Tuesday, July 14, 2009

UNITY

Let's talk unity.

How important is it? It is critically important. Every breach in unity costs time, energy, emotion and momentum. It takes a lot of work to achieve it and a lot of skill to maintain it.

We need theological unity. This means we'll agree on what we will and will not fight over -- our non-negotiables. By definition, there are way less non-negotiables than there are negotiables. We'll fight for the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as our sinless Lord who died in our place for our sins in order to save us from an eternal hell and grant us salvation by grace thru faith. We won't add rules to what's already in the Bible and we won't remove moral limits that are already there. And Hey! That's really about it. Maybe a few more - but not many.

We won't fight over 'correct' modes of children's education or methods of Christian counseling or modes of dress at church or political party affiliations or end times fine points or the age of the earth.

We need relational unity. We don't wear matching t-shirts or anything - and I'm not sure every person actually LIKES every other person - but it DOES mean that people love one another and demonstrate it with cordiality, respect, and kindness in their interpersonal interactions.

We need missional unity. At its deepest core, what is the church's objective? To seek and save what is lost - same as JESUS' mission - and to glorify God in all we say and do. Case closed.

We need philosophical unity. Two people might love God, but if one wants a high-church liturgy with the pastor wearing a to-the-floor-Jedi-style robe with a handbell choir in the background and another wants 'three chords for the Lord' and one chorus that lasts two hours, someone will likely get the right fist of fellowship. But to have unity, we need agreement about how things are done, preaching formats, church building furnishings, worship music styles, discipleship and outreach. Without this kind of unity, the church quickly divides into factions that criticize and destroy.

We're not perfect, but I'm so glad we have unity.

And be blessed.

5 comments:

Darren said...

right fist of fellowship...haha. i feel like unity at its core is christ-like love. and after all, that is how unbelievers will know us; by our love.
however, at what point do you sacrifice unity for vision? sometimes churches are unified in the wrong direction and need a bold leader to redirect the current.

anyway, i think you are doing a good job directing the current and delivering the 'right fist of fellowship' when necessary. :)

PK's BLOG said...

I think we often confuse unity (and love) with agreement. They're not the same. Unity is not UNIFORMITY - i.e., we all think and look and act and feel the same way. It IS some blend of CONFORMITY, however -- we're called to CONFORM in Scripture to the things Christ wants us conformed to and unity, in our setting, is being conformed to whatever the non-negotiables are. It is, quite frankly, at that very point that you are willing to sacrifice something in order to see the vision go forward.

Darren said...

i agree that unity does not equal uniformity. in fact i think you make an important distinction between 'unity' and 'uniform'. (this is probably why i lose any sort of word game i may be foolish enough with which to challenge you...well, that and ping pong) Unity is all about many different parts collectively making up one idea/thing/etc. Uniform is all about everything equal and the same.

i guess that explains why we are the united states, not the uniform states. :)

PK's BLOG said...

YES. And as the old "NON-CONFORMISTS PRAYER" begins: "Repeat after me ... " You get the point.

Mrs. M said...

Yes, but a church bell choir would be really cool! J/K PK! I love that the leaders care about KITH and that it is also being unified with big church!