How Can the Local Church Find Greater Strength in Unity?
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“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me — so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:22-23).
Unity in the church is a central theme in the New Testament. It is a clear reflection of God’s desire for His Church to work together in harmony for His glory. It’s an important enough topic that Jesus mentioned it twice in John 17, what has been called the Priestly Prayer. It is Jesus’ prayer for us, those who choose to follow Him. And this all comes just prior to His crucifixion.
It was important enough that in His prayer, Jesus mentioned unity not once, but twice:
“I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11).
But the message can be found throughout the New Testament. Scripture encourages us to maintain unity by loving one another and by being of one mind in Christ. We are called to function as one body with many members. Each has a different role, but each member contributes to the greater good, where the ultimate desire is to build the community of faith.
Can Christians Come Together?
And yet, Christians are capable of being ugly, and they can display ugly divisions among each other. That lack of unity is all too obvious in the eyes of a non-believing public.
As it stands, the division amongst us gives cause to the unbelievers, who look at a disparate group of people and think “they can’t even agree amongst themselves!” It has been reported that there are some 200 different Christian denominations in the U.S. alone, and worldwide there may be as many as a staggering 45,000.
I think we would all agree that unity in the Church is absolutely essential in the message of the Gospel and the glorification of God. Unity that faith in Christ brings us exhibits the love of Christ here on earth, demonstrates the truth of who Jesus really is, and displays the impact He has on our lives.
We have all witnessed how often that does not happen. Yet many have witnessed that it can happen. One needs only to visit a disaster area to see local churches coming together, working together, in Jesus’ name, toward helping those in great need. Denominational differences? Set aside as greater priorities take their place. Theological divisions? No longer important in light of a much greater and more critical need.
But how can we mirror that response before disaster strikes? How can we emulate that cooperation among God’s people when times are good? How can we come together as one body and conduct ourselves as called by Jesus?
What Stands in the Way?
“For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not mere human beings?” (1 Corinthians 1:4).
Tensions and strains between believers – whether in diversity of beliefs or practices – has been a fact of Christian life since the New Testament days. And clearly, it remains with us even today. There are multiple reasons for this disunity, all related to us being “mere human beings.” But let us not overlook the role of the enemy – Satan – who opposes unity and will do all he can to throw up walls and roadblocks.
Denominational Differences: We once visited a denominational church with some friends. When it came time for communion, the pastor announced that only those who were part of their denomination were welcomed to participate – and not just their denomination, but their particular sub-denomination. This is neither biblical nor encouraging unity among believers.
Ethnic and Cultural Differences: We are all aware of such differences, and if we are honest, we struggle to know how to overcome them. Maybe some can’t be overcome due to being raised in different cultures.
Legalism: Too much truth and not enough grace. A great many churches – too many – value doctrine over love or unity. Often, they are so married to their doctrine, they consider anyone who does not agree with them to be outside of “true” Christianity.
Political Correctness or Public Opinion: Regardless of their stance on a hot-button topic, these folks are not likely to buy into the true message of the gospel. They are more focused on their political beliefs than bridging any divides.
Selfish Desires and Personal Ambitions: Some value their own programs and events and choose to stand on their own because “they don’t need other churches.” I personally experienced this as I tried to bring churches together to support a national organization that was hosting a major event in our state designed to bring people to Christ. I can’t count the number of churches who were not interested in participating – including one who simply said, “No thank you. We’re doing our own thing here.”
Butts-in-Seats Syndrome: Be it pastors or church leaders, many don’t want to risk losing attendees to other local churches. And if we’re honest, too many churches simply try to attract believers from other churches. You may be able to walk in and no one knows your name; if you miss church three or four weeks in a row – you won’t be missed.
And yet, we are called to overcome these challenges. Paul instructs us to intentionally pursue “…unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).
The thing is, Jesus not only prayed for unity, in His prayer He said why unity was important. Jesus asked that all believers may be one – that all may be in the Father and the Son. “May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21).
Christian unity is vital to help people believe that God sent Jesus to the world. Thus, the bottom line is God’s glory – not our own and not that of any local church. We need to speak with one voice glorifying Him.
Can we even imagine a better reason?
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26-28).
In Essentials, Unity
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body — whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many” (1 Corinthians 12:12-14).
“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity.” This quote, often attributed to Augustine, was actually from a Lutheran theologian from the 17th century. Some have called this phrase the “watchword of Christian peacemakers.” It is the cornerstone of how we come together as a union of saints. We must be willing to open our eyes to the fact that those of us united by faith in Christ are also united to one another as one body: the body of Christ.
Different local Christian communities are only natural. Knowing this, Scripture teaches that we are a living body – many members, each with its own particular characteristics. Each from a different background but working together in unity with one goal: to display the power of the gospel message and the message of salvation it brings to a lost and broken world.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul taught that we are to, “Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters” (Romans 14:1). Paul went on to say that one person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but one whose faith is weak may not agree. Today that might mean one of those believers is pointing a finger at the other screaming “heretic.” And yet, we are to view each other with love.
But how far does that go? After all, we can find doctrinal differences in even baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Do we continue to denounce and despise all who fall short of our standards of Christianity? Should we lock ourselves up into very tiny groups with absolute agreement on morals and doctrine, while separating ourselves from anyone who does not resolve to adopt those? How far do we take our own doctrines and where do we set them aside for the sake of unity? Do we give things up for the sake of unity?
Paul answers that question – at least as it relates to doctrines and practices:
“The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand” (Romans 14:2-4).
In other words, let the first thing be the first thing.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
Baby Steps Can Become Giant Leaps
“And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:14).
G.K. Chesterton famously said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.” Perhaps there are baby steps your local community churches can try to take steps toward unity in the Church.
These can include things like quarterly pastoral accountability meetings. Pastors helping pastors can build strong relationships in Christ. Leaders can pursue unity by working to develop plans to bring people to Christ. As we work together, we will not only gain converts, but true disciples.
Local churches can also form a single service group to help those in need. Teams of volunteers representing all area churches can help people throughout the community, putting unity on full display. This help can be offered to single parents, the elderly, or those dealing with sickness or loss. Unified service groups can better offer financial care or emergency planning operations.
Finally, something as simple as a picnic or other fellowship opportunity is a great way to bring the local Christian community together. (Personally, I’d be terrible at planning this one. But you get the idea.)
Above all things, we are asked to put on love for others. This means loving others not just emotionally, but with action and behavior too. It means taking steps to help where and when we can. It means taking steps with other believers, despite the differences you might have. Indeed, those differences pale when it comes to the message of the gospel – both in word and actions.
Unity for the Sake of Unity?
Just one note of caution: this does not mean unity for the simple sake of unity. We cannot ignore when one group calls themselves disciples of Christ yet ignores or celebrates what Christ and the Bible calls sin. Paul made this quite clear in 1 Corinthians 6:5.
Yes, Christian unity among the churches is a virtue worth striving for, but there are some things that should in fact limit unity. We do clearly see today non-Christian beliefs such as celebration of sexual immorality, the so-called prosperity gospel, universalism, and others.
Let us embrace the message of salvation that unites us all, and let us unite with others that celebrate that salvation. The unity we have is through the Spirit of Truth uniting us into one body – the Church. His body. Let us remember the first thing:
“When you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus” (Ephesians 4:21).
Strength in Diversity
Yes, the Church today is incredibly diverse. We come from different backgrounds, cultures, ages, races, you name it. And no, we are not perfect as the Lord continues to sanctify us in this world. There will always be a need for people of such diversity that will result in the formation of different denominations and groups. And therein lies our strength.
We do not need to let those differences come between us. We can embrace the very differences that we are so willing to let separate us. Let us find strength in each other and take that strength to deliver our message of love, of salvation, of freedom, of hope, mercy, and grace – to a lost and broken world. Together. As one Church. One communion of saints.
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:5-6).
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Greg doesn’t pretend to be a pastor, a theologian, or a Bible expert, but offers the perspective of an everyday guy on the same journey as everyone else – in pursuit of truth.
Greg can be reached by email or on Facebook @ Greg Grandchamp - Author.