What Would Unbridled Love Look Like?

I have a passion for evangelism - making new disciples for Jesus the Christ.  For years I've pondered why the Jesus following movement flourishes and ignites in economically and politically marginal areas in Africa, Latin America, and Asia, while North America is the second lowest per capita active-Christian continent on the face of the globe.  (We're beaten only by Europe!). Also I've questioned why signs, wonders, and miracles are so much more evident elsewhere.  I used to think it was because our narrow Western rationalism worldview simply prevented us from seeing the miraculous.  Now I think there's more to it.

I'm captivated by the work of filmographer Darren Wilson.  In his films, "Furious Love,"  "Father of Lights" and "Finger of God" he simply travels the world with a film crew documenting where amazing life transformation is happening because of Jesus.  In some cases the impact happens in church buildings in North America.  Largely, though, Wilson follows the movement of the Holy Spirit outside the walls of churches, in so-called "third world" settings, with people on the margins.  He concludes that the common denominator in these conversions, healings, deliverances, and miracles is not certain practices, particular theologies, any denomination, or any formula.  The catalyst he sees (and the films prove) is love.  Just the pure unbridled, unhindered love of Jesus.  That's all.  Humble followers of Jesus just joyously wade into street people, hostile pagans, the homeless poor, cast-aside waste children, Islamic folks, Hindus, witches and warlocks, gang-bangers, hookers, pimps, witch doctors, warlords, gays, straights, and we're-not-sure-what-they-ares, and they just love them...they listen to them, learn them, pray with them, tell of God's love for them, invite them to Jesus and love them.  And signs and wonders happen, and the movement spreads like wildfire.  (One exuberant dread-locked Jesus follower in Jerusalem prayed for healing in a man's leg.  After doing so he asked the man, "Are you Muslim?"  "Yes," the man said.  "I'm Christian.  I love you!"  the follower replied.  How often does THAT happen in Islam-phobic western Christendom?)

Maybe in North American churches, even with our best efforts, we send signals that the Christ-love we offer is hindered and conditioned.  You get Jesus' love if you come to this building, if you join this church, if you dress up, if you dress down, if you sing from a hymnal, if you belt out words on a screen, if you are "reverent", if you put your hands in the air and shout, "praise The Lord!, if you act like this, if you talk like that, if you...whatever.  None of us intend this, but I wonder if we're hindering the unleashing of a real power among us and, more important, through us to the mission fields to which we are called.

What would the unbridled, unhindered love of Jesus look like here?   Our church has had a kind of slogan bubble up in our midst - "Grace comes first."   We're trying to (and the conservative evangelical in me just gags when I use this phrase) live into that.  I hope we have the faith, courage, and resolve to become it more and more.

What would that look like?  I'll see you around the next bend in the river.