I read a supposedly true story this week about a church that split about forty years ago. . .over fried chicken. Evidently, there was a picnic lunch served on the church grounds after church one Sunday. Two ladies, who did not care for one another, both brought fried chicken to the lunch. The pastor stopped at one end of the table and sampled one of the ladies’ chicken. He commented that it was the best he had ever tasted. When word spread down the table, the second lady and her family packed up their chicken and went home. A few weeks later the church split right down the middle…over chicken!
We may snicker at the silliness of some Christians, but unity in the church is no laughing matter. In fact, the writers of the New Testament took it very seriously. As we continue our “Connected” series, today we will look at three questions concerning unity: How important is unity? How do we achieve unity? What do we do with unity? In fact, Jesus Himself prayed for our unity right before His betrayal and arrest:
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:20-21
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