With regard to the relationships of His disciples with one another, Jesus says we will be known by our love.

A new commandment I give to you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all know that ye are disciples of mine, if ye have love amongst yourselves.John 13:34,35 DARBY

I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.”

John 13:34,35 Amplified Bible

What does this look like?

Some things I have seen and experienced here at GCC over the past several years that I have shared digitally with the body:

1) Folks with gardens bring the overflow of their produce to share with anyone, leaving boxes out on the breezeway.

2) We have worship services with some regularity in which the time of testimony sharing ends up replacing the message.

3) Sometimes we laugh during communion.

4) You can see readily how the members use their gifts and abilities for the benefit of the church body.

5) Folks with chickens bring their surplus eggs to share… It’s been a few months since I have bought eggs.

6) I hear, or read, “I love you” (both directed to me and from one person to another) more than I ever have in my life… as people are departing or during testimony time, at the end of phone calls, and often punctuating a text message.

7) Clearly there is a great level of comfort and support, such that all the introverts feel like they can share with the church body. The extroverts, well, we’re glad you’re a part, too!

8) What’s not to love about having breakfast together every Sunday through the summer? Thanks to all those who labour early in the kitchen to make this happen.

9) Often the process of saying good-bye after a full day takes about an hour.

10) There’s just something about singing together and reading Scripture together.

11) Discipleship and mentoring relationships are such that great friendships develop between people of all ages. I have folks who have taken me on as their son, if you will, and several of my closest friends were in elementary school when I was in college.

12) Often it is quarter to 12 when David gets up and asks us if he should go ahead and preach, and we say yes.

13) We take the time to celebrate the significant events in our member's lives.

14) It takes a village... and I think our young folks benefit from ours!

15) People actually want to take the time to build relationships... and that could be through having lunch together, playing Scrabble, playing tennis, serving in some way, etc.

16) Couples who have been married longer develop relationships with younger married couples... marriage mentoring, I suppose you could call it.

17) We make each other cry... in a good way.

18) Grown men run across the lawn or any gathering place inside to give each other hugs, often bear hugs preceded with jarring chest bumps.

When I shared this list on Facebook, I had numerous folks comment that they wished their church was like ours...

More personally:

When I moved to Hurt in Sept 2018, 13 GCC folks assisted me with my move. Some of them still mention how many coffee mugs I had in my possession… a number greatly exaggerated.

Having never met my sister, at least 12 GCC folks helped with her move last weekend.

When I was unemployed after my move to Hurt, there were several Sundays I was handed an envelope with a stack of twenties from an anonymous giver or several givers… I can’t tell you how much that helped.

Frequently I will get a message from a brother here: “I am praying for you today” or “I love you” or “You are a warrior.”

When I see one brother around town, I can usually expect a bellowed "Love you, Brother" across the street or parking lot.

Recently, a couple of brothers here either just happen to be in Bedford, or just want to go to Ruby Tuesday, and call me to see if I am available for lunch.

These things are NOT insignificant. I can tell you, there are many days when the last thing I feel like is a Warrior. There are days when that lunch was God’s reminder to me that He loves me.

And, just so it isn't thought that love is expressed in physical and tangible ways:

A very real aspect of brotherly love is holding one another accountable. There are five guys I have relationships with for this purpose. They don't do burgers, well sometimes. I have shared my areas of weakness with these guys. They pray for me. I meet with some of them weekly for what is very focused accountability.

And, another very real aspect of brotherly love is transparency. A little over a year ago, I had a rather challenging relational conflict. The other party chose to communicate in a letter and my response also needed to be a letter. After drafting my response, in which I was quite vulnerable and open, I met with David one afternoon to review my draft. We went over every sentence. Everything was questioned. I don't think I have ever been as transparent as I was that afternoon. I would like to tell you good came of that letter, but I can't. There has been no response. However, I can tell you good came from that process as David and I had some intense iron sharpening. I value our friendship far more than I did before that afternoon.

I have part of Romans 12:10 on the display board of my key rack, so I see it every day. As a reminder. I rather like the way the Amplified Bible puts it:

Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honour;

The world is watching. They need to see that we love each other.