Guest Blogger: Matt Jeffreys

In May of 2008 Matt and his wife Sharon moved their family to Temecula to start a church for people far away from God. Today, Ridgeline is full of people finding faith and many who have begun to discover what it means to love God and love people. You can follow his blog at http://www.iamridgeline.com/matts-blog/

I saw a car today with about a dozen Christian stickers on it. Actually, stickers can’t be “Christian”…only people can, but you know what I’m talking about. Anyway, the back of this car was full of them, and several were just ridiculous. I thought more about what it really means to be Christian…what it means to be a follower of Christ.

I believe at the very core, it’s about love. It doesn’t seem like that’s the accepted understanding though. For too long the church has been fixated on the externals. You need to dress a certain way, act a certain way, vote a certain way.

You can almost hear church-goers ask… What’s love got to do with it?

You need to listen to a certain kind of music, only hang out with people who are “already convinced,” put your kids in Christian schools, read only a specific translation of the bible, and on and on it goes…

What’s love got to do with it?

I think we’ve lost the way. I think we’re asking the wrong questions, or more often, not asking questions at all. Jesus said, when asked by a few religious dudes which commandment was most important to God, “love God with ALL you are, and the second is tied directly to it, love those around you like you love yourself.” Jesus said if you can do these two things, you will fulfill all that God desires! Jesus also said that it was by the unique love we have for each other that the world would know we are indeed followers of Jesus.

What’s love got to do with it? EVERYTHING!

Ridgers, we may come up short in some areas, but we better not be found lacking in love! We’re gonna love those around us, those we come in contact with daily, and those God brings to Ridgeline. Republican or democrat, conservative or liberal, educated or uneducated, heterosexual or homosexual, under-resourced or over-resourced, black or white, we’re going to love. We’re going to love because God loves. We’re going to love because love changes hearts. We’re going to love because God loved us first. We’re going to love because it shows we really are followers of Jesus Christ.

It ain’t about stickers, or clothes, or music, or political affiliation. It’s about love. So let’s bring it!

See ya on the streets…