United I Stand
The week ending today was designated as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity by the World Council of Churches. This past Sunday, as part of a local ministerial pulpit exchange as a response to this international ecumenical effort, I preached the sermon at two local United Churches. Theirs is a double charge, meaning that one pastor leads both congregations. It was a new experience for me, preaching the same sermon twice in one day, but I think it went alright. The theme of the Sunday was "No Other Foundation," using the text from 1 Corinthians 3:1-13a. Here is an excerpt from that sermon:

  "Let’s look again at the church as a family. I use my family as a metaphor, but I know that your family situations are likely very similar to mine. Time and growth have very similar impacts on the church as it has on all of our families.
  In my family, we would have squabbles when I was younger, and we still have some squabbles when we get together now. As much as we try in our various Christian circles, there still isn’t absolute agreement on things, and after centuries of doctrinal differences, we are more likely to disagree than ever. While we still disagree, we still hold core issues in common, and unlike in the Reformation, we are able to live peaceably beside each other. We also need to continue to do so.
  My one sister lives too far away, so she couldn’t afford to come home this year. Sometimes, churches work together, while there are other churches that are unable and maybe unwilling to participate. We cannot let these separations become permanent, and we must ensure that there is reconciliation when certain people or groups feel isolated, socially or theologically.
  Over the years, some of my siblings have gotten married and have had children, so it’s not the same family it used to be, there are different people in the house than there used to be. Internationally, as a result of mission work, churches are strong and growing in many different parts of Africa, Asia and South America, giving the global church a different look than it has ever had. The Holy Spirit is alive in these churches, and they are experiencing rapid growth and powerful spiritual renewal. We need to see these Christians in other parts of the world as equals in the body, and we need to open ourselves up to learn from them. They can teach us how to be more open to the Holy Spirit, and also how to hold strong to their faith in trying and difficult circumstances.
  In my family, many of us have traveled to different places and have seen and heard different things, so we don’t agree on things as much as we did then. We live in an ever-changing world, so different churches find different ways of adapting to their surroundings. Some try to embrace the culture and use it as a tool for outreach, while other churches stick to traditional methods of practicing their faith. We need to keep each other accountable, to make sure that one is not being too rigid, and that the other is not being too soft.
  My family gathers at Christmas in a building that is no longer home to many of us. One thing that we know has changed is the role of church in our society. Not long ago, 80-90% of the local population attended church regularly, that proportion is now likely half of that, if not lower. Government and community institutions no longer run as church based initiatives. We are not the majority voice anymore. However, this does not mean that we should go around complaining that nobody cares about church anymore, what it means is that we, as followers of Jesus Christ need to show people that church, and worshipping God is worthwhile. If we are ourselves divided, and we cannot even show love to each other, how well will we be able to show love to the outside world, and how well will Christ’s light shine through us.
  Despite all of these differences, and the hassles of getting together at the holidays, we enjoy gathering together as a family, and regret that it only happens roughly once a year. No matter how far away we travel, no matter how differently we see each other, there something inside of us that we cannot deny, that we are family. As long as we, in our different churches claim Jesus Christ as Lord, then we also cannot deny that we too are a part of the same body. We must see ourselves as one body by loving each other as equals. We must show ourselves as being one body by presenting one front to the world."

   [ posted by William @ 5:45 PM ]