I’ve been asked a number of times what I hoped would come out of the reconciliation and unity celebrations that occurred at events like the Tulsa Workshop and NACC. I kept saying I hoped it would lead to some concrete demonstrations of unity beyond getting together for a worship assembly.
I’m really proud of some dedicated folks here at Garnett and at the Cedar Ridge Christian Church who have made this hope a reality. Garnett and Cedar Ridge are building a Habitat House together.
Jesus told us that in order for a house to weather a storm, it has to be built on a strong foundation. This new house going up in north Tulsa is being built upon the foundation of peacemaking, love, reconciliation, and unity. I’d like to see the big bad wolf try to blow it down.
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons
Way to go Garnett and Cedar Ridge! That’s a wonderful step toward the unity God calls us toward. Keep that spirit alive!
Now some rambling thoughts. I know we are in the early stages of this unity movement, and maybe that’s why this is being done, but it’s sad to me that we are calling people to work together but not worship together. I know it’s being done in places, and praise God for those daring souls. But something doesn’t feel right with calling someone a brother in Christ and yet being unable to stand arm in arm before the throne of God in worship together. I’m not sure that’s the unity Jesus was talking about in John 17.
Maybe it’s being framed this way to appease the weak. Maybe it’s our way of taking baby steps, but I hope we don’t feel we have accomplished just a whole lot by the fact that we can perform a labor of love together. It seems the call for unity is much deeper than that.
Still, I’m happy for anything done in the right direction. 🙂
Beautiful!
So I guess all the “stuff” of prepping for the workshop was worth it after all. Way to go guys!
And…
Very good point Brad. Hopefully this will be a start that will lead to that.
applause!
I am happy to see that there are efforts going on between the two groups elsewhere. I would like to share our story of unity.
I am part of a new church plant in an inner city St. Louis neighborhood. It is an exciting time right now for us at North City Church of Christ. God has been working to bring together a racially diverse group of people from both the Churches of Christ and Christian Churches who have a heart for being Jesus in the inner city. We have two ministers, one black from the Church of Christ and one white from the Christian Church, about 15 adults and about 30 kids.
We have been blessed recently to acquire an incredible facility in north St. Louis which was a recently closed, Catholic church, consisting of a large sanctuary, a school building, a rectory, and a convent. Several members are relocating to the neighborhood to be more intimately involved in the work. We are developing a partnership with St. Louis Christian College (Christian Churches) and next year will have 20 urban ministry students living onsite and involved in programming and instruction.
We are not oblivious to the challenges that we will face, but feel that if we are living out the gospel and serving the often forgotten single mothers, poor, fatherless, etc. that doctrine differances will take a back seat to weightier concerns and God’s name will be glorified.
Todd
How great to work together in making a difference in someones life. If only churches of Christ and Christians churches everyone would do what ya’ll are doing. Or if we worked that hard on unity imagine what we could accomplish. God bless ya’ll.
Just passing by, I saw that rebar in the first picture and guessed you got your “concrete” demonstration of unity. ‘Sorry for the drive-by pun!