Unity

Real unity is hard work. It comes from adopting a servant's attitude and speaking the truth in love. But normally, our relationships are so shallow that we cannot know if we have real unity. We maintain the Sunday morning facade rather than developing one heart and one mind. We must penetrate below surface issues and know each other at the heart level. Then we must work to expand what we agree on and minimize the areas of disagreement. We must be careful to work through conflicts and not avoid them. We must also hear each other out with sensitivity and affirmation, build agreement around the Scriptures, and not coerce one another. We are called to work together as one Body. We consider the welfare of the whole mission as more important than our own. We do what is needed regardless of our gifting or ability. As individuals we have not succeeded until the whole team has succeeded. We support the whole team and our leaders.

Scripture: Philippians 2; John 17:20-23; Psalm 133; Ephesians 4; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Romans 12; 1 John 3-4; 1 Peter 1:22-25