Which Way Are We Going?
Unity.
The primary responsibility of the leaders of the Church is to bring all believers first to the unity of the faith. No one can mature as a Christian believer until they are equipped to live out in unity with other believers. Yet, I see far more division in the American Church than I do unity.
There are, according to polls, 200 Christian denominations in America. Not to mention all the “non-denominational” churches who are essentially denominations unto themselves. Let’s just call it what it really is, 200 or more divisions of the American Church. Everyone separated according to theological differences so that they can comfortably gather together with other like minded individuals. You still believe in speaking in tongues? You go with this group over here. You believe in once saved always saved? You’ll feel right at home with this group. It feels good to us but it’s not entirely biblical to be divided like this.
If those who are called by God to lead the Church are not actually leading us towards the unity of the faith, then where are they leading us? They may be equipping the saints and building people up for the work of ministry. They might be getting that much right. I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on that but as we all work in ministry it is supposed to naturally lead into unity. Many of us are equipped and built up and working but we continue to be divided. In fact we are encouraged to separate from those who don’t completely fall in line with what we are doing and how we are doing it.
So, if not unity, then what?
It took me a while but I have come to the conclusion that we are all being led toward one thing:
Uniformity.
Now those two words (unity and uniformity) look and sound similar but they mean far different things.
Unity essentially means “agreement or consensus”.
Uniformity basically means to look similar or the same.
If we are being led to live in unity that means we will be working to come to a consensus and/or agreement about what we believe and what we are supposed to be doing. This doesn’t mean we will agree on every single issue. Sometimes we will need to agree to disagree. Or perhaps be understanding that some of us will do this particular job while others do a different one. That’s okay. We can still love and support one another!
Unity requires that we come to terms with the fact that we are all DIFFERENT parts of the same body. Because of that we have to cooperate and compliment each other. The hands can do their work independently of the feet. The beauty lies in the ways those who are different love each other regardless. Neither exercising control over the other but both understanding that they are still connected and working towards the same ultimate goal.
Uniformity demands that we all look the same, act the same, and believe the same. There can be no differences in action or opinion because that destroys the uniformity of the group. So if you look or think differently you must be rejected and ostracized.
Unity celebrates differences.
Uniformity rejects anything different.
Unity works when the parts of the body compliment each other. The feet do what feet do and hands do what hands do. Neither is in charge of the other. They are all submitted to the head of the body which is Jesus.
Uniformity demands that the feet try as hard as they can to look like hands. Which will be a never ending process of trying and failing to be what they are not.
I have seen documentary videos of people who have lost both of their arms or perhaps they were born without them. It’s incredible to see how they are able to adapt to live independently by using their feet in ways most of us will never have to. It’s a testament to their courage and strength. It’s also a vivid picture of what we have done to the American church.
You see we have voluntarily amputated parts of the body that were unable to force themselves to look like us. In doing so we have forced the feet to do things that should be done by the hands. All because a foot came to be in charge.
It’s like the body started running and a foot realized that the hands weren’t on the ground supporting the body the same way they were. So the foot demanded they conform. The hands agreed because we should all be the same and so the body started trying to run on all fours. But that’s not how the body was designed. So the feet got mad at the hands and declared that they were just slowing the body down because they wouldn’t get it right. All the other body parts agreed that they were able to move faster and more comfortably before the hands tried to be like the feet. However, instead of going back to letting the hands be hands, the decision was made to cut them off because they were different and refused to submit fully to being feet.
Or perhaps the hands voluntarily decided to no longer be a part of the body because of how hurt they had become trying to be feet. They had become bruised and torn trying to do things that they were never designed to do and so they simply cut themselves off.
This is what uniformity has done to the American Church.
The saddest part of it all is that after all the cutting and division none of the parts are connected to the head anymore.
Jesus is no where to be found in the temples of the feet or the halls of the hands.
Sure, there are some good things being done by some of the parts of the body. But none of it is being done to its fullest. How could it? A foot can only move so fast when it’s dragging itself along by its toes. And a hand can only reach so far when it is no longer attached to the end of an arm.
The American Church desperately needs Godly leaders to rise up and begin to lead us back to the Unity of the faith because the uniformity is killing us.
We have become a bunch of disconnected body parts, each building it’s own tiny kingdom and declaring the other parts heretics. We compare ourselves to the body part down the street and pat ourselves on the back because we are getting it right and they aren’t.
Instead of complimenting each other as parts of the same body we compete against each other. Oh, that finger over there started a food pantry? Well, us toes need to get going and start serving hot food once a week.
All in the name of increased attendance and finances.
Because that proves that God is with us.
I have a lot of thoughts and ideas about how we got to the point that the only two indicators of God’s blessing on a “church” were how many people came and how much money they gave. Maybe I’ll go into that in another post but for now I just want to say how utterly destructive that kind of thinking is. You can justify a lot of hurt and pain behind a full sanctuary and money in the bank.
The truth is I have done that myself. Oh, we hurt someone’s feelings? But look at the fruit! Attendance is up and more money came in than any other month this year! Too bad they got hurt. I guess they just couldn’t handle the anointing we carry.
Yes, I have said those very words in order to dismiss criticism.
God forgive me for any part I ever played in denying someone’s hurt because I was caught up in chasing after what I thought was Your blessing!
Also, if I ever hurt any of you reading this blog. I ask for your forgiveness. I was wrong and I apologize.
The Bible tells us that one day Jesus will come back for His bride (the Church) and it will be without spot wrinkle or blemish. I hope it comes to pass. I believe it will. That one day the body will be stitched back together by the power of Holy Spirit. Living and breathing. All the parts fully alive in unity of faith.
We are a long way from there right now.
Pieces of the body lying in the dirt satisfied to be separated because they don’t look alike.
But one day, the outcasts will be gathered.
The bride will stand.
Lord Jesus will come.
Until then, let us pray…
Comments
Post a Comment