Unity is a Decision

If there is one thing I have learned over the years about church growth it is that unity is vital to the health of the congregation. It is so important that Paul spent much time writing letters to congregations about it. The majority of the New Testament has unity as a foundational concept.

Unity is vital to any team

One of the major factors for unity lies in the principle of power. In any group there is power. The more united the group the more power that the group possesses. That is one reason small armies can defeat much larger ones. The less unified a group is the less power it has. The idea, “Divide and conquer” is popular because it works. Therefore, how powerful do you think this congregation is? Can we improve in that area? 

It is natural that power-centers fluctuate inside an organization. Power struggles are unfavorable, but common in any organization. Power (or perceptions of power) may shift from one group to another inside a congregation. It’s a natural process based on many things. Sometimes it is because of physical changes to the group. (Some people leave and others enter.) Sometimes it is because people become limited in their abilities while others find more time to devote to activities in the church. If power is “the ability to get things done” as someone put it, then power will naturally shift across the church. If we keep this in mind it will be easier for us to accept our limitations and roles and we will be less likely to feel the need to fight to maintain our perception of power.

If we look at power as something to obtain and hold, then we will have nothing but wars and fights among us. If we look at power as influence, then our perspectives change on how to have it. How do you try to gain influence? The answer to this determines your relationship with God.

True power belongs to Jesus. He is the One who has authority over heaven and earth. There is a transferal of power to the elders of the church to a degree, but even that is dependent upon the willingness of the congregation to allow that power. Think about that for a little while. 

I’ve seen churches where the elders assumed more power than the church allowed. They had “power” but they forgot that people could leave and go somewhere else. The people took advantage of that freedom and left. So the men could control everything to whatever degree they wanted, but they had no one in the flock to “control”. That’s not power at all. At the same time, elders who do not abuse their position should be allowed the power to lead us. That is exactly what the Bible teaches in Hebrews 13:17.

As followers of Christ, we are not to seek power but unity. We need to all be on the same team. We need to line up behind our elders and allow them to lead us in the way. We need not fight against the direction we are going or fight against the activities they provide, but we need to accept their instruction and guidance, get on board, and follow their lead--and that includes the activities they allow in the church (as long as they are Scriptural practices of course). They are our shepherds. Can we say that we support their leadership? Can we honestly say that the activities of this congregation have our full support and participation? Can we say we are following them if we don’t support them and their decisions? Unity is a decision.

The God of Your Dreams

Written English can often communicate ideas never intended. By simply putting the emphasis on one

Dreams can become reality

word over another, you can make a simple phrase say many different things. Consider the title of this article: The God of Your Dreams. By changing the emphasis around we can see three stages of Christian development. Which stage are you in?

The God of your DREAMS is one stage. By that I mean that God is often unreal to people. They believe in Him, they just do not realize that He is alive and well. He seems distant at best. They are similar to the evil servant in Matthew 24:45-51. The master went away and made a servant ruler over his household. The servant said, “My master is delaying his coming” and began to mistreat the other servants and to eat and drink with the drunkards (verse 49). This man’s problem was that he did not consider that his master could return at any moment.

When God is a “dream” or seems “unreal” we will live however we want and pay lip-service to Him as God.

Next consider the God of YOUR dreams. This is the stage many go through when they realize that God will bless them. They turn to God and please Him so that He will provide for them in return. “All your dreams will come true if you are faithful to God!” The problem with this is that nowhere are we promised that our dreams would come true. Certainly God blesses people. He will provide many things your heart desires, but that is not the reason to serve Him. Jesus said in John 6:27, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food that endures to everlasting life...” 

Service to God comes from a heart of fear, respect, love, and the realization that He is Lord of all. He is not a genie in a bottle. He is not so hungry for praise and devotion that He will give you all your heart’s desire if you will only praise Him a little. He does not need us at all. We need and rely upon HIM for everything. It is our entire duty of life to love Him and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). 

Then consider the emphasis where it belongs: THE GOD of your dreams. It is good and fine to have dreams and goals in life, but whose goals and dreams are they? Where do they originate? If they are not what GOD intends for your life then they are not fitting for a Christian to pursue. If God is not the ruler over the dreams you have, you misunderstand what God expects from His people. All that we say or do should be to the glory of God (Colossians 3:17). Are your dreams worthy of your calling in Christ? Are they products of faith and courage? Do they pursue paths God wants you to pursue? When you recognize that He is the ruler of your life, your goals and dreams will match His will for your life found in the Scriptures.

What do your dreams and goals in life say about you? What do they say about your view of God and your relationship to Him? If you search your life, which word would get the emphasis in the phrase “The God of Your Dreams”?

A Disciple of Jesus

“You can put a shoe into an oven, but that doesn’t make it a biscuit.” 

A shoe in an oven is not a biscuit.
Are you a disciple?

Below you'll find four characteristics of a disciple.

The Great Commission states that we must go and make disciples of all the nations. I’ve said many times that we must seek to make disciples. It is not enough to baptize people if we do not teach them to follow Jesus. Many people do a disservice to others because they are too quick to immerse them without helping them build a relationship first. This leads to many problems after their conversion. It also leads to people leaving the faith. They would have been better off if we just left them alone rather than avoid teaching them to be disciples! (See 2 Peter 2:20.) Of course, it is best to take the time to help people become a disciple. Too many avoid this. 

That brings me to a question to consider: Are you a disciple of Christ? If you are a Christian reading this, you are one because someone took the time to follow that commission. If most people do not do well making disciples, doesn't it stand to reason that you might not have been taught to be a disciple? When you were converted, did people take the time to help you learn how to be a disciple? Did they guide you in the process of thought required to be a disciple of Jesus? Does it even matter how you answer? Yes. It does matter. 

You can attend class without being a student. 

You can follow Jesus without being His disciple. 

Consider 2 Timothy 3:5. Do you have a “form of godliness”? In other words, have you been taught to present yourself as righteous on the outside without concern over the matters on the inside? Sometimes people will become Christians to escape their pasts without concern for following Him in the future. 

Think about these 4 characteristics of a disciple and weigh yourself fairly: 

1. A disciple lives close to Jesus. His thoughts and heart are never far from God.

2. A disciple earnestly seeks the teachings of Jesus. 

3. A disciple willingly and readily suffers for Jesus. 

That does not apply to the “big stuff” only. It applies to the emotional cost of denying a friend or denying self in favor of our Lord’s wishes. 

4. A disciple seeks to reflect the attitudes and love of Jesus to others. 

No one is the best disciple he can be, but you need to look closely at yourself and answer the question: Are you a disciple?