One Hope for 2011

Each New Years I ask God to reveal a “theme” for the year.  Some subject to study, ponder, and explore.  (Yeah, I’m a geek.)

This year it is coming to me in spade – the unity of the Body of Christ.

“As
a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the
calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,
bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of
the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit,
just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one
faith, one baptism;  one God and Father of all, who is over all and
through all and in all.”  Ephesians 4:1-6

The first thing that comes to me is that these verses don’t seem to
reflect the Body of Christ here on earth.  In fact, I read a statistic
recently, from George Barna I believe, estimating there are approximately
46,000 denominations of churches.  Christian churches.

Yikes.  That doesn’t speak of unity to me.

The second thing that comes to me is how God has shown me in 2010 how much I need others.  Now I know how good it is to be inter-dependent upon brothers and sisters.

The last thing I’m pondering as I begin my exploration of unity
is…HOPE.  What would it be like if Christian followers everywhere
could live out Ephesians 4?

A wise friend of mine challenged me to figure out what my “blood,
ink, and pencil beliefs” were.  What do I believe that is written in
blood, Christ’s blood, that I would be willing to die for too?  What are
those beliefs I hold which are written in ink?  These are hard to
erase, but can be changed after much thought and discernment.  The ink
beliefs are ones I would strongly debate but not die to hold.   And what
are those beliefs of mine which are written in pencil, easily erased,
and certainly not worth fighting for at all?

(This is obviously not an exhaustive list.  In fact, it’s not even
a list a have put a ton of thought to listing.  These are simply
examples for purposes of a hopeful post.)

For me, I’d die for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  On Christ and Christ alone I stand.

Ink beliefs are those like predestination, role of women in church,
and  Calvinism vs. Armenianism.  I have pretty strong opinions about
these topics, but I wouldn’t take a bullet for any one of them.

Pencil beliefs for me are things like how we worship, what clothes we wear, what translation we use, what videos we watch, etc.

I’m pondering today a church who stand united in blood, debate with
grace over the ink, and are completely tolerant of our beliefs written
in pencil.

When I read the verses in Ephesians 4, I envision a church where some
people are raising their arms, some people are kneeling, still some are
singing hymns, some are wearing ties, and others flip flops, some are
quieting praying, some are weeping, some are dancing with joy, and some
are singing a new song God placed on their hearts.  In this church everyone
believes in, follows, and submits to their Lord, Savior, and King –
Jesus, and are seeking Him with all their hearts, souls, minds, and
strengths in gentle, patient humility together – with one heart.

I know.  I know.  I’m an optimist extreme.

But, I can HOPE (with one hope) can’t I?