ's bride, His body, and the tool He chose to spread the gospel to everyone. Since I care about the Church, I think we need to be open to asking tough questions whenever we start to stray from the purpose for which Christ set her up.
One question has continued to press on my heart:
Are we now more focused on safeguarding Christian institutions rather than staying true to biblical faithfulness?
It's not about whether institutions are bad by nature. Over the years, God has worked through denominations, seminaries, mission groups, and local churches to achieve amazing things. Many lives have been changed because dedicated individuals poured their hearts into creating ministries that spread the gospel, developed leaders, and supported communities. Institutions can truly be wonderful blessings.
The real risk arises when the organization turns into the goal.
Every organization has this instinct to protect itself. Businesses do it, governments do it, schools do it, and churches are no exception. Over time, there can be a subtle shift where safeguarding reputation takes precedence over seeking repentance, keeping attendance becomes more crucial than making disciples, and upholding tradition overshadows the need for biblical correction.
The Bible shows us time and again that God’s main concern isn’t about keeping religious systems intact. His focus has always been on the hearts of His people.
In the Old Testament, Israel went through periods of incredible blessings followed by painful rebellion. When the nation strayed, God didn’t send prophets to safeguard its image. Instead, He sent prophets to urge His people back to their covenant with Him. Their message was consistently clear: repent, return, and remember the God who saved you.
Jesus continued that same pattern.
When Christ was around the religious leaders of His time, He didn't reserve His harshest words for tax collectors, prostitutes, or Roman officials. Instead, He aimed them at those who had mastered religion but overlooked the essence of God. They were well-versed in Scripture, followed traditions closely, and defended their beliefs with great fervor. However, Jesus revealed a deeper issue. In their quest to uphold their traditions, they started to ignore justice, mercy, faithfulness, and true love for both God and their neighbors.
One of the most striking realities in the Gospels is that individuals can be intensely devoted to religious practices while drifting away from the heart of God.
That possibility should humble every one of us.
We should also remember that the solution isn't to walk away from the Church. Instead, it's about letting the Church be constantly renewed by the Word of God.
When Jesus shared what we often refer to as the Great Commission, His guidance was quite straightforward. He didn't instruct His followers to create grand organizations, set up complex ministry frameworks, or gain cultural power. He simply told them to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to follow all that He had commanded.
The mission was always pretty straightforward.
Follow Jesus.
Assist others in following Jesus.
Do it again.
Everything the Church creates, be it buildings, budgets, programs, denominations, or leadership structures, is meant to support that mission, not to take its place.
Sadly, many churches have gotten really good at bringing people together without truly making disciples. We’ve nailed marketing. We’ve polished our production skills. We’ve crafted strategic plans and organizational charts. None of this is bad in itself. Actually, these can be great tools. But they become risky when they begin to replace the work only the Holy Spirit can do.
The New Testament doesn't just look at attendance to gauge success.
It focuses on faithfulness.
Are disciples being made?
Is the gospel moving forward?
Are believers becoming more holy?
Are leaders training the saints?
Are the needy being looked after?
Is Christ being honored?
These questions are quite different from what we usually consider today.
This tension really stands out when moral failures or abuse happen in Christian organizations. Too often, our instinct is to shield the ministry, defend the leader, protect the reputation, or downplay the damage. We tell ourselves that revealing sin could harm the Church's witness.
But Scripture clearly teaches the opposite.
Concealed sin never bolsters the witness of God's people.
Repentance does.
Confession does.
Humility does.
Truth does.
The Church's credibility has never depended on looking flawless. It has always been about directing people to the only One who truly is.
That’s why I think the Church's biggest need today isn’t another strategic plan.
It’s repentance.
Not just personal repentance, though that’s crucial. We also need corporate repentance. We need churches ready to acknowledge where they’ve strayed, leaders willing to admit their failures, and congregations open to questioning whether long-standing traditions still support the mission Christ gave to His followers.
This isn’t a call to tear down every institution.
It’s a call to assess every institution against the Word of God.
Every ministry should regularly confront tough questions.
Are we making disciples or just drawing in attendees?
Are we equipping believers or just entertaining consumers?
Are we holding onto traditions that help people follow Jesus, or just those that make us feel comfortable?
Would our ministry still achieve its purpose if our building vanished tomorrow?
Most importantly, are we helping people know Christ more deeply, obey Him more faithfully, and love Him more completely?
These questions aren’t threats to the Church.
They’re acts of love.
Healthy things are open to examination.
Healthy churches are open to correction.
Healthy leaders are open to repentance.
Maybe the first step toward renewal isn’t asking God to change the culture around us.
Maybe it’s asking Him to start with us.
Every significant movement of God throughout history has started in a similar fashion, not with individuals clinging to their creations, but with people humbly turning back to the One who established His Church.
Before we dive into how to transform the Church, we need to first reflect on a much more personal question:
Am I more focused on safeguarding what I know than on following Christ wherever He guides?
That's the starting point for every revival.
Rooted Reflection
It is easy to critique the Church from a distance. It is much harder, and much more biblical, to allow God to examine our own hearts first. Institutional drift doesn't begin with organizations; it begins with individuals. Every church is made up of people like you and me. If we long to see renewal in the Church, we must first invite Christ to renew us.
Perhaps the question isn't simply whether the Church has drifted. Perhaps the better question is, Have I drifted? Am I more concerned with preserving what is familiar than faithfully following wherever Jesus leads? Revival has always begun with people who were willing to let God change them before asking Him to change everyone else.
Questions for Reflection
Where have I confused tradition with biblical conviction?
Am I contributing to disciple-making or simply attending church?
What would need to change in my own life if I took the Great Commission more seriously?
Continue Reading
➡️ Next in the Series
Returning to the Way (Part 2): When We Become Known More for What We Oppose Than Who We Follow
How can the Church faithfully hold to biblical truth while ensuring love, not outrage, remains the defining mark of our witness?
Read Part 2 → When We Become Known More for What We Oppose Than Who We Follow
When God's Plans Look Nothing Like Ours
Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible, yet it is often misunderstood. Commonly used as a promise of personal success and prosperity, the verse was originally written to the Israelites living in exile. By examining its historical and biblical context, we discover that Jeremiah 29:11 is not primarily about God blessing our plans but about His faithfulness to accomplish His purposes even in seasons of hardship, waiting, and uncertainty.
Preface
Few Bible verses are quoted more often than Jeremiah 29:11.
You'll find it on coffee mugs, graduation cards, social media graphics, and inspirational posters. It is often shared as a reminder that God has a wonderful future waiting for us and that our dreams are destined to succeed. While those sentiments may be well-intentioned, they often miss the original meaning of the passage.
One of the greatest dangers in Bible study is reading ourselves into a text before first understanding what it meant to its original audience. When we do this, we can unintentionally turn God's Word into a collection of motivational sayings rather than allowing it to speak on its own terms.
Jeremiah 29:11 was not originally written to people pursuing personal success, career advancement, financial prosperity, or the fulfillment of their individual dreams. It was written to a nation living under God's discipline, far from home, facing uncertainty, disappointment, and a future that looked nothing like they had hoped. Many of those who first heard these words would never personally see the fulfillment of the promise they received.
Yet this is precisely what makes the passage so powerful.
The hope found in Jeremiah 29:11 is not that God will always bless our plans. Rather, it is that God remains faithful to His plans even when life is difficult, confusing, painful, and uncertain. The verse reminds us that God's purposes are not thwarted by exile, suffering, disappointment, or delay. Even when His people cannot see what He is doing, He is still at work accomplishing His covenant promises.
In a culture that often reduces biblical truth to inspirational sound bites, we need to return to the context of Scripture and allow God's Word to shape our understanding rather than forcing our assumptions onto the text. When we do, we discover that Jeremiah 29:11 offers something far greater than a promise of personal success, it offers confidence in the faithfulness and sovereignty of God.
My hope is that we will see Jeremiah 29:11 as its original readers would have understood it and, in doing so, find a deeper and more enduring hope. Not a hope rooted in favorable circumstances, but a hope rooted in the character of a God who remains faithful even when life unfolds differently than we expected.
Context
The Israelites were discouraged during this time of exile, and much of that discouragement was fueled by the false prophets among them. These prophets were telling the people that their captivity would only last a short time and that they would soon return home. They preached a message that was comforting to the ears but contrary to the word God had spoken through Jeremiah. Scripture, however, shows a very different picture. We know this because God instructed the exiles to build houses, plant gardens, get married, have children, seek Babylon's welfare, and settle into life there. These were not instructions for a temporary stay; they were instructions for a long season of waiting. God was telling them to live faithfully where they were, even though it was not where they wanted to be.
Why did this exile happen in the first place? The prophets had repeatedly warned Judah about their idolatry, injustice, corrupt leadership, false worship, and constant disregard for God's covenant. For generations, God had patiently called His people to repentance through His prophets. Yet instead of responding to His warnings, they chose to listen to the false prophets who promised peace, safety, no judgment, and quick deliverance. They preferred messages that affirmed their desires rather than messages that confronted their sin. As a result, the exile was not simply a political tragedy; it was a covenant consequence of a people who had repeatedly rejected God's word.
We need to recognize that the original audience of this letter was the Israelites living in Babylonian captivity. However, we often miss the point because we immediately place ourselves at the center of the text. God was not promising them immediate relief, financial success, comfort, promotion, or a dream job. He was not telling them that all of their personal goals would soon come to pass. In fact, many of the people hearing this promise would die in Babylon before the restoration ever occurred. The seventy-year exile meant that most adults receiving Jeremiah's letter would never personally return to Jerusalem.
This is what makes the promise so remarkable. Jeremiah 29:11 was not primarily about what God would do for a single individual. It was a corporate and generational promise given to God's covenant people. While individuals would suffer the consequences of exile, God had not abandoned His larger purpose for Israel. He would preserve His people, fulfill His covenant promises, and ultimately bring restoration in His timing. The promise was not that every individual would experience the outcome they desired, but that God's redemptive plan for His people would not fail despite their present circumstances.
Application for Today
Therefore, we need to understand that, in context, Jeremiah 29:11 was about God's sovereign purpose for them. God had plans for their welfare and peace. His purpose in the midst of their exile and captivity was to provide peace, wholeness, well-being, covenant blessing, and the opportunity to flourish under His favor. Judah's exile was not the end of God's plan, and neither are our hardships today.
Today, we must be careful not to miss the point that this passage is about God's sovereign plan for our lives, not merely the plans that we may have chosen for ourselves.
Romans 8:28 aligns with this thought as well: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Philippians 1:6 also states, "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Lastly, 1 Peter 1:6–9 states: "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith, of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire, may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, or you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
Therefore, we can conclude that Jeremiah 29:11 is not primarily a promise that God will bless your plans. It is a promise that God remains faithful to His plans, even when His people are walking through judgment, suffering, exile, and uncertainty, teaching us that God's faithfulness remains intact even when life looks nothing like we expected.