Poly said:
Vote on what name we should give the nicey "God is love", "don't judge", "love the sinner, hate the sin" type Christians? Feel free to give your own suggestions.
I did not vote on this one, mainly because I am one who believes that loving the sinner, and hating the sin (thus being able to establish relationship) is the only way to win the sinning people to Christ.
Look back at your own walk; what were you like before someone loved you enough to tell you about Christ? I am geussing someone off the street didn't just walk up to you and start thumping the bible in your face, but rather that someone is someone who knew you well enough to know that you needed reconciliation; and yet, before you accepted it, they still loved you. The key to ministry is relationship; if you don't have love in a relaltionship (regardless of where the person currently stands) you won't get anywhere in that ministry...
I DO NOT consider myself a wimp of any sort, just because I choose to love the kids in my youth group who don't know Jesus-but when I know they are ready, I tell it to them straight; that they need that 'something else' they are missing in their lives (Jesus).
Christ hung out with the sinners of his time; he loved them, and he offered them redemption ('hating the sin'); we are to do the same.