February is the month associated with love. The store aisles are jam-packed with society’s great passions: the Superbowl and Valentine’s Day. When I’m at the church, I hear about another great love. I often hear “I love my church” from our members. 

A few weeks ago, when I asked the congregation what in Snellville breaks your hearts, you professed your love for unchurched people. As your pastor, I’m thrilled to hear this, and I have to say that I agree. I also love Snellville UMC and want to continue to see it be God’s legacy-thriving congregation for people in our community, including the unchurched. Our history bears this out, as we saw tremendous growth for over thirty years. Unfortunately, due to several factors, this trend changed, and we now have more empty spaces in worship on Sundays than we used to.

We’re surrounded by disconnected people, the so-called “nones and dones”. “Nones” (the unchurched) claim no church, faith affiliation, or practice. “Dones” (the de-churched) describes people who once attended church but no longer do. The “nones” are the fastest-growing group in the country. In 2021 fewer than half of Americans identified as belonging to a house of worship for the first time.

While the Gospel message of God's amazing love through Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection to provide hope, healing, and wholeness hasn’t changed, the world around us has. And how do we share this love of God in Jesus Christ to reach people outside the walls of our church who want to impact their communities, friends, and loved ones in meaningful ways?

If we are to give them a place of connection and learn from them, we may need to consider what we stand for. Do we stand in agape (God’s love)– not just for those outside the church's threshold but also for those already inside it? Do our actions reveal how we’re doing life together as a community of love, where wounds are bound, and needs are met in concrete, tangible ways? And, even more importantly, can we ask these questions while being rooted and grounded in love (Ephesians 3:17)?

We want to ask these questions during February as we focus on spending time with God in prayer or worship. We’ll begin a new series called Love is ___________. Each week we’ll fill in the blank about love. 

Week 1: Love is forgiveness (Leviticus 19:15-18)

Week 2: Love is action. (Luke 10:25-37)

Week 3: Love is self-sacrifice. (Matthew 19:16-30)

Week 4: Love is God, and God is Love. (1 John 4:7-11)

I invite you to join us on this journey to experience God’s love for the disconnected people in our surrounding community and us.

At the Intersection,

Dr. Quincy D. Brown