I grew up with Robert Young in my living room. As Jim Anderson on Father Knows Best, he was the perfect father figure on black and white television.

Jim Anderson starred as the ideal husband for his wife Margaret and the flawless father of teenage children Betty and Bud, and cute little tyke Kathy.

Fast forward thirty-plus years and he is the perfect grandfather in the 1987 made for television movie, A Conspiracy of Love, with Drew Barrymore and Elizabeth Wilson.

What I like most about the movie is the title.

Over my lifetime I notice conspiracy is an often used word. Most likely, the assignation of President John F. Kennedy fifty years ago brought the word conspiracy to my vocabulary.

However, outside of the Robert Young, Drew Barrymore film, conspiracy is not a word normally associated with love.

Recently, I heard it again on a newscast.

The speaker caught my attention.I heard him speak two years ago in Chicago during his tenure as mayor of Newark, New Jersey.  He spoke as a follower of Jesus. He spoke reminding the audience we are recipients of “a conspiracy of love.” His use of the phrase  caught my attention.

My very existence is rooted in a conspiracy of love that resulted in a cross.

Sitting in my recliner, again I hear Mayor Cory Booker—now a United States Senator—on national television this time advocating the need of a conspiracy of love in our country.

Here is what I think.

It occurs to me—like our nation—our churches need to be recepients of a group of conspirators.

Will you join me in a great conspiracy?

Can we join in a conspiracy of love within our churches?

Our purpose statement can come from Paul’s letter to a church in Corinth.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

Such a radical conspiracy of love might just usher unity into the church of Jesus.

Stay tuned.

Dr. Gary J. Sorrells

Gary@GodReflection.org