Loving Your Community: Stephen Viars
When it comes to loving their communities, churches can get a bad rap for saying no until they have to say yes. But three decades as a pastor have made author Stephen Viars reconsider: Their church longs to move into indispensable roles that wrap arms around the entire community. Grab ideas to live in can't-miss ways in your own zipcode.
It's, “Go love your neighbor where they are right now. Go find a need and then just see how you can meet that need together, wherever they are.” Then, often, they're going to ask, “Why do you love me like that?” In fact, we want our neighbors to constantly have reason to ask; “Why did you do that for us?” “Well, because we love you.” -- Stephen Viars
Show Notes
About the Host
About the Guest
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- Connect with Stephen's church ministry at www.faithlafayette.org and stay connected at biblicalcounselingcoalition.org
- And grab his book, Loving Your Community: Proven Practices for Community-Based Outreach Ministry
- Check out our mentoring course: Compassionate Mentoring: How to Listen and Love Like Jesus
- FamilyLife Equip | Find resources to lead others, open doors in your community, and build fulfilling connections
- Check out the Hartford Hub
- Check out more of Stephen's podcast on the FamilyLife Podcast Network
- Find resources from this podcast at shop.familylife.com.
- See resources from our past podcasts.
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Dave and Ann Wilson
Dave and Ann Wilson are hosts of FamilyLife Today®, FamilyLife’s nationally-syndicated radio program. Dave and Ann have been married for more than 38 years and have spent the last 33 teaching and mentoring couples and parents across the country. They have been featured speakers at FamilyLife’s Weekend to Remember® marriage getaway since 1993 and have also hosted their own marriage conferences across the country. Cofounders of Kensington Church—a national, multicampus church that hosts more than 14,000 visitors every weekend—the Wilsons are the creative force behind DVD teaching series Rock Your Marriage and The Survival Guide To Parenting, as well as authors of the recently released book Vertical Marriage (Zondervan, 2019). Dave is a graduate of the International School of Theology, where he received a Master of Divinity degree. A Ball State University Hall of Fame quarterback, Dave served the Detroit Lions as chaplain for 33 years. Ann attended the University of Kentucky. She has been active alongside Dave in ministry as a speaker, writer, small-group leader, and mentor to countless wives of professional athletes. The Wilsons live in the Detroit area. They have three grown sons, CJ, Austin, and Cody, three daughters-in-law, and a growing number of grandchildren.
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Stephen Viars
Dr. Steve Viars has served at Faith Church in Lafayette, IN since 1987. Pastor Viars leads and equips Faith Church as Senior Pastor with a focus on preaching and teaching God’s Word and using his organizational skills in guiding the implementation of the Faith Church mission and vision. He oversees the staff, deacons, and all Faith Church ministries. Dr. Viars serves on the boards of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors, Biblical Counseling Coalition, Vision of Hope, and the Faith...more
Pastor Stephen Viars’ church chooses indispensable roles to wrap arms around the whole community. Grab irresistible ways to love people in your own zipcode.