The Way of Jesus: A Ministry of Love, Not Mere Grit

Today’s post comes from Sandy Richter, Savior’s Pastor of Adult Formation.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

(1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 13)

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Grit in psychology is a positive, non-cognitive trait based on an individual's perseverance of effort combined with the passion for a particular long-term goal or end state.

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Lately I am hearing more and more about the concept of grit. I see it on t-shirts, my kids’ teachers are touting its importance, it’s showing up in my Facebook feed and on my Goodreads recommendations. So needless to say, it caught my attention.

I suppose in this moment in history, it shouldn’t surprise me that this term is getting a lot of fanfare. When so many people’s underlying hurt and trauma are being played out in the larger political and social arenas of our nation, and when more and more victims are finding the freedom to share their experiences, we are forced to ask what this all means, and how, if so many have suffered, will they, or have they, learned to move on? Grit, it seems, is the popular answer. Somehow, with enough perseverance and passion--or grit--life’s obstacles can be overcome and dreams still realized.

And truly the human spirit is impressive in this regard. Every time I hear another victim’s story I am moved by their resilience, their strength, their courage to persevere.

But it has also left me wondering, is grit all there is? If so, where does that leave us when we don’t have the strength or courage to keep going? When we can’t summon any more grit?

Jesus presents to us a different way of being that Paul reflected on in this passage from 1 Corinthians 13. I will call this the way of love.

Because our society has romanticized love so thoroughly, it has taken on more sentimentality than substance in our modern parlance. Love is the stuff of movies and greeting cards, not anything powerful or real enough to make a difference in life.

But according to Jesus, love is actually the bedrock of reality. The reality of giving and receiving love is at the center of the universe--the Father loving the Son, the Son loving the Father, in the power and movement of the Holy Spirit--and contrary to popular belief, love is a force much stronger than any other, even stronger than grit. Love has the power to heal, to forgive, to reconcile, to mend. Knowing oneself as the beloved brings courage, hope, joy, and the freedom to love the other.

What does this have to do with us and the ministry of Church of the Savior?

Everything.

When our founding members sat together to discuss what values and characteristics they wanted to embody as a new church, three simple and profound things came forth: Loving God, Loving Others, and Loving Life. Sure, that has a nice ring to it, but in a much deeper way these pioneers of our church established in the very DNA of our beginnings the outworking of the reality of belovedness. What resulted is what we enjoy today--a church truly grounded in this way of love, continually seeking to live life together and work together in the kind of ministry of love that Paul described to the Corinthian church.

I don’t know about you, but our family noticed the difference right away. Each Saturday night we visited, we were warmly welcomed. People remembered our names, asked about our lives, seemed to really care. We had three small kids then, including a nearly one-year-old whose bedtime fell right near the beginning of the Eucharist. Every single week someone came up to us after the service with reassuring encouragement that his not-so-little cries only added to their worship experience.

When I started working on staff at our church, I saw this way of love even more explicitly played out. I saw it in the interactions among staff members--people truly concerned with one another’s welfare, not just the tasks that needed completing. I saw it in the way we prayed together and spent time meditating on the Word of God’s love at the beginning of every staff meeting. I saw it in the way we talked about recruitment and our volunteers. Rather than tasks taking the front seat, we spent time brainstorming ways to lighten the load for those heavy burdened; we discussed what it would look like for people to find joy in serving. We talked about people as people, not as cogs working to make a system run smoothly.

This way of being, this value of Loving God, Loving Others, Loving Life, has infused the ministry of Church of the Savior since our beginnings and is still very evident today. It’s why so many of our new members talk about how quickly they felt ‘at home’ here. The love of God seen in the faces of our members, draws people in and invites them to come back.

The thing is, this ministry of love is not always easy to prioritize, even in a church. For one, we quickly get focused on the tasks of our ministry and lose sight of the bigger picture. The tyranny of the urgent, as it’s been called, is a real thing, and constantly calls to be heeded.

And then there is this value of grit, this idea that in order to achieve our goals, we need to dig deeper, try harder, and that in doing so we will get the real work of life accomplished. In my experience, the church has its own kind of grit mentality, framed in more spiritual terms. We teach and strive to believe that if we have enough faith, enough reliance on God, enough self-sacrifice, we can push through, buckle down, and get done what God wants us to do in the world.

But I would suggest that right now it is more imperative than ever that we strive to live out the way of love, rather than any forms of grit or similar self-reliance. Both for our own sakes, and for the sake of the world. We must strive to life as the beloved because as Paul reminds us, love is what endures. Everything else will pass away, but love will remain. Knowing ourselves as God’s dearly loved children is the beginning and end of everything.

Practically, that means that in our ministry together here at Savior, we must continue to attend to the things of love. We need to be honest about the state of our souls. We need to be cognizant of the souls of those around us. We honor one another, care for one another, forgive one another, and ask for forgiveness ourselves.

As we continue in this way of love, we make the habit of living counter-culturally and offer to the world another way. A way that allows for the grit to run dry, a way that offers hope in the God of the universe, in whose unconditional love true healing, hope, peace, and restoration can be found.

Brothers and sisters, let us continue in this way of love together, to the praise and glory of our most gracious God.

Blessed to Be a Blessing Resources: Face

Week Three: Face

Caring enough to learn their story:

“More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them.” —Henri Nouwen

This week, in the place God has placed us, as we slow our pace and notice those around us, we practice what Nouwen calls this “simple ministry of presence:” learning people’s stories, listening deeply, allowing God’s blessing to us to flow through to those around us.

Resources for further reflection:

• “Evangelism, Meet Soul Care,” Kimberly Penrod Pelletier: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/january-web-only/evangelism-meet-soul-care.html

  • This article teaches us how we can love others better through our own experiences of Christ’s love for us. As we receive God’s love and become aware of the Holy Spirit speaking to us, we learn to be aware of how God is moving in the lives of those we encounter, and are moved to help them engage with his love.

• The Listening Life: Embracing Attentiveness in a World of Distraction, by Adam S. McHugh

  • This book emphasizes the importance of listening as a way of life. The author begins by focusing on how God listens to us and how learning to listen to him extends into a countercultural way of life, marked by listening to God and others.

• “The Power of a Dinner Table,” David Brooks: https://nyti.ms/2edd04H

  • This article shares the story of one family who opened up their home and table to teenagers living in poverty. This article shows how extending a listening ear to others can be the first step to opening your life to bless others in powerful, concrete ways.

Hear Father Kevin’s sermon on Face by clicking here.

Word from Father Kevin: Prayer and Pain University

Since Karen entered Pain University 16 months ago, and I’ve been studying alongside her, we’ve been learning many things. One is this: It’s hard to pray for yourself and your loved ones when you’re suffering. 

Caregiving throws you out of your prayer rhythms, as does interrupted sleep. Grief and fatigue and medications affect your capacity to perceive God in ways that formerly have been life-giving for you. Your difficulties make it harder to rise up in faith. Your mind is more distracted, your heart less at rest. If there’s any good news here, it’s this: if you’re experiencing this, you’re normal.

That’s why it’s more important than ever to have friends praying for you. For them to do what you cannot do as well. Karen and I feel so grateful for how all of you friends of the Savior have prayed for us—during Prayers of the People, privately, on the phone, during visits. This prayer brings much more than physical healing; it brings spiritual protection.

Jesus told his disciples, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Matt. 26:41). In Pain University, you face temptations like self-pity, unbelief, fatalism, despair. To choose life, to press into God and to mine the gold from the ore, you need the prayers of your friends. 

So thank you, Savior, for carrying us in prayer. Through those, we are rising up. We feel so grateful for all of you. (And please remember the many in our midst who have had journeys much longer than ours.)

Spotlight on Mark Hinsch

Over the next several months, we're highlighting ministry leaders at Savior. These leaders have answered some questions to help us get to know them and their ministries better.

Mark Hinsch coordinates Savior's Setup Team — you've probably noticed him moving tables or hanging banners if you've come to church early or stayed late. He leads a ministry that affects all of us as we worship each Saturday but that often goes unnoticed. Today, we learn a little more about Mark:

Where do you live now and where are you from?

I currently live in West Chicago with my wife, Betsy, and our cat Musette. I was born in Florida. I’ve also lived in California, England, North Dakota, Colorado and Illinois. I’ve been happy to call Illinois home for about 21 years now. There are so many things to love about this area!

What do you do when you’re not at church?

I work at Tyndale House Publishers as a Distribution Analyst. When we’re not at work, my wife Betsy and I enjoy cooking, reading, going for walks and spending time with friends and family.

How does the Setup Team serve the life of our congregation?

We facilitate a welcoming and worshipful experience for all who attend Church of the Savior as we set up the sanctuary and information table for each worship service. We also put things away after the service.

How can people get involved with the Setup Team?

The Setup Team needs your help! We are looking for individuals to help set up before the service and take-down after the service. Those who serve typically do so once a month, but we also need on-call / substitute helpers. If you are interested, please see Mark Hinsch at church, call or text at 630-745-0184 or email thisismarkh@yahoo.com.

Surprises on a Prayer Walk through Wheaton

Fr. Kevin’s introduction: In a recent sermon on Place—settling down and seeking the peace, I invited people to take a prayer walk near their home or in their workplace to see what God brought to their notice. Alice Teisan took up that invitation and writes about her experience:

On September 23, I took a prayer walk from my house to The Compass Church. As I set out, I was struck by how on my block we have me, living below the poverty line, then blue-collar workers in the two houses next to me. Two of us own the cheapest houses you can buy in Wheaton, and the guy in the middle rents. Neither of my neighbors has interest in faith. 

Just west is an apartment complex where social gentrification happened last year: a developer from Skokie took over the apartments and raised the rent from $800 per month to $1300. The developer would redo an apartment, then tell residents they had to move into the refinished apartment or leave when it was time for theirs to be redone. In this complex live individuals from the Bhutan people group, with a father and son who are translating the Bible into their language.

The apartment complexes between Blanchard and Stoddard remind me that some of the loneliest, unreached people dwell in apartment complexes. Rents here range from lower than $1300 per month and up. I think, How can those starting out afford such rent?and How are they making it without being overburdened by stress?

Then I reach Wheaton College housing, where some of the richest children, with representation from all over the USA and throughout the world, live. On to the “International Village” complex at President and College where people from many countries, speaking many languages, live. They walk past my house to Glen Ellyn Evangelical Covenant Church, where in the summer they have garden plots, then proudly carry their yield home. 

On the south side of College Avenue is a laundromat, where the homeless hang out because they can wash up in the sink while doing laundry. Behind that is the third-busiest train station on the Union Pacific-West line, where people of all walks of life pass each day. From the city some come to panhandle on Wheaton College’s campus. 

West of President is Bethany Chapel, a small church that owns a multi-unit apartment complex where they rent and let people stay for free. In that complex live a couple from Haiti, with the goal of producing Bible resources translated into Creole for pastors. Then on to Wheaton College, where people come from all over the world to study at this top-notch Christian College.

Heading north on Chase, the landlords rent rooms to people like one woman I know, who would be in a mental institution, if some still existed, for substance abuse and mental health issues. On the east side of Chase are townhomes, owned by Missionary Furlough Homes, where missionaries can live, paying subsidized rents. Then a big, beautiful house, which represents the mid- to higher-end homes in Wheaton. On Roosevelt sit businesses, just before I arrive at The Compass Church.

In this small, mile-and-a-half circumference, live people from every socio-economic class--from refugees, immigrants, international students, the downtrodden, and ex-offenders, to students from every socio-economic class of families, to the CEOs of companies.

Indeed the Lord has the whole world in his hands, and the entire world is represented between my house and The Compass Church. I asked my dad in March, “Do you think I should move back to Detroit?” 

He said, “Alice, Detroit doesn’t have anything for you. Your ministry exists because of where God has placed you in Wheaton.” 

All I can do is thank the Lord that I have the privilege to live in Wheaton, where my love for the world, the marginalized, the educated, and the extremes of diversification are only a few steps away.