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The most important reason that the church exists is to convince a dark and broken world that Jesus was and is real. If you’re a believer, this is your mission.
And unity is the key to the church’s credibility so that we can be successful in this mission.
1 John 17:21-23 says,
“That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
You’ve probably heard it said, “Unity is not the same as uniformity.”This is why we can’t neglect attending church or being an active part of a local body of believers because of secondary disagreements.
There is nothing more important than the gospel. It is what matters most. And it is the only thing that will matter for eternity.
If you are struggling to get connected to your church family because your preferences are not being met or addressed, please look at the list of demands you have for your church or its leadership, and ask yourself, “Are these gospel issues?”. If they’re not, ask God to remove them as an obstacle in your ability to be unified with your church family and seek to forgive and move forward.
God’s plan will never call for His children to argue or fight with each other. What a huge waste of time.
Don’t get so distracted by minor issues that you miss the big picture.
Strive hard for unity… so that the world will believe.
Father, thank You for Your church. Thank You for the incredible gift that it is. Please help me to love it the way You do, even when it's hard to love. Place me in the exact place You want me to be and use me in that place however You see fit. I pray for the leadership in my church, that You would give them wisdom to lead us, energy to show up when they’re tired, and joy that overflows so that they can love the body of believers You’ve entrusted to them well. Amen.
We'd love to gift you a printable of prompts to pray over your church. Download it here.
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About this Plan
The local church is a huge part of God’s design for the Christian community, and although He never promised us it would be perfect, He is clear that it's necessary. In this five-day plan, you’ll be reminded why you need the church, why the church needs you, and how to best engage the body of believers using His Word as your guide and the sacrifice Jesus made as your motivation.
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