Elements City Church
We've all read and have sadly become accustomed to the revelations of abuse in our culture and in even our churches. These abuses can occur when we neglect to create a culture of goodness that resists evil and promotes healing, safety, and spiritual growth. This series draws from the acclaimed book, “A Church Called TOV” to call us forward and give us a map for being the church that Jesus longs for and a people he can leverage to make a difference. We long too curate a culture of godly goodness in our organization and our spheres of influence. Join us in this adventure friends.
TOV means “good” in Hebrew.
book: A Church Called TOV (Scott McKnight and Laura Barringer) *recommend
We’ve all witnessed when 'good' is not the norm of a culture, an organization or a group of people and the great damage and pain that can occur when that plays out - the great harm it can do to relationships…
TOV is active (not a passive or set reality) - it can grow or it can shrink.
The theme of actively 'doing tov' (doing good) runs throughout the Bible.
TOV - part of being & doing godly good — is anchored to cultivating a culture within ourselves and within churches that display consistently 2 key qualities:
Empathy and Compassion
The mark of empathy is to feel another’s pain; the mark of compassion is “having the desire to alleviate or reduce the suffering of another” and to do something about it…
Matthew 9:35-36
35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
John 11:33-36 NIV
In a culture that cultivates empathy and compassion, people will not be made to feel invisible - they will be seen and heard.
Churches that follow Jesus - develop a culture in which they hear the cries of all the distressed, all the wounded, and respond with compassion.
Takeaway Truth:
Tov churches will develop their people and their culture to have an “empathy radar” with an instinctive bias toward acts of grace, peace, mercy, and goodness for everyone.
Where we’re able to see beyond and more deeply into our interactions, our experiences, our circumstances with the people around us. We’re able to NOTICE where there is hurt, neglect, discouragement and then we’re motivated to respond as we’re able...
How’s your empathy radar? (Might God want to intensify it this year?)
No one noticed quite like Jesus - maybe his followers should do likewise...
Empathy notices
Compassion responds
Empathy & Compassion are the job description of Jesus and it should be ours also.
Thanks again for being with us tonight - may you have a blessed week ahead friends. May you be an agent for TOV in your sphere of influence with and for Jesus. We'll see you next Sunday if not before!