Protecting Unity

As I write this post, our church is unified.  While we are certainly not perfect, I am not aware of destructive dissension within the leadership or membership of Anderson Mill.  I say this because I do not want these words to be taken as reactive.  They are not.  I am not reacting to disunity of any kind.  I am, however, attempting to protect the unity we have by sharing some questions the Lord has laid upon my heart.

Authentic unity is sweet.  It encourages both the body of Christ and the individual Christians who form the body.  It protects young believers growing in their faith.  Additionally, it helps mature believers maintain their focus on the Kingdom of Christ.  Most importantly, it attracts those who do not know Christ.  They are drawn to people who genuinely love each other and display harmony and camaraderie in their walk with the Lord.  Needless to say, unity is of great value.  Therefore, unity is worth protecting.

But how does one believer protect the unity of an entire congregation?  One might be tempted to say that this is impossible.  No one person can unify a church…right?  Wrong!  Actually, the only way a congregation remains unified is through the shared responsibility of each member to protect the unity of the gospel.  God has not given any of us the ability to make decisions for others.  He has, however, given us the ability and strength to monitor our own thoughts, motivations, words, and actions in such a way to always encourage unity.  I have found that most believers do not wake up on any given day intent on damaging the unity of a church.  In fact, I have come to believe that many Christians are used by Satan to chip away at the unity of a congregation without ever realizing the negative impact their lives are having.  So how can we all make sure our lives are building unity and not destroying it?  The obvious first answer centers on our personal walk with the Lord.  Each of us must seek Him daily, deal honestly with our sin, and live by His Spirit which indwells us.  This is THE primary way we can edify and unify our church.

But what happens when we observe or experience something within our church family that unsettles us?  It could be a decision, conversation, or even feeling as though we have personally been mistreated.  What are we to do when something in our church has caused us to really struggle?  Short answer; we have to deal with it or it will continue to hurt us.  Ignoring a struggle, disagreement, or even hurt feelings is a sure fire way to destroy unity.  However, it is how we deal with it that has the potential to either make our church stronger or tear it apart.

There are many ways to respond to a struggle within the church or with an individual brother or sister in Christ.  We may be led to simply pray about it and leave it with the Lord.  God may also lead us to speak with the person we find ourselves at odds with.  Biblically, we may even feel strongly enough to involve another person or spiritual leader.  But how do we know which direction to take?  How do we put ourselves in the best possible position to follow the Holy Spirit’s leadership, protect the unity of the church, and handle the issue?

I think the answer to these difficult questions can be found when we force ourselves to ask the right questions before we do anything.  Below are 10 questions that I believe will help all of us if we commit to honestly ask them the next time we find ourselves in the situation I’ve described.  As a pastor, I felt led to share them with you.

10 Questions to Protect the Unity of

Anderson Mill

1. Is what I feel an opinion based on preference or a conviction based on Scripture?
2. Have I prayerfully examined my heart for any selfish motivations, preconceived prejudices, or unhealthy influences?
3. Did I gather all of the information I can about the issue in a Christ-like way?
4. Have I prayed for my brother or sister to examine his/her heart?
5. Have I considered and prayed about the best way to share my feelings while still preserving the unity of the church?
6. Have I sought counsel from other believers and/or my spiritual leaders separate from the issue/situation?
7. Am I controlling what I say, how I say it, and who I say it to, in order to walk the fine line between gossiping and sharing my feelings?
8. Have I given the Lord time to work in response to my prayers?
9. Before I act, am I convinced that if I do not act the church could suffer?
10. Have I ever stopped showing love?

Romans 15:5-6

5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.(NIV)

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Christ Centered Families

Preacher, is it wrong to drink?

I count it an honor to share with other congregations and groups from the Word of God.  I am by no means a widely sought after speaker.  In fact, the most rewarding preaching I do is to my people each and every week.  However, each year I am blessed with multiple opportunities to preach and teach men’s retreats, revivals, campus crusade worship services, Bible studies, and other venues.  The attendance of a particular event or the compensation I will receive are not factors I consider when approached about an opportunity.

If you are interested in allowing me to partner with you in an upcoming event or service please contact my assistant Daisy at 864.208.2088 or by daisy@amrbc.org.

Eventually this page will be filled with many books, articles, and resources.  But to begin with I’ve decide to simply offer one book at time with a brief description of my impression of the book and why I believe it worth reading.

I have heard Baucham preach but my wife actually put me on to this book.  It has proven to be a valuable resource for a series of Sunday lessons I recently taught entitled Christ Centered Families.