Where to Start?

As I've been pondering the start of a new gathering of people living out lives of faith in God/Jesus/Holy Spirit I'm faced with many questions. Many of them are structural or procedural but there are at least a couple that seem to be core questions. I would like to stick to the core questions to begin with and see where that leads.

Question: What is the basic DNA of the collected body that you want to see lived out?

In reading the Bible, talking to others, and praying over this question it comes down to love. Both Jesus and Paul say very clearly that we are to love God and love each other. So everything that is done in the body of Christ must focus upon love and how that grows in healthy, life affirming ways. So when people gather there should be a very clear understanding that what is being done helps those people grow in love.

Our love for God/Jesus/Holy Spirit should be seen in our willingness to live more fully devoted lives that reflect the Holy presence of God toward others. The people should be growing in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:22) If what is being done does not directly encourage this growth than it should not be wasting the time or energy of the gathered body. So I believe that there needs to be great simplicity in what is going to be done.

One of the ways I have witnessed love grow is through accountability between those gathered. Without accountability it is my experience that it is too easy to say one thing and do something completely different. But people aren't open to accountability unless they first know that they are loved and loving people takes time and hard work. So the new body has to spend time with each other as a large group, in smaller groups, and in circles of 3 or 4 people so that Christ-like love has a chance to grow between them. When love is present it is easier to hear someone say: "What I heard you say to your child didn't seem to be filled with kindness." But unless someone hears those words from another person their actions will probably not change. Accountability should not be about trying to make someone else become like me, but rather loving helping them to become fully the person that God desires them to become.

The focusing statement of this body might be something like:
We gather together to help one another grow in love toward God, each other, and the people God brings into our lives.

Beginning Thoughts

People have been asking me recently what is coming next in my life and ministry. While I am in the process of discerning with God and other brothers and sisters of faith what and where I am called to be in ministry I have been encouraged to put some things down on paper.
This is the paper that I'm choosing to use to process and think through what I know, what I think I know, and what I need to know. Your contribution here is desired and appreciated. Please see this as a conversation and not as the final word.