Move Over ‘Nice’—It’s Time for Kindness, a new ChurchNext course on the fruit of the Spirit

Kindness can seem like one of Christianity’s simpler virtues. Yet Christian kindness asks considerably more of us than being nice, having good manners, or exhibiting pleasant behavior. Kindness calls us to a way of life shaped by compassion, generosity, mercy, and concern for our neighbors.

Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness, a new online course from ChurchNext, explores what it means to cultivate kindness as part of the Christian life. Taught by the Very Rev. Julia McCray-Goldsmith, who is the retired dean of the Episcopal Cathedral in San Jose, California, the course invites participants to consider what kindness looks like in practice—and how the Holy Spirit can shape the ways Christians see, speak to, and respond to other people.

The subject may be especially timely in a culture frequently marked by polarization, anger, and quick judgment. Kindness offers another way: not avoiding difficult truths or disagreements, but encountering others with the generosity and dignity at the heart of Christian love.

The course also encourages participants to examine kindness in their own lives. When does kindness come easily? When is it difficult? What gets in the way? And what might change—in our relationships, churches, and communities—if kindness became not simply an occasional act but a habit of the heart?

Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness is part of a series on the Fruit of the Spirit.

Interested in other ways to deepen your faith? ChurchNext features a library of more than 500+ online Christian formation courses designed for individuals and congregations. ChurchNext courses are available online and can be taken individually or used to encourage conversation and formation in groups.