There is a weird paradox facing the American church. On the one hand, we are a violently individualistic culture who believes that our right to believe what we want, prefer what we want, and act how we want should be respected. At the same time, we expect the community surrounding the church to believe what we believe, want all the same things we want, and to act exactly how we want to act. Both of these can't be true at the same time, yet this is how many of us are inclined to think. Often times this results in believers who are enthusiastic about their faith but are quick to give up on the church (the body of Christ) when everyone isn't just like them. How do we reconcile this individual vs communal conflict?
The Bible has such a simple approach to this paradox that makes perfect sense... as soon as we see God as the center and not our own personal beliefs or orthodoxy. The picture painted by the Bible is that we are united in purpose, but diverse in our calling. Just look at these three verses on unity...
For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. (Romans 6:5)
Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. (1 Corinthians 1:10)
If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. (Philippians 2:1-2)
In each instance, we can see the unifying factor is fundamentally God-focused; there isn't anything that says someone should think the same or have exactly the same desires, mission, or calling. What unifies us is the object of our affection and energy, not how we show it.
I have seen enthusiastic, motivated Christians melt away from the church when things don't move in the direction, or with the same speed, they would like to see. [Being someone who likes to "go, go, go", I've been in danger of this many times.] My heart breaks for those individuals. They are in danger of becoming a foot who has decided the hand isn't "running fast enough" or an eye that has decided that the ear isn't "seeing clearly". The body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12), is a beautifully diverse thing with much to offer one another and the outside world. The body... the church... works best when we all respect the different talents, skills, callings, and convictions of each member. The fact that we have differences which all point at one common act of passion on the cross should be encouraging and uniting, not divisive and confrontational.
In a church as diverse as The Well, or any other organization seeking to reach as many people as possible, we have to approach our mission and our calling with a firm understanding of what exactly makes a "community"... a collection of individuals with individualized callings all united in a single purpose. So long as we are focusing our commonalities and differences on that one common goal, we should be in fine shape to reach a hurting and dying world effectively and selflessly.
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