This article makes a provocative statement: "Christianity isn’t just a system of belief. It isn’t a lifestyle. It’s a life transformed by Jesus."
I think his analysis is scratching where a lot of people are itching as we see evangelistic methods of the past not working today. Certainly we believe something when we are ready to act as If it were true. Faith is acting on the knowledge we possess. Not trying to believe what we don't. Knowledge must come first. We preach "Have faith in Jesus!" Perhaps we need to tell people to get to know him first. Believing will naturally come later.
So my question is simple, Is Love2020 moving us beyond mere belief systems to actual lifestyle choices and new accountability systems for giving our life away? Is Love2020 moving us beyond a "pray-care-share" lifestyle to a life transformed by Jesus? Certainly we must have a living faith–an experienced reality–or Love2020 will soon be perceived by followers and unChristians alike as a slogan devoid of transformative content. So, we cannot separate the mission to make disciples from adopting a "pray, care, share" lifestyle, because the spirit with which we make disciples and the atmosphere in which it takes place is a necessary prerequisite to the process itself.
I believe that whenever the Body of Christ is working to become more loving, more non-judgmental, and more conversational, we will enhance our ability to turn Love2020 into a reality–what Jesus meant in the Great Commission when he told us to make disciples of all God’s people.
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