When Religion Fails, Try Love

In this book, Jennifer Jill Schwirzer examines the dynamics of interpersonal relationships at home and at church and provides us with practical advice on how they can be improved. Could it be that the reason our churches aren’t growing is because our “love skills” are lacking? More

Have you noticed in the last few years that we humans have lost our ability to dialogue with each other in ways that are civil, compassionate and kind? No one wants to be wrong, so in every discussion we try to have the last word. This is especially true with politics and religion! We want to be right more than we want to love. Or so it seems. Yet the high from being right doesn’t last very long. Just because we’re right doesn’t mean people will love us more, or that we will be more fulfilled. Robert A Heinlein said,

"It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creeds into law if it acquires the political power to do so, and will follow it by suppressing opposition, subverting all education to seize early the minds of the young, and by killing, locking up, or driving underground all heretics."

Hmm. That doesn’t sound very civilized. Speaking of heretics, Jesus was suspected of being one because he was more interested in building relationships than maintaining the Jewish interpretation of theological purity. In fact, in Matthew 7:12 Jesus made the audacious statement that the most important thing in life and religion is to treat others as we want to be treated. Relationships 101. It’s what Scripture is really about.

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12, NLT).

This book is about making Christianity, and particularly your church, more people-friendly.

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