Unity of Commonality

Separatist Theology

I witnessed a remarkable event recently. Our local churches get together every so often for a time of united praise and worship. For an hour or so on a Sunday evening, everyone forgets their different theologies and just gets together with their brothers and sisters in the Lord in order to offer Him praise and worship. This latest evening was no different. We had an evening of hymns old and new interspersed with bible readings. It was wonderful – until our own pastor, who was hosting this event, stood to speak. That’s when the anointing took off and soared !

First he broke with tradition to sing a beautiful solo of one of his own songs, then he prayed this prayer. “Lord,” he said, “We are here to celebrate and share the things we have in common and not to dwell on our differences. As for me, as leader of this church, if we have been the cause of any offence in the past, or of any division in the House of God, on behalf of this church I firstly apologise and ask you all for your forgiveness, and I repent before the Lord and ask His forgiveness too. Amen”

There was barely a dry eye in the house as we broke up to return to our separate ways. It was a precious moment and an anointed one too as the Lord seemed to put His seal on a small step in unity between the various church denominations in the town. It made me think too.

As much as the Lord hates our denominations and all our separatist theology, so He loves it when we take even the smallest step towards the unity Jesus spoke of in John 17 “ . . . . . that they may be one just as you and I are one.” Why do I call it “separatist theology”? Simply because it is theology, the different interpretations of scripture, that separates the denominations and keeps them separate. As one preacher I heard years ago put it, “Perhaps if we had a little less theology in our pulpits and a little more Calvary, then we would all be a little closer to the unity we profess to be seeking but refuse to acknowledge because of our theological differences.”

It seems to me to be the case that, when we concentrate on what we all have in common and celebrate that commonality, and when we put aside the theological differences that separate us, that is when the Lord smiles upon us, and blesses our efforts, as He knits us a little closer together in unity of action, mind and spirit. I am sure that we can stay in our denominations for now as all the denominations unite for various local projects. As this unity grows, so will the trust between denominations and as the trust grows so the unity will grow causing the lowering of our various denominational barriers.

One brave leader in one small town in the middle of England seems to have taken that vital first step towards the increase of trust and unity, and the lowering of the barriers of separation that have, for centuries, grieved the Lord and kept the church from the unity Christ prayed for between ourselves and between us and the Father in heaven.

Will some more of you do the same? I wonder . . . . . .