100 Days to a Healthier ChurchSample

Keeping Christ’s Mission at the Center

Week 2

To begin today, take a few minutes to review the notes from last Saturday, which were sent or emailed earlier in the week. Reflect on what they mean for you and the church moving forward. 

Day 8

Today’s Big Idea: The Great Commandment. Remember the three essential elements to a healthy and effective church: The Great Commandment, the Great Commission, and the Pastoral Prime Mandate (“equipping God’s people,” from Ephesians 4:11–12). Today, we’ll look at the Great Commandment, followed by the others over the next two days.

Key Verse: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). 

Thoughts to Consider: There is no greater, more important section of scripture for Christians to regularly study, consider, and follow than this passage. In it, Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, and he gave a direct answer to that question. There is one God. We need to love God and love those who are made in God’s image. That’s it.

Then Jesus added an extraordinary statement: “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:40). In other words, if you’re loving God and others, you’re doing what God commands. The rest of the Bible is commentary. It’s important, essential commentary. It helps us avoid the trap of thinking we can decide for ourselves what loving God and loving others means. But the rest of the Bible is a “how to” that elaborates the two-part command.

When considering the Great Commandment, we need to ask some essential questions. How seriously are we taking Jesus’ command to love God and love those who are made in God’s image? Is it seen in the practical, everyday life of our congregation? Are there factions in the church? Do people feel loved and cared for? Are new people greeted and welcomed into the fellowship of the church? If not, why not?