Day 15 | Unity

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1–3

One of our values at Heartland City is that we grow together as a family. The imagery of a family reminds me of a great quote I read a couple years ago:

“When we speak of church as a ‘family,’ we have in mind quiet board games by the fireplace. But sometimes church ‘family’ is more akin to shouting matches over who used up all the hot water.” (Jamie Dunlop in Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy)

Like with your nuclear family, anytime you get a group of sin-prone people in close proximity, the environment is ripe for conflict. And not all conflict is bad! But even in our inevitable moments of conflict and disagreement, let’s remember that unity does not equal uniformity. What unites us as a church family is not our universal agreement in all things (especially non-essentials), but rather, our agreement and confession of who Jesus is and what he has done for us.

Prayer prompt: Pray for unity rooted in Christ, especially amid disagreement.