Ephesians Chapter 4.

So Eph. 4 took 2 studies (over 3 weeks) to get through, which just goes to show how chock full of good stuff it is!

Chapter 4 focuses a lot on the idea of unity with fellow believers. This is particularly important in today's world where we have so many different denominations and individual churches. Even at NCC, we have two locations. The temptation is to view each other as competition vs. players on the same team, just with different things to contribute. A couple weeks ago, one of the people at our study 'opened the can of worms' that is denominations, certainly a touchy subject in our day(even the non-denominational church has become a denomination!). Two thoughts on Denominations:

I am not a huge fan of them. Many churches have split over minor doctrinal issues that should be debated in a loving context within the church. If you can't reconcile differences of opinion, then maybe a church split is ok. But, it can lead to dangerous disunity in the church at large. Which is quite evident in the current state of the church. When the 'world' sees Christ followers arguing and bickering over these things, I don't think Christ is being glorified and honored.
Some biblical/doctrinal debates should be only conducted internally within the church, because non-believers won't understand the issues and it will leave a negative impression.
To catagorize this, I think anything that does not have to do with essential doctrine, that which would affect someone's eternal destination, does not have a place outside the church. What good is it going to do to argue over an issue like speaking in tongues or Biblical roles of men and women with or around non-believers? I believe that best left in a private setting within the church. Finally, above all its important for us, when discussing any point of contention to follow what Eph. 4:15-16 says: But in speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. It does no good to debate these things, unless we do it together in the context of God's love.

Now that I've blasted denominations, I'll make my second point to try and salvage myself! We had a tough talk on denominations, but it was mentioned and we all agreed, that denominations are a great benefit to us, in as much as they provide different ways for us to express our love to God and to worship Him. We aren't robots all made the same, so we are going to have different ways that we will want to worship or serve God in. In this way, denominations are a great thing.

I'm certainly no saint when it comes to having a good attitude toward other churches or denominations, I'm just human. But, I think it is time the church at large made a more significant effort to rebuild the unity that has broken down, so that we will be made whole vessels that God can use in mighty ways. God always works and will do great things in spite of our differences. But, imagine how many 'extra' blessings we would experience if we were united together under God's purposes! Eph. 4:1-3: Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to twalk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

That's no easy task, but with God's help(and his ridiculously large amount of grace and mercy) we can do it!