When I was pastoring in Urbana, our elders were part of a workshop to determine the values of the church. Provided was a long list of values, and every elder, without peeking at the others, needed to select their top five. We would compile what everyone said and then have a conversation to come up with our definitive top five. On the list included great sermons, being rooted in Scripture, prayer, worship, evangelism, and so on. All of them were good values to have and things that no doubt we did value as a church. But this was establishing what we currently valued most.

I was shocked to find that humor was put on our list of values. I was even more shocked when it made it into our final list.

Not to say that the folks I was with were not funny. They were and are funny people. But how can we put “Biblically and theologically sound teaching” right next to “humor”?

To have a high value of humor means that the people in the congregation have a high value of laughing with one another. They like one another. They enjoy the company of the other. And when people have that type of experience with one another, they love one another.

To love one another is our premier method for living out the truth of Jesus and showing the world who he is.

I think the values of modern churches have things a bit confused. People go to a church because they like the pastor or the sermons. They like the music or the atmosphere. They like the kids ministry or the small groups. All those are good things. But Jesus says that we will be known by our love for one another. Not by the sermons or music or whatever else.

When someone speaks of your church, they should say those are the people who relentlessly and joyfully love one another. If they mention anything else first, we may have traded something great for just good.

We need less time hearing the sermon, less concert-style music, less time in a classroom, and more time laughing with one another. We will be known by our love.

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