For most of my life I’ve tended to think about things differently than most other people. The way I look
at God, people, & issues often feels to come from a distinct angle that is different than others’
perspectives. When most people are talking about the what or the why, I’m often wondering how? This
question of how shows up every time I consider the purpose of working together with others.

Having purpose and being part of a family is remarkably important to me and I am so thankful that I’m
part of a community of believers that is working to see heaven on earth. I am so grateful to God that He
has placed me where He has, with the opportunity to fulfill purpose on a daily basis. It really is the joy of
my life.

Our purpose as believers is clear. We are called to connect people to Christ. We’re called to show them
purpose and destiny. The mission, or the what we’ve been challenged to accomplish, is unmistakable.
But I’ve never been able to shake the feeling that the how is just as critical.

Whenever Pastor Alan brings a charge or a vision for us as a people, I feel excitement. He’ll say
something like, “We’re going to win Georgia for Jesus!” or “We’re going to take the vision of purpose to
the whole world!”, and inside, my spirit begins to well up with faith and expectancy. My spirit responds
with, “Yes!!! And we’re going to do it together! As a team and as family!” My heart is for unity. It’s not
that I’m not excited about the what. It’s that I can’t forget the how. With love, with honor, with unity.
No man or woman left behind.

Listen, we have all seen church done incorrectly before, times where it was more about people’s selfish
desires and agendas than it really was for others. Most often, I’ve learned, people don’t set out to be
selfish or to hurt others. It just sorta happens as we all go down the road of chasing the what God has
asked us to do. We seem to run so hard after the goal and then stop and ask why everything got messy.
Why did that person hurt me? Why did they leave? Why am I angry? Or sad?

I believe it’s because we’re so focused on the mission that we sometimes forget Jesus’ greatest
commandment. We are to love Him first, then others, as we love ourselves. Yes, we have a commission
to accomplish but this how should govern the way we go after it. I Corinthians 13:2 says, “if I have all
faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”

A culture of honor is a community’s foundation of love that allows for purpose to truly be accomplished.
It’s that which allows us to produce fruit that remains. It is the vehicle of family and concern for each
member that provides the ability for a community to sustain God encounters and blessing. We should all
consider whether our how of love and honor is consistently backing up our what & why of purpose and
destiny.

Jon Cole