GOOD is a collaboration of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits pushing the world forward. Get involved.

GOOD is here to help people live well and do good.

Agape is Love

The Community Board > Forrest Kolb on July 27, 2009 at 2:24 pm PDT

Perhaps you first heard of Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith from The Secret which has been floating around for what seems like the past five years or so, although it didn't hit the mainstream until media giants Oprah and Larry King plugged it a few years later. I admit, that's where I first heard of The Rev and boy I'm glad I did as the genuine peace coming through his voice alone was enough for me to acquire his audio program called The Life Visioning Process. Over twenty-three years ago, Reverend Michael Beckwith had a vision and it was called Agape [ah-gah-pey, ah-guh-pey, ag-uh-]. Greek for unconditional love, agape was a fitting description for the foundation of the Agape International Spiritual Center and community which has grown to over 9,000 local members and 1,000,000 friends worldwide.According to their site AgapeLive.com, the founders “visioned” it as a movement that would take a stand for love, for peace and for being a beneficial presence on the planet. "Agape’s vision is fueled by the love of God, the One, indefinable yet unmistakable Presence whose vehicle on earth is the human heart and soul. My aspiration is that every individual who is touched by the vibration of Agape is inspired to cultivate a heart of love as wide as the world."

I have been attending Agape regularly on Wednesday evenings (meditation begins at 6:45pm) and for the Early Bird on Sunday mornings for the past five months. In a few words, I find myself describing both the staff and community of Agape as being diverse, trans-denominational, filled with love, truly open-minded, vibrant, inclusive, beautiful, musically-talented, connected, without ego, and last but certainly not least, NON-JUDGEMENTAL!!!

When I first discovered Agape, I did some research online and found some pejorative forum posts warning about the "cult in los angeles" and about how the community "worships" Rev. Beckwith like the Christ himself. Let me tell you right here and now, that those statements couldn't be further from the truth. Agape is about love, man! And I don't need to convince you of it, you are invited to go feel it out for yourself!

Dr. Beckwith's humility, genuinity and constant teachings reminds us that any good community ought to be simply about reminding us who we truly are, love. That's it!