Unity in Christ
“We are your church, and we need your power in us.” ~Rend Collective, lyrics from “Build Your Kingdom Here”
Sometimes it’s difficult to separate the concept of church from the idea of a building. But the church is not a building; the church is people. The early church didn’t have a designated building. Believers gathered together wherever they could to worship, pray, and fellowship. Church was where the people were.
Mention the word church to people today, however, and it seems to evoke images of a building—large or small, wood or brick structures, some with steeples standing tall. As beautiful as church buildings can be, they are just that: buildings.
Today’s church is like the early church. The church is where the people are, and Christians are flawed and imperfect people. People who like things their own way. People who can be selfish and rude. People who can be divisive. In addition, no group of people, Christians or not, is going to agree 100 percent of the time.
With all the shortcomings we have (see Romans 3:23), and with inevitable disagreements, how do Christians build a truly unified church?
We have to keep in mind our ultimate goal. Our whole purpose is to show Jesus to this world. When we filter our thoughts, actions, and words through the lens of Christ, we will achieve that purpose.
I’ve heard several great sermons on unity in the past few months. The common message in all of them was clear: Christians are to be unified in Christ. Everything we do should magnify and glorify the Lord, which means we need to become less.
The apostle Paul told the Philippians, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27 NIV).
Before we put the early church on a pedestal, we need to remember they were people just like us. Paul was writing to them to remind them of their purpose. Christians are supposed to be sharing the gospel truth and drawing people closer to Jesus.
The simple message of the gospel is this: Jesus came and died for all. The church should have no problem proclaiming that truth in a unified voice. The church has to extend beyond brick and mortar. We lament about the problems in our country and in the world, but what are we doing about it? We have to focus outward. We have to “conduct [ourselves] in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
If you’re a Christian, honestly examine your heart. How are you doing with this purpose? If you are not a Christian, what’s keeping you from following Jesus? If knowing imperfect Christians is the problem, please know that although Christians don’t have it all together, our Lord does. Other Christians will fail you at some time or another, but Jesus never will.
Dana Herndon is a writer and blogger as well as an elementary and middle school teacher. She and her husband live in Georgia with their three children. In addition to teaching and writing, Dana loves to read, watch Food Network and HGTV, follow politics, and paddleboard. She blogs at danaherndon.com.
