Health in Unity, Strength in diversity

So with a day off, I have been doing some thinking (watch out, have about 6 posts almost ready to graduate from draft form). So, just as the counter party offers a response to state of the union, this is my Non-Papal Address...
"...that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light..."
I have come to believe that when a church begins to lack a vision for the fields, both local and abroad, that are ready for harvest, they begin to look only within themselves, at the local body, and atrophy, loading strength and ability to fulfill its calling.
I also believe that we have become way too sensitive with fellow believers. We would rather give up on one local body for another local body than accept our differences and celebrate them together. There are several spots on the spectrum of believers.  Some, it seems, are ready to "help" those that "look less spiritually mature" and it has driven some believers to find less challenging congregations.  Others it seems finds it easier to just seek absolute stability and unity, willing to sacrifice themselves (and others) for the sake of the group, letting others turn away without effort to meditate. And there are those who ache for the unity of others and yarn to see growth and unity, building bridges between church bodies. These are the ones needed most these days, the ones who see the similarities and gifts of everyone and seek to create new connections that strengthen the body.
You see, to me the diversity of how we praise, pray, proclaim, profess, relate, reachout, refresh...is what makes Christianity special and unique. It is in the inclusive opportunity of the exclusive truth of the gospel can we find great, lasting unity.
If I am true to this ideal of what other believers around me should be,  I don't want to see myself replicated, but the beautiful creations of Christ that stand out from the crowd of self made righteousness for their unique love for one another.
Lastly, I believe the greatest risk for today's churches isn't government sanctioned persecution but the internal breakdown of the unity of the believers. It was this unity that Paul continuously wrote about, a unity that transcends the earthly organizations to which we belong but are joined by something deeper, stronger, and more flexible than any other. Yet, our "spiritual body" that we call churches are plagued with an arthritis, a painful inflammation of our "spiritual" joints,  that is keeping us from focusing on the beautiful work we have been called to do.

That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

As you relax this labor day,  think about how you have helped your church's body lately. Are you building up and helping to strengthen these earthly fragile bonds with heavenly healing? Or are you creating unnecessary friction in the body in the name of revival? Or are you sitting silently by, feigning helplessness rather than speaking up,  encouraging, and reconciling?
Practically,  we have to stop thinking we can church shop, we have to be real with our struggles, our disagreements, our direction, our hope, our common ground. We have to protect all members of the body, we have to uplift, build up, fortify, and not "give up" on anyone. What if Christ decided that instead of calling out the pharasees, he just went to another city,  what would happen to those in the first city that missed out on his teaching when he gave up treaching there because of the critical few? We are due some serious,  intimate, concerned conversations in our churches. Not Facebook rants, blog posts, or gossiping questions of why, but real sincere conversations that are held in a spirit of unity and growth. We must do it together,  within the congregation, and between congregations. Every day souls are lost, hearts are hurting, members are stumbling, and we continue doing the same thing we have known, it is time for a change.
Hope you enjoyed your day off... now is our time to get real and get busy doing great things together. We have been called to do show the praise of a great God, in a marvelous way... now let's do it.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
1 Peter 2.9-10

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Thanks for sharing you're thoughts!