Emphasis Preaching Journal

Pastors work hard on their sermons, and rightfully so. Congregations take great pride in their facilities. Women's groups plan and prepare banquets in church kitchens. Choirs rehearse special music for cantatas at Easter and Christmas. All of these are important parts of what it means to be the Church. But when new Christians are asked about their new-found faith and what it was that made them decide to join a church, the number one answer is almost always, "The people here really seemed to care." So it would be that the mark of the church would be simple but profound -- love.