It’s a tale as old as time. A once united and healthy church congregation bitterly splits in two … because they can’t agree on a style of worship music for Sunday services. This kind of division is commonplace in the modern church, but it wasn’t always this way.
Church Unity and Division
Once upon a time, there was only one church—the early church, founded by Jesus and His disciples. The people in this church were united in everything they did. Acts 2 describes their commitment to one another.
All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:44-47 NIV
This unity lasted a long time. There were disagreements and differences of opinion within the church, of course. But it took about 1,000 years before the church officially split for the first time—when the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church decided to part ways on July 16, 1054, in what became known as the Great Schism.
And after that first split? Well, every subsequent division seemed to come a little easier than the last.
Over the past thousand years, the church has split more times than anyone could ever hope to count. There are more than 45,000 denominations of Christianity worldwide. Churches can disagree on issues such as theological beliefs, Bible translations, styles of governance, politics, and styles of worship. And these disagreements can often act as a hindrance to churches partnering with one another.
Now, you might be thinking, “There are billions of Christians in the world … does it really matter if a single church body, or churches in a community, or churches around the world are unified?”
It does. Here’s a story to illustrate why.
Building a Church Network
Recently, I traveled to the country of Malawi with a team from Global Lift Collective. While there, we visited a village near the town of Salima. We learned that churches in the surrounding villages had long been divided. Differing theological beliefs and styles of worship had led them to isolate themselves from one another.
But this isolation had an unintended effect. Alone, the churches were limited in their ability to care for the people in their villages. Many families in need were left to fend for themselves because the churches were spread too thin.
Fortunately, that’s not where this story ends, Through their partnership with Global Lift Collective, the organization World Relief brought pastoral training to the churches in the area. The pastors at these churches gained a better understanding of how beneficial working alongside other pastors and churches could be. Together, they could learn from one another and expand the care they were able to offer to the people in their communities.
Many of the pastors in these villages decided to form a church network, and it wasn’t long before the families in their communities began experiencing the benefits. One boy who lived nearby had been unable to attend school—his physical disabilities prevented him from getting to school, and his family was also unable to afford his school supplies. But the church network was able to band together and purchase both a wheelchair and the school supplies the boy needed. When we talked to this boy, he was now looking forward to his future—a future that looked far different because of the efforts of this church network.
The Body of Christ, Unified
The church can make a far greater impact on the world when individual Christians are able to look past their differences and work together. The Apostle Paul talked about the importance of unity in the body of Christ when he said:
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. … If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” … If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 NIV
We need one another’s strengths, weaknesses, giftings, skills, and overall diversity in order to make the biggest difference in the world around us.
Our bodies need all of our parts in order to operate well, and the same can be said for the church. When churches isolate themselves from other churches, either intentionally or unintentionally, it’s the same as an eye saying to a hand “I don’t need you!” or a head saying to the foot, “I don’t need you!” We need one another’s strengths, weaknesses, giftings, skills, and overall diversity in order to make the biggest difference in the world around us.
3 Ways For Individuals to Create Church Unity
At this point, you might be thinking, “Okay, I get that church unity is important. But I’m just one person. Is there anything I can do to help the church be more unified?” Great question. Even if you’re not the pastor of a church, there are things you can do to help the church overcome division.
1. Be a Part of a Church
The first and easiest thing you can do is simply be a part of a church. Just like the parts of our bodies all have roles to play, you have a role to play in the body of Christ. Using your gifts within the church will make the church more diverse and better equipped to meet the needs of people in your community. When opportunities arise, advocate for unity within your church, rather than division.
2. Get to Know People
Next, get to know the people who attend other churches in your community. You might try occasionally attending another church on a Sunday or taking part in a community outreach event—these are great ways to meet Christians from other denominations. Learn more about what you have in common and what you see differently. Stay curious, and stay on the lookout for the ways God is at work within those believers and their churches.
3. Encourage Pastors and Volunteer Leaders
Finally, encourage the pastors and leaders at your church to think through how they can partner with other churches to care for the people in your community. No matter how effective your church may be at caring for people, your efforts will only multiply by partnering with other churches.
Your church might even follow the lead of the churches in Malawi and form a church network. Reaching out to other churches and identifying the needs of people nearby could serve as a springboard for major change. Through unity, there are no limits to the difference the church can make.