“that they may be one…”
I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one... as We are one. – John 17.20-22
"As We are one." Simple, profound, and world-changing. At the heart of the Gospel is a unity that is organic, relational, and life-changing. Without Their oneness -- Their "unity"-- we would never personally experience the love of God in and through the person of Jesus Christ. Without Their unity, there would be no cross, no outpouring of the Holy Spirit, no Pentecostal explosion in the upper room, and no compelling witness in the Book of Acts that transcends culture and time, and catalyzes our aspirations today.
Local churches and denominations struggle with unity because we have reduced it to a transactional understanding of doctrine -- if we believe the same things, we are united. As essential as it may be, Orthodoxy has yet to secure the unity Jesus prayed for and died for. I live in San Diego, where if you go on the websites of most churches, you will find very little to distinguish one evangelical/charismatic community from another. Nevertheless, each stands "alone" in her identity as an independent or denominational congregation. Furthermore, COVID-19 and recent elections have proven that doctrinal agreement is insufficient to secure the unity that Jesus intercedes for.
Neither can unity be secured by programs, curriculum, or just gathering people together in the same room. In my denomination, we are having ongoing face-to-face conversations to secure an organic and relational unity that might prepare and propel us into a fresh season of Kingdom ministries as a Church. These conversations have caused me to reflect on this theme.
Let me suggest a simple framework for what might secure the unity in Christ and the Father Jesus prayed for, and for which I hope we all long and live.
First, Unity already exists in and through the person of Jesus. In Christ, we already share in it. It is not a goal it is a present reality. You cannot be in Christ yet separate from the unity They already live in. We can, however, choose to live out of alignment with this fundamental reality. This can only compromise our lives in Christ personally, communally, and missionally.
Second, unity is cruciform -- cross-shaped. The Cross shapes our perceptions towards one another. The Cross makes equals of all of us. Who is present whose sins have not been forgiven? Who is present who is not looking to Jesus to cover their shame or address their duplicity? There is no seniority, favorites, experts, or prodigies at the Cross. The fellowship around the Cross is marked by a single reality -- a desire to die so that in doing so, we might live sacrificially, joyfully, missionally, and triumphantly in and through the One who died for us.
Third, unity is prayerful. In Acts, it is recorded: "They raised their voices together in prayer to God." We need to take united prayer far more seriously than we do. Prayer brings us together in the presence of God, not to do the "business of intercession" but to be formed and shaped in His presence. In prayer, we experience the Holy Spirit shaping, directing, and focusing our prayers together. In prayer, our common relationship with God is celebrated, and our fundamental unity is consecrated afresh by the Holy Spirit, Who is the conductor of our gathering. Even while we are absent from one another, we can be "present in the Spirit" as we pray in common.
Fourth, unity is missional. We all share a common call -- follow Jesus. This call is not simply to follow, it is to work together with Him in revealing His redemptive Kingdom presence, making disciples, and inviting women, men, youth, and children into a life-giving community. There, together, we will discover salvation, healing, deliverance, and a shared calling to be the Good News in the life of our world.
Finally, unity is messy. It is inevitable because it involves us -- it involves me. As C. K. Chesterton observed years ago: "Dear sirs, I have met the problem, and it is me." As Oswald J. Smith observed, The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart. Friends, there is no silver bullet to living in the unity that already exists in Christ. I know I must be willing to stop ascribing motives amidst disagreement. I must engage in conversations as a listener and learner first. I must learn to relate to others as a servant who comes under rather than standing over. I must repent of my need to be right, heard, in control, respected, and/or agreed with. I must recognize that different may just be different and nothing more. I must let go of my cynicism, speaking negatively of fellow believers and my inherent need for others to do things my way. Yes! Unity is messy, and I have and continue to contribute my fair share to the mess.
Nevertheless, I believe that unity is within our grasp if we align ourselves with the unity that already exists in Jesus, humble ourselves together at the Cross, pray together, share mission together, and recognize that we can all labor to foster unity despite the mess we have made of it...
Can we do that? Do you want to do that?
