Any biblically responsible pastor and church leader has to cringe at the second part of Paul’s statement about the purpose of church leaders in Ephesians 4: 12-13. The first part of his challenge is to “prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”
But I am embarrassed when Paul states what this work of building up is supposed to accomplish. Keep building “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God.” I don’t see much effort to reach such unity happening among traditional churches. However, there is progress among mission-oriented networks and movements of congregations.
The last major effort by traditional churches was in the Ecumenical Movement of the 1950s. Except for a merger in Canada, nothing else was accomplished. That’s because, I think, they were working with the wrong definition of church. They were attempting to merge institutional church bodies. Because these have such different histories, a complete merger of these traditional churches will never happen. Emil Brunner pointed this out in his book The Misunderstanding of the Church. The real church is made up of the informal fellowships gathered around God’s Word.
While reaching unity won’t happen through denominational structures, we can approach it through informal networks of churches that share similarities in church culture and ministry emphases. It won’t happen by seeking unity for the sake of unity. It will happen among congregations pursuing effective mission outreach. Denominations each have their own unique culture of beliefs, values, and behaviors. Mission-oriented churches are developing a shared culture of beliefs, values, and behaviors. That’s the way progress will happen.
My direct mission involvement in recent years has been helping the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti to start new churches, to build out their facilities and to expand their ministries. I was originally attracted to the New Testament flavor of their mission effort. A Haitian pastor was invited to attend seminary by its president, who arranged for his support through three years of study. That first pastor raised up ten young men who received American support to go to that seminary for three years. When they were done, they agreed on branching out and starting new churches in the bigger cities of Haiti.
Denominations tend to work from the top down. Networks develop from the bottom up. Because these Haitian pastors were trained in a denominational seminary, they tended to think in denominational terms. But with the decline of denominational dollars, there is almost no connection anymore with the larger withering church body, so these Haitian pastors are basically working out a network on their own.
There won’t a world-wide network of networks. Churches looking for help will be involved in a network only to the extent they get practical ideas and connections that advance their own ministry. These networks will approach unity in mission purpose.
Will there ever be unity in faith and knowledge among Christian denominational churches? Not in this world. But networks of mission-oriented churches will come closer to unity in the faith and knowledge of doing mission outreach effectively.
How important to you is Paul’s goal of Christian churches reaching unity of faith and knowledge? Will it ever happen in this world?
This reminds me of when we served in Minot ND. It was the coming together of several different denominations to try and help the flood ravaged people of this town and restore faith/hope. At the denominational level it was a logistical nightmare trying to figure out who’s lodging trailers would go where and how work would be assigned.The concern was not over the size of crews, but rather could Baptists bunk and work alongside Lutherans, Methodists, Assembly of God and even non-denominational volunteers! Like, would there be arguments and fist-fights! or the threat of cross-contamination!
The reality was we all came together in harmony working side by side to get the job done. To share the love of Christ with those who may be feeling like God has abandon them. To bring them a sense of hope for their future, both for tomorrow and for all eternity. We witness this every month during our PACK Outreach events as we typically have multiple denominations coming together to share Jesus with our community through simple acts of kindness. The latest was our postage stamp giveaway on Tax Day April 15th. Even though taxes are not technically due till May April 15th is closely associated with taxes. So we handed out 3 stamps and our Connect Cards (Some where our church’s and others where Acts 1:8 Ministry’s for those volunteers that were not Pilgrim Lutheran Church members. Some do not care which card they handed out as we all worked side by side sharing Christ’s love. This main goal is what unites us all together as we serve to strengthen and grow the body of Christ.
I agree that unity is going to happen on the missions field
If God wills it, it will happen. We don’t know God’s timetable. He does tell us that He’s not slow in keeping His promises. Although, what God regards as “slow” and what we time-bound creatures call “slow” are obviously not the same!
Certainly, but God needs church leaders to have wisdom to make progress.
I, too, was involved in the Lutheran Church in Haiti. In the early 2000’s, I went on two short term missions trips to Les Cayes in the southern tip of Haiti. Subsequent to those trips, we supported the church there. One of the aspects of that church was the use of Lay Pastors. The pastor of the church in Les Cayes, the now sainted Pastor Israel, had about 15 men who would travel by foot up to 5 hours to receive instruction from him as well as a meager supply of beans and rice. They would return to their little villages and share the Word and care for the people. This was a great example of Paul’s words of “preparing God’s people for works of service…”
I was involved in Les Cayes in the mid 2000s, Also Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, and now Cap Haitien
The more we have, the less we appreciate. I am embarrassed to admit that it was only when there were no Lutherans within 12 hours from my home in Peru that I truly sought unity with other Christians. That is when the centered set of Jesus meant more than the bounded set of Lutheranism.
Thanks for using the distinction between bounded set of an institutional church and centered set that emerged among mission theologians to describe those looking to Christ but not in formal membership of a church.
Having often served in “fringe” school ministries, I welcome such conversation and emphasis. Thanks for articulating this so well. I believe unity of purpose is possible when unity of tradition or theological expression is not. Peace, Pastor!
I like your distinction between unity of purpose in distinction from unity of tradition.
I find that when I am concentrating and striving for the mission of making more disciples through the Gospel, relationships are built as the missional thrust brings the Gospel results of an expanding kingdom and unity is a result. Unity in understanding what disciple making is helps to move the mission in the direction unity is strengthened. Another thing I learned is that I need to pay attention to my own work/opportunities, not what my brother workers ought (on not) to do!
It’s those relationships between believers on a mission that I have experienced and enjoyed.
We are blessed with unity in the knowledge of God at work in our lives through our Dominican mission trips. Team members of different countries and church denominations unite for 9 days to pray together, study Scripture together, worship together, eat together, work and minister together as we serve the Dominican people. There are no denominational barriers and we are forever bonded in Christ through missions.
Thank you for involving me in your Dominican mission. The relationships are great. I remember being called on at the last minute to preach at a church made up of Haitians. While that crossed some denomination boundaries, I had learned to never turn down the opportunity to preach the Gospel.
With due respect, there is a tremendous amount of work toward unity that is going on “from the top,” both in terms of formal talks toward church fellowship and support of foreign church bodies. Perhaps you feel it’s inadequate, but to claim that it’s not happening is factually incorrect.
Yes, I am aware of discussion going on between conservative Lutherans. But I doubt that will make much of a difference at the congregational level. Denominational officials are not the church. Church is the congregations in mission.
That is an excellent perspective on reaching out as Christians and networking to save the lost
Thanks.
This is so meaningful in application to Uganda. Here most Christian Churches do not work together in unity of faith. I just see a window of some Main Street Churches like Anglican and Lutheran to work towards unity and this is among the very few pastors in both churches. Leaders have their minds far away from thinking of coming together.
Thank you Rev. For sharing. I enjoy reading your articles
My thanks to you for reading my stuff.