Community | Evaluation vs. Encouragement

Our culture has grown increasingly intolerant of judgmental attitudes. Still, there seems to be no escaping evaluation. From the report card at school and the performance review at work, to the number of friends, followers, and likes on social media, to the rating a business, employer, restaurant or movie gets online, we're quick to rate, rank, critique and cancel just about everything and everyone. And sadly, it's often worse in the church. Whether in the name of "holding people accountable" or "defending the faith", we act as judge, jury, and executioner with each other, creating congregations of claustrophobic conformity rather than safe spaces of wide welcome. But what if a Jesus-centred community could put an end to all this evaluation and, instead, be energized by each other, embracing encouragement as the bullseye of community?