Make Us One

When I was young, I was asked to serve a congregation in Southern California. Full of zeal and short on leadership experience, I was quickly introduced to the world of political maneuvering by individuals having specific agendas.

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My first board meeting included a contentious debate surrounding what color we would paint our church buses!

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I was to learn quickly: Unity is not the same as agreement.

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I wondered: If we can’t agree on what color to paint our church buses, how will we ever be united on essential matters?

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Well-meaning people stress how vital it is for leadership to show others that we are united. That’s often coded language for: “You must agree with me.”

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But what happens when we disagree? Is it possible to maintain unity amid discord?

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Conflict happens. Disharmony is not a new problem in society or the Church. Disagreements among citizens or fellow Christ-followers shouldn’t surprise us. We expect political parties to have different agendas. However, when it comes to the Church, why are we shocked when disagreements occur?

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The New Testament reveals a variety of disagreements within the church.

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In the book of Acts alone, we observe the selfishness of Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11). We notice the injustice of prejudice towards those who neglect the Greek-speaking widows (6:1), and witness the insistence of those who maintain that Gentiles must be circumcised first before becoming disciples of Christ (15:1).

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The problem with these disagreements (or what color to paint church buses) is that they threaten unity.

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Unity is living in oneness with each other—despite our differences. True harmony always expresses itself in a shared commonality.

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As followers of Jesus, we share the experience of Christ as Lord and confess Christ in baptism (Eph. 4:5,13). Regardless of Christian affiliation, we share the same sense of mission (Mt. 28:19-20). We share a concern for one another (1 Cor. 12:25; Phil. 2:2; 1 Pet. 3:8) and the shared experience of suffering for Jesus’ sake (2 Cor. 1:6; Phil. 1:29-30; 1 Thess. 2:14; 1 Pet. 5:9).

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It's our shared experiences and core beliefs that unite us. The disagreement on what color to paint the buses is what can divide us. And for this color-blind pastor, I honestly don’t care what color you paint the buses!

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I’m more concerned that we don’t forget why we have the buses: To bring children to hear the great news that God loves them so much that He sent Jesus to die for them so they can live!

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Jesus’ prayer is still essential for us today:

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“Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:11b).

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May we ever strive for greater unity and fellowship with one another.

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-Richard Parrish

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