The Need for Unity

I just left a conversation with an old friend from our Bible college days. We were talking about so many different things – life, ministry, theology, etc. It is absolutely amazing to me how faith unites people. We haven’t seen this friend for years, and yet, the last few times we’ve seen her, it’s been like we’ve been talking regularly for decades. That is the power of a faith community.

It makes me think of the faith community that we enjoy our city and region. So many times through the years there have been opportunities for the congregations to unite together for a common purpose. I can think of evangelistic events, youth outreaches, school assemblies, and more recently, our community services (a gathering of congregations from about ten different churches who close their doors on a certain Sunday to join together at the county fairgrounds to worship together). What a treasure. It really is something that needs to be developed where it doesn’t exist, and it needs to be guarded and tended where it does exist.

I think of the men and women I’ve worked alongside in ministry (some of whom were here before I ever got the area) who have shown me the value of such unity. I think of men like Curt, Frank, Mike, Lyle, Pat, Terry, Donna, Rick, Dianne, and Jed. What treasures! I am so thankful for their investment in our communities, and their prodding of me to join them.

Don’t get me wrong. Theology is important. And our differences in theology affect our worship in many ways. However, when the essentials (e.g., The Bible is the Word of God; Jesus is the Son of God; Jesus is the only way to heaven; a person must be born again to inherit eternal life) are in place, we should not let other differences divide us. In fact, our friend made a statement that really struck me. She explained that no one has all of their theology right. Everyone has something(s) that are wrong in their belief system(s). If one group has it all correct, then they are guilty of idolatry. They’ve created a God that they have completely figured out. They’ve fashioned a god in their own image.

That’s why unity is so important. The enemy knows that if he can divide us and keep us separated, we will be fragmented. We will spend our time fighting each other, rather than fighting him. When we fight each other we fragment the God’s kingdom. When we unite, we build God’s kingdom. Jesus said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart.” (Matthew 12:25 NLT)

We need to fight for unity.