I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4.1-3

1 Clement 46
Clement of Rome (fl.ca. 90-100 AD)
“Why are there strifes, and tumults, and divisions, and schisms, and wars among you? Have we not [all] one God and one Christ? Is there not one Spirit of grace poured out upon us? And have we not one calling in Christ? Why do we divide and tear to pieces the members of Christ, and raise up strife against our own body, and have reached such a height of madness as to forget that ‘we are members one of another?’…Your schism has subverted [the faith of] many, has discouraged many, has given rise to doubt in many, and has caused grief to us all. And still your sedition continueth.”

Suddenly: Wham! Clement is right in their faces. Sedition? That’s serious stuff. The honor of Christ and the Church was at stake in the subversive actions of the minority at Corinth. They had rejected the apostolic order of things, thrown out duly-elected church leaders, and replaced them, quite apart from any legitimate process, with others more to their liking. Division and strife had arisen in the churches there, and many were being wounded in their faith. We can only imagine how outsiders must have sneered. And what about us today? Why is it so hard for Gospel-believing churches in any given community to do anything together? We have allowed long-standing divisions to rend our oneness and compromise our witness (Jn. 17.21). Men and brethren, these things ought not be.

What does your church do to try to build fellowship, share ministry, or join in worship with other Gospel-believing congregations in your community?

T. M. Moore

Personal Discipleship Inventory
Where do you stand in your Christian worldview? How confident are you in your vision of the Christian life? In your use of the disciplines whereby we pursue that vision? In the kinds of Kingdom outcomes you should be realizing in your life? Watch this brief video to learn how taking our Personal Discipleship Inventory can help you establish some baselines and begin to make real progress in your Christian worldview.

Introduction to Christian Worldview
We’re pleased to offer our course, One in Twelve: Introduction to Christian Worldview, at The Ailbe Seminary. There’s no charge, and all the course materials are free. In 12 diagrams you will gain a perspective and overall grasp of the 1 worldview that can change the world. Click here to register. Here’s a great opportunity for you and your leaders to get on the same page for a vision of the Kingdom that could change your lives and your church.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.