Articles from the Pastor

“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity” –Psalm 133:1 (NIV)

It shouldn’t come as a surprise when I state that we are living in a nation with many divisions. Our educational system is divided as secular humanism is being taught, the arts are losing their funding, and religion of any kind in the classroom is not allowed. There are cultural and ethnic divisions in many parts of the country as extremists serve up their menu of hostility and intolerance. Our own U. S. citizens have perpetrated terrorism (remember Oklahoma City?). Morality is not fashionable anymore as numerous couples decide to live together to make sure they are compatible before getting married. Then, families are divided. Divorce statistics are at an all time high. Gang activity is making inroads even into small communities. Kids say their parents don’t understand them, and many times they are correct! Suicide is the leading cause of death among teenagers. Unfortunately, the church is divided too. Many congregations see other congregations as competitors, instead of co-laborers. We also battle each other in the local congregation. There are worship wars, carpet clashes, doctrinal differences, and stubbornness struggles. To borrow a phrase from James the brother of Jesus, “My brethren, these things ought

not so to be (James 3: 10 KJV).

In the midst of cultural conflict, demonic division and the revolution against righteousness, the Church…the true Church ought to be united together in common purpose and love! In fact, regarding His followers Jesus prayed in His great high priestly prayer “…that they may be one” (John 17:21 NLT). Jesus went so far as to intone that the very gates of hell could not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18). But notice that He said CHURCH, not churches! Jesus came to found and build one church and the only way the church can be effective is if it is UNITED! We joyfully sing the Bill Gaither song: “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God” but then we either do our own thing or sometimes work against one another E. Stanley Jones once said, “Talk about what you believe and you have disunity. Talk about Who you believe and you have unity.” The Church must choose to emphasize the things that bring us together, rather then the things that pull us apart, remembering our unity is in Jesus Christ!!!

The Apostle Paul said, “We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all” (Ephesians 4: 4-6 NLT). During World War II, General Dwight D. Eisenhower was asked to be the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces. The Allies had not been winning up to that point because they lacked a united battle plan and a united commander. At a meeting of the leaders of the Allied Armies, Ike said, “It’s one team…or we lose!” If that was true of the Allied Armies, it is doubly true of the Church! If we don’t forsake our barriers and our petty differences and begin to work together like Jesus intended for us to, we’ll lose the world to the forces of evil and that would be tragic. We have a common goal: evangelizing the world and promoting the Church of God. We have a common enemy: Satan and the forces of evil. So, we must celebrate the family of God and work together for the cause of Christ because we can accomplish much more together than we can separately. Paul declared, “Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace” (Ephesians 4: 3 NLT). Christ calls us to that Unity of the Spirit. Our hope for this nation and the world is not in universal peace, it is in the solid rock of Christ!

    Praise Him for the family of God! We must celebrate that family. We must recapture that vision of doing something so big for God that if He isn’t in it, we’re going to fail! We must repent of divisiveness, jealousies and party spirits! Let us ignore the petty critics! Let us encourage one another with words that lead to peace and mutual edification! Let us fight the good fight of faith together! And let us accomplish the words of Christ when He prayed, “May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me” (John 17: 23 NLT). Let us speak the truth in love! Let us exalt Jesus Christ together! And as we do…God will be glorified, His Kingdom will be expanded and the Church of God will be encouraged.