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Love Goes First offers a way for Christians to engage with their neighbors in a time of heightened anxiety and polarization. It is extremely practical advice that anyone can use to improve any relationship. In essence, it's a simple answer to the question, "How should I love my neighbor?"
About the author
Andrew Forrest is the senior pastor of Asbury Church in Tulsa, OK. Raised in West Africa and Virginia, he is a 3rd generation Methodist ministry and church planter. He leads an eclectic congregation that has experienced remarkable growth over the past decade. He blogs at www.andrewforrest.org.
Summary
The only way to truly change the world is to truly love it, and the only way to truly love it is to go first and move toward it.
Today, the cultural climate in the West is characterized by increasing amounts of mistrust and even hatred for others. We are fearful of other people, particularly those whose views and votes don't correspond with our own. This won't change any time soon, and the divides won't be bridged easily, but loving our neighbors isn't an option for the Church--it's a command of Jesus. So how do we do this in our chilly spiritual climate? How should the American church move forward from a weakening cultural position?
Andrew Forrest unfolds a simple framework that applies to every single relationship in our lives. Readers will be inspired and prepared to risk and reach out to others, even or especially when they are afraid of those who are different or when they risk being misunderstood. They will learn how--if they choose--to transform those relationships into friendships of mutual respect. More than that, Love Goes First provides profound insights into the love of God, and they will have a new awe and appreciation for the steps God is taking to redeem the world he has made.
