The values and attitudes of our hearts matter.

I concisely note the below points for reflection. These are areas within which I believe God’s Spirit wants a ‘submitted heart and perspective from us.

Without ‘godliness’ in these areas of attitude and submission (perspective), I suspect we’ll never see unity going further than our coffee, and combined prayer with an occasional event.

It’s maybe like the Tower of Babel. God won’t give us a ‘position’ if we don’t have the where-with-all to carry it in the right spirit!

1.  Pride: What causes God’s favour to withdraw?

To quote Marcus Aurelius from the movie ‘The Gladiator’, “There was once a dream that was Rome. You could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish.”

• Unity is exactly like this.
• Human pride offends God.
• With even a whisper of personal ambition it can sometimes vanish.
• There can be ambition in a pastors’ group no different to in an individual congregation.
• Leadership / facilitation in the unity space is therefore a most sacred trust.

2.  Words: Do we truly speak well of each another?

• Illustration – church structures: The Pentecostal might criticise the seemingly inflexible power structures of the traditional churches – while the traditional churches criticises the seemingly concentration of power in one man or woman in the Pentecostal churches.
• Illustration – spiritual gifts: The theological conservative might perceive those valuing outwardly expressed spiritual gifts as being deceived or overly emotional – while the reverse perception is of a congregation lacking life, joy and vitality.
• Illustration – style: The person in the traditional church might look at the Pentecostal and wonder why there is so much emotion and hype – while the reverse view perceives an absence of the Holy Spirit’s presence (while we all hopefully agree the Spirit’s primary work is in the refining of our character, the revealing of the Word of God, the leading of our prayer life and the directing of our daily activities to serve God well).
• Illustration – gospel approach: The church with the ‘evangelistic crusade‘ is perceived to be too direct – while the one criticising is perceived as too quiet, as if too ashamed of the gospel to share it with those who have never heard.

3.  Functional unity: Do we actually believe it possible – or merely an idealism?

• Sometimes hidden behind the absent attendance of a pastor in a pastors’ group is a deep-rooted scepticism of the idea that functional unity is even possible. “I tried that and it didn’t work!”
• What does Jesus think about this? What of the leadership offices (Ephesians 4) which I suggest are given to the united Church (he doesn’t see our denominations)? What of the leaders God can raise up like in the Book of Judges, to achieve a given purpose in a given time within a nation? What of the many opportunities that exist in our cities and nation – which we may have little sight of if we do not believe them possible?
• James pointed out, “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2-3).
  •  It is also true that we do not get because we do not even try!
  • “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God” (William Carey – Pioneer missionary to India).

4.  Denomination: Is our primary identity in and allegiance to God’s Church – or is it in our denomination?

This has already been addressed many times.

• (In summary of a ‘Church’ perspective: Denominations can lead in accountability, training and support – but not mission.
• The anointing for the leadership of mission is geographic – belonging to the united Church, not any one denomination.
• There are therefore necessary functions God might have purposed for his united Church in a place – if we can allow room for this in our thinking and belief.
• However, these are all-too-easily overlooked if we are married to ‘denomination’ rather than to God’s Church.
• This is our cultural context here in Aotearoa-New Zealand – only unless we see it and choose to think differently).

Where mindsets are too strongly ‘married’ to a denomination, it’s easy to neglect the wider work of God’s Church – and also to reach a point where we cannot even see it.

• If one part of the body doesn’t play its part, other parts are affected (1 Corinthians 12:12-31).

As stated many times – yet for continuing clarity (and no confusion or upset ever amongst us please):
Denomination and Church do not have to be in conflict or tension.
The solution is in understanding the unique roles and
function of Church vs denomination.
We can then pursue health in both!

5.  Church: Can we see Church work sufficiently to support and enable it – or only church work

Summary:

What if our pastors’ groups were

to become more intentional

in these conversations?