Love,
     Acceptance,
            Forgiveness

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"Though I speak with the
tongues of men and of angels,
but have not love,
I have become as sounding
brass or a clanging cymbal.
Love suffers long and is kind;
Love does not envy;
Love does not parade itself,
Is not puffed up;
Does not behave rudely,
Does not seek its own,
Is not provoked,
Thinks no evil;
Does not rejoice in iniquity,
But rejoices in the truth;
Bears all things,
Believes all things,
Hopes all things,
Endures all things.
Love never fails."
I Corinthians 13:1-8a NKJV








"For if you forgive men
     their trespasses,
     your heavenly Father
     will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive
     men their trespasses,
     neither will your Father
     forgive your trespasses."
     Matthew 6:14-15 NKJV






•  Love . . .
The quality of love we desire to give is God's agape - to love God and one another unconditionally - just as God, the Father, loves us.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life.
For God did not send His Son into the world
to condemn the world, but that the world
through Him might be saved."
John 3:16-17 NKJV
•  Acceptance . . .
We accept one another just as we are - committed. Christian or backslider, unbeliever, sober or stoned, clean or dirty, reverent or obnoxious. Anyone desiring freedom from addiction and self-centered behavior is welcomed into The Most Excellent Way by the grace and love of God.

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand,
'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
for I was hungry and you gave Me food;
I was thirsty and you gave Me drink;
I was a stranger and you took Me in;
I was naked and you clothed Me;
I was sick and you visited Me;
I was in prison and you came to Me.'
"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying,
'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You,
or thirsty and give You drink?
When did we see You a stranger and take You in,
or naked and clothe You?
Or when did we see You sick,
or in prison, and come to You?'
"And the King will answer and say to them,
'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to
one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me."
Matthew 25:34-41 NKJV
•  Forgiveness . . .
Our addictions and self-centeredness have separated us from God and destroyed our relationships with loved ones. We learn the truth about God's forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ.

We learn why we must forgive others.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
1 John 1:9 NIV

In 1986, when “The Most Excellent Way” was experiencing its beginnings as a ministry to the chemically dependent, we providentially read “LOVE, ACCEPTANCE & FORGIVENESS” by Pastor Jerry Cook.  Implementing the principles of love, acceptance and forgiveness produced much fruit in our personal lives, and in the ministry.

“The Most Excellent Way” is not just another Christianized secular recovery program. Our calling is to live, demonstrate and teach Biblical principles with eternal consequences.  We pray that these excerpts from Pastor Cook's  book  will  encourage those of you who labor in ministering to the chemically dependent. 
~ Glenn Wright, Director

                                                                                
“When love, acceptance and forgiveness prevail, the Church of Jesus Christ becomes what Jesus was in the world:  a center of love designed for the healing of broken people and a force for God.” 
~ Pastor Jerry Cook

•  The Most Excellent Way . . .
. . .To be reconciled to God through Jesus, and to:
  • Grow in faith and the knowledge of Christ.
  • Understand the sin nature that leads to addiction and obsessive behavior.
  • Learn and apply Biblical principles for living joy-filled, productive lives.
  • Provide comfort and support to one another.
  • Confess our sins one to another.
  • Pray for one another.
  • Love one another:
Jesus said:
     "A new commandment I give to you,
          that you love one another; as I have loved you,
          that you also love one another.
     By this all will know that you are My disciples,
          if you have love for one another."
          John 13:34-35 NKJV