Preamble:
Pursuing unity among churches and ministries has proven some of the most challenging work I’ve been involved in while in ministry. Building trust and working as a diplomat between differing view points takes a lot of time and energy.  If I’m honest, there have been many times that I have given up hope and expected relationships to collapse, churches to break up, ministries to pack up and move on.  Please, before you read another word, please don’t utter those terrible words: “if the church were just …” or “if Christians were just …”.  Please. Hear me out.  Because I think you may have left your casserole dish in the church kitchen, uncleaned no less.  Or perhaps it was your Bible left behind in the fellowship room.  You left the lid off, left the copier jammed, didn’t pick up after your event, or you forgot to lock the…. You and I, and a few other Jesus followers, are “the church” and so the church is messy and hard, just like my family is, just like your family is.  And that’s what the Bible tells us we should expect until Jesus returns. Please know this is not an excuse for criminal negligence, abuse, or gross incompetence. When those happen in church contexts Christians need to address them clearly, assertively, and with victims’ needs closely in mind. Here I’m speaking of regular and common human peculiarities, cultural insensitivity, selfishnesses, forgetfulness, inconsiderateness, lack of communication, etc. This is real life in the church and it is a common source of disunity. But unity is worth a fight. True unity inside the church and across churches is very much worth fighting for.  I see at least three reasons that this day-to-day, operational, ground-level unity is important for us as Christians to understand, embrace, and work hard for.  I believe: 1. Unity in Christ is Real. 2. Unity in Christ is Theologically Demanded. 3. Unity in Christ is Worth Fighting For. 4. Unity in Christ Reflects the Trinity.

October 25, 2020
Unity in Christ is real (or Unity in Christ is near) – Ephesians 4:1-7 (NIV) 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. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:1-7 Benediction Reading: ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭67:1-7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

November 1, 2020
Unity in Christ is theologically demanded (or Unity in Christ is here) – Philippians 2:1-7 (NIV) In fact, it could be argued that working to the point of pain and discomfort for the sake of unity in Christ may be theologically demanded by the gospel.  Let’s look at Paul’s famous passage to the Philippians.
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:
Scripture Reading: Philippians 2:1-7 Benediction Reading: 1 Peter 4:7-11

November 8, 2020
Unity in Christ is worth fighting for (Unity in Christ is coming) – Galatians 3:15-4:7 (3:24-29 quoted, NIV) So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Scripture Reading: Galatians 3:15 – 4:7 Benediction Reading: Hebrews 12:1,2

November 15, 2020
Unity in Christ reflects the unity in the Godhead – John 17 Great Command – Father Great Commission – Son Great Community – Spirit
Scripture Reading: ??  Benediction Reading: ??

POSSIBLE PROBLEM: This doesn’t yet really adequately get to one important point I want to talk about. I believe the Bible supports a unity that demands diversity (of peoples, gifting, backgrounds, economic and social histories, etc), so a unity without uniformity. I’m not sure which of these sermons would intersect well with that. I think Galatians was were I was going to emphasize it. Are Romans 12 and 1 Cor 12 brought into the Galatians passage? What about James 2? What about men and women? What about race today?