At Canaan we are trying to live into our tagline “the church where love makes the difference,” which we have found to be a very dangerous statement. Christians often tell people we love them before we have ever lived with, listened to, or learned from them. If we are going to be genuine, presence becomes a precursor to love and a foundational principle for ministering to the needs of our neighbors.

Read the full article at https://www.pastorresources.com/proximity-presence-love-genuine/

Written by Jonathan Brooks (“Pastah J”) is senior pastor of Canaan Community Church in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood. A sought after speaker, writer, and artist, he has contributed to two books: Banned Questions for Christians by Christian Piatt and Making Neighborhoods Whole by John Perkins and Wayne Gordon. Visit his website and read his blog at pastahj.com. Follow him on Twitter: @PastahJ.

Read by Jim Buttrey from http://www.homesuitehomestudio.com/