Strength through Unity
by Corie Cowsert
As I sit and think about the two words STRONGER and UNITY, I contemplate how they really go hand in hand. Unity is not always easy, but it is something that is echoed in Scripture time and time again and the unified body of Christ will always grow and become stronger.
This is my first year as children’s director at our church and it has been such an incredible experience for me. Something I am learning every day is that the more the body of Christ has unity, the stronger our relationships are with one another and the more we can accomplish for the Kingdom. This has always been something on my heart - to have unity within the church but I am getting to see it first-hand.
One thing that I feel breaks our unity as servants in our churches is forgetting we are all on the same team to accomplish the same goal. It is not a competition. It is about winning lost people to Christ. In today’s world, we look at other churches and covet their accomplishments or we see them doing something awesome and we strive for that. In the grand scheme of things, we all serve the one true King and He wants us to be on earth working together and spreading the gospel to as many as we can. In Matthew 28:19 it says “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” This verse sticks out in my mind. We as a unified Body of Christ should be making disciples so that the Word of God can be spread like wildfire.
In Philippians 2:1-8 we read,
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself.
This a passage that lays out how as a unified body of believers our works are so much better. I think this can apply to church leadership, staff and even the congregation. Being unified isn’t just getting along or checking a box, it is about so much more. It is having intentional relationships, growing in your faith, and being on the same team. Imagine the impact we would have in the world today, if we, together as Christians would love people just like Christ loves us.
As I read this Philippians passage that is what I want for all God’s people, we should be encouraging others, lifting them up, being a complete support system. In the body of Christ, we are called to have like-minded relationships with one another. My question is, “what are you doing in your congregation to promote unity?” or are you part of a challenge that needs to be fixed?? We can’t be unified if there is division. What part are you playing in your congregation to help in the unity of the body of Christ?
