So often people are walking away from and steering clear of the church and Christians because we have become known more for what we stand against instead of who we stand for.

Let me explain. Ask anyone who doesn’t attend church or even someone who is an active church attender, and a majority of them can tell you the things they can’t do or the things the church is against.

However, how often can either tell you Who and what they stand for?

There are things as followers of Jesus we need to adhere to and ways we should act.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 says, “…what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, and to worship the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul? Keep the Lord’s commands and statutes I am giving you today, for your own good.”

Jesus even reiterates that when asked what the greatest commandment is.

Matthew 22:37-39 reads, “He said to him, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Why is it then the Church, those charged with proclaiming and spreading the “good news,” is more times known for what we stand against instead of who we stand for?

As believers and followers of Jesus, we should be portraying and following His example.

He started His ministry by stating what He stood for, not who or what He stood against.

Listen to what He reads from in Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Whether you consider yourself a seeker, a casual follower or a committed disciple of Jesus, don’t you want to know more about who and what it is that we as the church stand for than what we stand against?

Jesus stood for you and me when He asked us to enter into a relationship with Him. He wanted the relationship so much He gave up His place in heaven to walk on this earth to be “God with us,” something no other god could do, simply because, “God is love.”

I will end with this quote from one of my favorite authors.

If there is nothing else that you take away today, please take this with you: “God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be Just like Jesus.” — Max Lucado, “Just Like Jesus.”

Renny Ross is the founding pastor at Oasis Foursquare Church established in May 2013. He can be reached by e-mail at rennyross@oasis4square.com.