The Unity of the Church
“I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is overall and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:1-4)
Kingdom mentality — what does it mean? If you are a church leader, then this means you don’t own the church. God does! If you are a ministry leader, then whatever God wants to do with your ministry, you welcome it. If you are a church goer, then it doesn’t matter what church you go to. Wherever God leads you to go, it’s the same church. Why? In this passage, Paul reminds the church at Ephesus that there is only one God that we serve, one spirit that He gave us, one identity in which we all got as believers through baptism, and one church that Jesus established.
Sadly, many churches today are all about their own agenda. They don’t care what happens to other churches as long as they’re fine. They don’t want to participate in events where they are not recognized. They are like modern day Pharisees who want everyone to regard them as higher than everybody else. Perhaps these churches I am describing are the ones that Paul had in his mind while he was writing these words.
I like how Craig Groeschel, pastor of Life Church, the 4th biggest church in America, puts it: “I am ashamed to call myself a mega church. I am MEGA compared to other Christian churches but when I see the billions of people who have yet to know the Lord, I remember that I have barely scratched the surface yet.”
Rather than competing against each other, our churches can work together and focus on the work that God has in store for us
PRAYER
Lord, may we all be united as one body, remembering that this is not our church but Yours. May the churches be able to work together as one because indeed there is just one church. May we just have one agenda and may we your people be humble and gentle so that we can all serve in unity.
APPLICATION
Start seeing each church as Jesus church.