by Karen Pimpo
Happy Valentine’s Day! Today is a time to celebrate love. At Friendship, we get excited about love. It’s at the very core of what we do. We recognize that ALL people – regardless of ability – are loved and valued by Jesus.
We like technology. We like small groups. We like innovative ministry. But they aren’t the driving force behind our work. People are the main focus! We absolutely love people… because God loves people. We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). That’s something to smile about today!
For many years, we’ve represented this love by the heart in our logo. We desire that Friendship Ministries and TOGETHER should be synonymous with the heart of our ministry – faith, friendships, and belonging for ALL people. And the thing that binds all these together is love!
If you’re involved in any sort of ministry, you know it can be a lot of hard work. But the love we have for others makes it all worth it. Here’s some love-centered Valentine’s Day encouragement for you, your Bible study group, and your Friends.
- Faith
- “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.” (1 John 4:18)
- Faith is believing without seeing – but thanks to love, we can have confident faith and release our fears
- Friendship
- “I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.” (John 15:15)
- We are called friends of God
- Belonging
- “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:12)
- You belong to the body of Christ, and you are deeply loved
So this Valentine’s Day, be encouraged. This holiday isn’t really about chocolate, or flowers, or engagements – although those are good things. It’s about demonstrating the love that we have received through our faith, friendships, and creating a community of belonging.
Learn more about who we are and what we do.
Find more encouragement for leaders.
How do you show love through inclusive ministry? Share with us on Facebook or Twitter!
