Everywhere we turn, there is a compelling reason to pick a side. Is this new to our culture, or is the division simply amplified right now? Has humanity always had something that separates us? I believe if we look deeper, we would find that division is always looming around the corner.
I want to take a step back from culture to look at our own ministries. For centuries Christianity has been divided into denominations. To date there are over 10,000 theological camps with which you can claim association. We also have very diverse tastes in music. Even on my own ministry team, we sometimes disagree on the method of doing ministry. With so many divisions, it's surprising Christianity can ever get anything accomplished.
What if our obvious differences can blend together into something greater? What if the gospel morphs seemingly incompatable elements and transforms them into a masterpiece. That's what happens for chocolate chip cookies!
As a youth worker who has run group games, you've probably had to endure a mouth full of only flour. It's not the best experience. What about a teaspoon of vanilla extract? Maybe if you were dared. And baking soda WILL NOT taste great by itself. But when you mix all those ingredients together and add some intense heat to them, then the transformation can occur. The results are so incredible!
Ministry is effective when people around leaders think and do things differently. Each ingredient has a purpose. Many ingredients need to be intentionally mixed into the process in order for them to become effective. After the mixing, it may take heat to finish the process. Some leaders avoid heated debate and the tension of problem solving, but these difficulties may actually move ministry forward toward beautiful transformation. If all parties work it out and stay together, the results can be more beautiful and more effective than we could ever have dreamed on our own. But how do we accomplish this?
We have to focus on the correct things. Instead of focusing on the areas which are not agreed upon, find common ground. The church that I'm part of talks a lot about form versus function. These terms come from Gene Getz in his book Elders and Leaders. The form is how we do ministry. The function is what we are trying to achieve. Our goal (function) may be the same (create disciples). But the way we go about forming the how can change over time and from one ministry to another. Sometimes the form becomes outdated. At that point we need to find what works to achieve the same unchanging goal. It is my belief that if we find ground that unites us, we realize we have more in common than previously assumed.
In a world of ever-growing division, may we as church leaders consistently encourage the mixing of gifts, perspectives, and people groups. Maybe the person you think you have nothing in common with will become the catalyst for spiritual growth in your own personal life. Maybe the denomination you think is far different from yours will have a perspective in an area of spiritual discipline which your denomination fails to prioritize. Maybe the youth worker in your leadership team who irritates you the most has exactly the idea that will meet the needs of some of your fringe students. Maybe Paul actually knew what he was talking about when he wrote that there are many different kinds of spiritual gifts, all of which serve the Lord in different ways "yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do" (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).