So as of lately my church has been going through this amazing series called Tapestry. It's essentially a series based on our differences that can either divide us or unite us as the church.
We've talked about a slew of controversial topics that the modern day churches rarely touch on because the fear of losing their body members. We've covered things like race, sex, and will soon cover class, and generation.
As we've talked about it in church, in our community groups, and just in conversation hanging out with friends and church family, it has really got me thinking.
How beautiful is a church body that is immensely diverse? Not diversity for diversity's sake, but diverse because God made us all different and it's beautiful. We live in a culture that tells us to become cookie cutter shapes; that beauty only has one model and one definition, success has only one path and set of standards or goals, and that happiness can only be achieved if you are beautiful and successful. Then we sit here as a generation who cries about wanting to be unique, different, path-carvers, innovative, and noticed but yet we are striving to be the same. These are ugly lies that not only my generation and this world have bought into, but that the church has bought into as well. We as churches seek to make cookie cutter churches across the globe, and strive to be all the same when God intentionally made us different. All Christians must look the same, act the same, and smell the same. Otherwise you're not really a Christian and "who are you to think you know Jesus if you don't behave this way?"
We notice the most segregation in the church, because no matter who you are, you think YOU are right, and the way you do things is the right way to do things. That is in the assumption that there is only one way and one formula to doing things. That's why we have white churches, black churches, latino churches, hipster churches, young churches, old churches, plaid-shirt-wearing churches, baptist churches, pentecostal churches, and even non-denominational churches. I'm not saying there isn't a beauty in how you prefer to worship, and uniting with people that feel the same -- I'm just saying is this simply a worship issue? or is it a division issue? Then I also think about the day that we are all standing in heaven and we are all worshipping together... will we all not like the sound of heaven's worship to our King and prefer a different sound? Is worshipping God not just worshipping a worthy, mighty, all-consuming, beautiful and loving King with not just our music, but our actions, our words, our hearts, our minds, our bodies, and souls? If we are one body why do we stand divided?
I always go back to 1 Corinthians 12
"12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit."
This means not only are we one as a group of believers, but we are one as churches too. We ALL are the body of Christ. So instead of being critical about other churches, we need to change the lenses in which we see our brothers and sisters at different churches, and see them as a part of us -- not separate from us. We need to hold each other accountable, care for each other in our need, encourage one another, and truly just love each other no matter the difference. If we are too busy looking to criticize, and tear down other churches for things like how they worship, how they run a church service, or the kind of people that go there, we are going to miss what God has to show us through our differences.
Christ died to break down the walls that divide us. To me that means what makes us different is what makes us work as a body of Christ. Our different races, cultures, ages, genders, personalities, etc is what makes the body powerful and effective. It gives His hands the ability to work in so many ways. We often times try to rebuild these walls of division and I've seen that by doing this we are stunting the growth and the power of what the body is capable of. We find ourselves isolated and frustrated. We cannot do the work of Christ to it's fullest ability and its greatest potential if the foot wants nothing to do with the hand (1 Corinthians 12:14-16). We are designed to be unique, and we are designed to be together. To love Christ best is to love His people... all of them. Not just the ones that are like you. Embracing and loving these differences can completely turn your world around in such a beautiful way.
One of my first encounters with the uniqueness and diversity of my own church was taking my first step into my community group for the first time. I was one of two white people in the room, and I honestly was looking for any way or excuse out of this situation as soon as possible. I don't know why, but at the time being in a group of diverse people scared me, and I didn't like the idea of it. My thoughts were, "Oh crap, I'm not going to fit in here.. this just is not my crowd of people." I was quickly slapped in the face by God, and he melted my heart for these people. I still go to that community group 4 months later, and I can't even begin to put into words the amount of love I hold for these people, and how much they have taught me. That goes to show the mighty work that God had to do even in my own heart to get me to a place where I saw diversity as a blessing not an inconvenience.
I am insanely blessed to be a part of the church body I've found a home in. Something so special about it is our immense diversity. We have so many different colors of skin, so many different ages, and personalities. Sometimes you walk in the room, and you have no idea what could possibly unite us as a people -- we are that different. The beauty about it, and the thing I love most about it is that the only thing we can point to is Christ. We have Christ in common. He is the only one that can take the credit, He is the only one that can put a body of believers together like the one we have. It's incredible.
I can not even begin to tell you how much I've learned, and how much I've grown just by living in a community full of diversity. I'm learning to love deeper, and my compassion and care for people is only skyrocketing. You begin to see the value of human life, and God's deep love for His people and His creation. It truly does open your eyes to so many different parts of who God is, and it has helped me to know Him more and love Him deeper as well. It is a magnificent Tapestry.
So may unity be something we strive for, and loving be something we do a little more.
I love my church. I love Redemption Alhambra.
