Michael over at Missionsblog.com has had some interesting posts as of late called “11 Things That will Make Everyone Dislike you and Shipwreck your Faith.” They were some great thoughts that really expose horrible attitudes and ideas that find a way to creep into our christian lives if we aren’t careful. Everyone, including myself, probably has been guilty of one or many of those attitudes, mostly springing out of insecurity, pride, self-righteousness, or bitterness. Praise the Lord He is such a good and patient shepherd that He leads us towards Him and His ways!

In response, I decided to type up the reverse reality - the 11 things TO DO (instead of 11 things not to do) to advance, not shipwreck your faith. Michael and Justin had talked about this already, but I thought I’d throw my two cents in as well, as follows:
1) Listen to what Jesus says and when you share it, don’t just share the words themselves, but in the heart of compassion and the spirit of truth that He does. When others share and you don’t understand, take it before the Lord before you say something - if you do at all.

2) Pursue the Lord with all your heart, and be authentic about the areas of your heart the Lord is redeeming and setting you free from, even if they are the “small issues”. Let your passion for purity, overwhelming kindness, and radical love drive people to their knees.

3) If something bad is happening to someone else, pray for them. If something bad is happening in your life, ask some people to pray for you that you may endure with patience and obedience.

4) If you disagree with anything someone says, approach them about it personally before labeling them publically, for you may have misunderstood them. Or at the least, talk to other brothers you respect privately about the teaching, omitting the persons’ name, so that they may give you objective counsel. Pray for them and ask God to bless them, don’t attack them.

5) Don’t focus on what’s wrong about everything as much as you focus on what’s right about Jesus and His ways. People need to know who Jesus is more than they need to know what is wrong. The greatest way for people to spot the counterfeit is to dynamically know the truth.

6) Don’t judge your life by what you are and aren’t doing. Judge your life on who you are and aren’t being - namely, how close you are to being like Jesus. Let your hope in Jesus’ good and pure desire for you and His great love motivate you towards a Christ-likeness that beams.

7) Preach the Bible verses Jesus tells you to preach, no matter if they are popular or not. Do not fear man, but don’t think that yelling at people means you fear God. Fear God by bringing His words AS WELL AS His heart to people. Tremble before His Word that you might be found faithful in bringing His words by His Spirit and not your own.

Watch the person with the most kindness, humility, and meekness. Listen to their words of wisdom, though they may be few. Spend time with that person, and follow them as they follow Christ, even if they were born-again yesterday.

9) Be authentic about your life before God and man - it will bring freedom to others to do the same. If the Lord calls you to call out sin - then do so as He would - call it out in truth and then urge people towards the open-armed Christ who is ready to forgive, redeem, and heal at that very moment.

10) If you are “shepherding” people to follow Christ - learn from the Good Shepherd Himself. Watch His patient, careful, and gracious leadership over your own life and let that be your model - not the models of other men. Read Psalm 23 and let your preaching and leadership follow.

11) Preach the coming of Christ as victor over death, sin, and the human heart. Preach it in such anointing and passion that it breeds sincere hope. “He who has this hope (that when we see Him, we shall be like Him) therefore purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3)

(these were in direct counter response to the second set of 11 mentioned at missionsblog.com)