I’ve just returned from the 2012 District Superintendent’s Retreat in Kansas City. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and inspiration with 80 other superintendents and the six General Superintendents. The theme was Theology of Love. Five of the general su-perintendent’s spoke on one aspect of Love. Dr JK Warrick spoke on The Power of One Enduring First Love. He spoke of the “One thing I desire” in Psalm 27 and the “One thing I do” from Philippians 3:19. In Revelations Jesus said, “But one thing I have against you, you’ve left your first love” – Remember, repent and return! His outline included The Power of Priority, the Power of Purpose and the Power of Surrender. He said the first thing is to be like Jesus. Sometimes we are tempted to love ourselves more than we love Him. The Surrender of our first love to Him has to be maintained.

Dr Jesse Middendorf preached on Perfect Love, love for Him that is so deep that you can’t possibly love another as much. The ultimate expression of holy love is forgiveness. Dr Jerry Porter spoke on Love for Neighbor. He said, “Any person God places in my path is my neighbor.” He made a passionate plea that God loves the orphans, widows and immigrants and directs us to love our neighbor as our self.

Dr Eugenio Duarte spoke on Love for the Lost. He told about how many seamen in his home country were lost at sea and how others would seek to rescue them. We too must seek the lost out of God’s great love for them.

Dr David Graves preached on the Compelling Motive of Love. In 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 he showed that Christ’s love controls us, drives us, motivates us, directs us, and guides us. His love changes us; our nature is changed, our views are changed. We see everyone and everything through the eyes of Christ.

Loving God – Loving Each Other – Loving the Lost
I recently read the following prayer, “Lord, give me ears to hear you say I love you, and then eyes to see your expressions of love for me.”

Dr Bob Broadbooks told us about a doctor who worked with catatonic patients who were totally incoherent. He moved in with them and ate what they ate. They were loved back to life. Their first words were often “thank you.” Love is a powerful change agent.

People of Prayer – Engaged in the Word – Making Christ-like Disciples
Recently I spent some time with Dr Woodie Stevens, former district superintendent of the New Mexico district. He is currently the Director of Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International at the Global Ministry Center of the Church of the Nazarene.

He pointed out that the purpose of SDMI as stated in our Nazarene Manual paragraph 145.2 is:
• To reach the largest number of unchurched people for Christ and the church
• Bringing them into the fellowship
• Teaching the doctrines of the Christian faith
• Developing Christ-like character, attitudes and habits
• Helping to establish Christian homes
• Preparing believers for membership in the church
• Equipping them for appropriate Christian ministries

Dr Stevens reduced these to three descriptions of our role as followers of Christ. We are to be:
“People of prayer, Engaged in the Word, and Making Christ-like disciples.”
“I Have Come To Do Thy Will, Oh Lord”
This was Jesus’ mission statement as stated in Luke to “seek and to save that which is lost.” We must have the same priority as Jesus did. We are saved and sanctified not to just be trophies of grace, but to let His first love become our first love, so that the love of Christ compels us and shapes our priorities. Our motive, our modus operandi, our compelling force should be the love of Christ.

In His service,
J Fred Huff

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Last modified: March 4, 2012