According to the World Wide Web, as of 2024, there are over 45,000 different denominations within Christianity. Full disclosure, I checked multiple sources before dropping that ginormous number on you, but I did not take the time to look up every denomination to learn about what makes that denomination distinct within Christianity. If you’d like to do that, have it and let me know how it goes:).
So… back to that crazy large number… 45,000! Truth be told… I don’t even know what to do with that. It seems impossible that there could be that many denominations within Christianity, but then again, humans are pretty good at doing our ‘own thing.’
As we continue in this devotional series I’ve entitled, THIS IS US, a series all about giving clarity and insight into all things GENESIS (mission, vision, DNA, values, etc.), I wanted to unpack one of the more critical aspects of our theology. Very specifically, the importance of UNITY when thinking and talking about theology.
As I mentioned in last week’s devotional…
EVERYONE EVERYWHERE IS A THEOLOGIAN.
That is to say, everyone everywhere has thoughts on God… we ALL do.
So, maybe this is stating the obvious, but when it comes to how we think about and relate to God, the fact that there are around 45,000 different Christian denominations doesn’t exactly portray a lot of UNITY within the family of God.
As way of reminder, I did not look up the differences within these 45,000 different denominations, so maybe there is more unity around theological things (at least I hope there is), but nothing about having 45,000 different Christian denominations screams ‘we have UNITY.’
A few hours before Jesus went to the cross to pay the full penalty for humanity’s sin, He was praying… and would you know it; He was praying for you and me. Hours before Jesus would endure the full weight of God’s wrath upon His sinless shoulders for our sin, Jesus was praying for anyone and everyone that would choose to follow Him.
Big question… what was Jesus praying about? One word…
UNITY.
See that with me in John 17:23 (NLT)…
“May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”
For Jesus, moments before the cross, on His heart and mind was that His disciples, both then and now would experience such ‘perfect unity’ that the world would know that the Father LOVES ALL people just as much as He loves the Son.
At GENESIS, when it comes to UNITY, I along with the elders, deacons, staff, GROUP and TEAM leaders will do anything and everything we possibly can to PURSUE, PRACTICE, PROTECT, and PROMOTE UNITY within our church family.
Because UNITY was so important to Jesus, we will do whatever it takes to be living answers to Jesus’ prayer.
What does that mean… what does that practically look like?
GRACE-BASED CONVERSATIONS.
If you want to read about GENESIS’ theological positions as it relates to God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, salvation, etc., you can read all about that via the GENESIS website.
But, if you have specific questions about our theology, namely, how our theology shapes how we live together as a church family…
GRACE-BASED CONVERSATIONS.
If you have questions about how GENESIS thinks about anything and everything from sexuality, politics, the marriage relationship, or to how we think about our worship services and the songs we sing…
GRACE-BASED CONVERSATIONS.
If you have questions about our NEW HOME at 11 State St., everything from safety and security, to how we decided to decorate the space including the signs we have hanging above the entryways…
GRACE-BASED CONVERSATIONS.
What do I mean by a ‘grace-based conversation?’
Simply put, if you have questions, then let’s have an actual conversation about those questions. And when I say, ‘an actual conversation’, I simply mean to say, let’s sit down and talk through your questions.
And more importantly, let’s approach that conversation with LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of grace for one another. No one has it all figured out, you don’t and I know I certainly don’t, so if we know that, we can be gracious to one another.
By no means am I an expert on all things church, far from it, but if I were to take a stab at why there is so much division within our church (even within our culture), I’d say it’s because there is a LACK of GRACE-BASED CONVERSATIONS taking place.
And to be clear… posting on social media your questions, thoughts, ideas, concerns, and frustrations is NOT the same thing as sitting across the table from someone that you ‘might’ disagree with in order to listen and learn from.
Can those conversations take place via text or email? Well… maybe?
But clearly, sitting down with people face-to-face is always the best path to travel in order to PURUSE, PRACTICE, PROTECT, and PROMOTE UNITY within the family of God.
I want to be a living answer to Jesus’ prayer for UNITY… and I want that for you as well.
So, if you have questions… ANY QUESTIONS… let’s talk… let’s have a GRACE-BASED CONVERSATION trusting that Jesus will bless us with the UNITY He prayed about.
And even more than that, that Jesus would use our UNITY to help those around us catch a glimpse of just how AMAZING the love of God really is.
