37 Ways to Love One Another

A local church is not built by one man, or even a few men, but by every believer being actively involved in ministry through evangelizing the lost people in their lives and serving their fellow Christians. A quick glance at the practice of the New Testament church reveals that they thought very little about programs and very much about relationships.

Consider the disciple-making that would naturally take place in the life of a local church if every believer would practice the loving, one-another ministry that the early churches first read about in the instructions they received from the apostles:

1. Be devoted to one another (Rom. 12:10).
2. Give preference to one another (Rom. 12:10).
3. Be of the same mind toward one another (Rom. 12:16).
4. Accept one another by withholding judgment (Rom. 14:1).
5. Accept one another by showing deference (Rom. 14:1–5; 15:7).
6. Esteem [highly regard] one another in love (Rom. 14:5; Phil. 2:3).
7. Build up one another (Rom. 14:19; 1 Thes. 5:11).
8. Counsel one another (Rom. 15:14).
9. Serve one another by showing deference in matters of liberty (Gal. 5:13).
10. Bear one another’s sin burdens (Gal. 6:2).
11. Be gentle with one another (Eph. 4:2).
12. Be kind to one another so as to preserve unity (Eph. 4:32).
13. Speak truth to one another (Eph. 4:25; Col 3:9).
14. Submit to one another (Eph. 5:21).
15. Show compassion to one another (Col. 3:12).
16. Bear with the inherent sinfulness of one another (Col. 3:13).
17. Forgive one another (Col. 3:13).
18. Use Spirit-filled, Word-saturated music to teach and admonish one another (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19).
19. Comfort one another with the hope of Christ’s return (1 Thes. 4:18).
20. Encourage one another (1 Thes. 5:11).
21. Live in peace with one another (1 Thes. 5:13).
22. Seek good for one another (1 Thes. 5:15).
23. Encourage one another to forsake unbelief and hardness of heart (Heb. 3:13).
24. Stimulate one another to spiritual growth (Heb. 10:24).
25. Encourage one another by faithful participation in your local church (Heb. 10:25).
26. Confess sins to one another (James 5:16).
27. Pray for one another’s spiritual and physical healing (James 5:16).
28. Be long-suffering and patient toward one another (1 Peter 4:8; Eph. 4:2).
29. Be hospitable to one another without complaint (1 Peter 4:9).
30. Serve one another (1 Peter 4:10; Gal. 5:13).
31. Act in humility toward one another (1 Peter 5:5).
32. Show holy affection to one another (1 Peter 5:14).
33. Participate in the holy walk with one another (1 John 1:7).
34. Refuse to become resentful toward one another (1 John 3:11–12).
35. Give sacrificially to meet one another’s needs (1 John 3:16–17).
36. Fight fear together by growing in love (1 John 4:18).
37. Walk in truth together (1 John 3:18; 2 John 1:5).