The greatest and most
common deficit in the life of believers is not erroneous doctrine but poor
relationships!
Dear Friend,
Have you surveyed the present scene? Have you noted how many Christian
marriages are in trouble, and how many Christian homes are dysfunctional?
Do you have any idea how many people hesitate to take their problems to their
pastor and struggle for years without help? Have you any idea how many
Christian parents have turned over the spiritual leadership in their home to the
church or Christian school? Do you know how many Christians living within
1 city block of one another never relate because they are presumed to be
different? Have you noted how many pastors will not relate, even so much
as to pray with and for neighboring pastors? Do you see it as a serious
offense to Christ to fragment the body of Christ the way we do? Does it
make any sense to remain a loner in ministry and perpetuate methods that give no
promise of ever fulfilling the task of the church even if the evident results
were 100 times better than we presently experience?
I am not angry, or frustrated with pastors and church leaders. I am guilty
of the same misconceptions and misconduct. I am experiencing a wake-up call and
discovering that a spirit of deception has attacked the church. We have
failed to recognize a work of grace in many of our Christian brothers. We
are working in isolation. We are duplicating our efforts and not working
efficiently. Our lifestyle contradicts our doctrine. We have lost
touch with the world and don’t speak in terms that they understand. We
live separate from the presence of unsaved sinners, but not from the
practice of many of their sins.
As pastors and leaders, let’s start with pastors. As an evangelical,
I’ve gone to mainline pastors in my neighborhood to tell them I was praying
for them, and to discover where they stand. You know that, to
evangelicals, these guys are supposed to be liberals. At least 75% of the
time I have found them to be in Christ Jesus and about as evangelistic as many
evangelicals. I have enjoyed sweet times of fellowship with them. You
might not find your percentage as high, but you would be stimulated to find a
supportive brother nearby. Besides this, even liberal pastors need prayer
that we could provide.
In view of the desperate needs of the hour, we need to get desperate to know
precisely what God has called us to do and then be decisive about acting in
complete harmony with His expressed will. I believe you will find it
simpler than our contrived plans and explosive in its results after we have
demonstrated the love of Christ and the unity of the faith, because the Lord has
prepared the community around us with intense need and no answers except that
which we have to offer. FIRST, we need to demonstrate it through our
relationships with one another and with them.
Are we willing to be changed, and to trust the Holy Spirit to bring His children
into harmonious, loving relationships?
by Rev. Bob Walker
Tidewater Missions Fellowship
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Scriptures
on Christian Accord
"Christian
Concourse" - A Poem
"The
Cold Within" - a poem on accord in the Body of Christ
The Ministry Team of
Christian Concourse
Prayers for Unity
Max Lucado on Unity
3 Perspectives of Unity
The Union of Christ
with the Christian - an expanded outline on First
Corinthians
Directory of Hampton
Roads Churches
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