Preachers Gather for Unity - Should I Go too?

Recently I was invited to participate in a new gathering of preachers from the churches of Christ in Irving. At one of the local churches of Christ these preachers from the different congregations in Irving were coming together to pray, and to worship and to encourage one another in their ministries. It's a wonderful event, I was assured. Will you come?

I am not going. I won't attend such events, either for a "City Ministerial Alliance" or even just for preachers from the various churches of Christ in Irving. Immediately that may seem rude or even intolerant to some. Before writing me off as such, can I explain why I believe it is important not to attend such events?

First, because I believe these kind of meetings are a mistake, indeed, are in fact wrong. There are at least seven different churches of Christ in Irving. The invitation I received said it is a shame that the preachers in these seven congregations don't know each other better. I disagree. What is truly shameful is that those who claim to be Christians, the followers of Christ, cannot even agree with one another as to what real Christianity is and how to practice it. These divisions are not right and are not pleasing to God (1 Cor. 1:10ff). Such divisions damage our ability to carry the Gospel into the world, into this community ( John 17:21). Yet what is worse than just being divided is brethren who would rather get together and have a nice time pretending all is well, while absolutely refusing to ever discuss or even think about the real doctrinal issues that separate us. That is truly shameful, isn't it?

What has happened to our faith in the Word of God? Do brethren no longer believe that we can study it, understand it, apply it and thus be united in truth? I believe that we can understand the Bible alike if we just make a sincere and honest effort to do so (see Eph. 3:4). If this is so (and it is) why then will these other preachers not even try? Are they not honest, or do they just not believe God's word can bring unity (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17)? Let me be clear: it is not that Bible study has been tried and failed. It is that there has been a failure to even try it. The problem here is that no one is even interested in trying such. We would rather just wallpaper over our differences as if they are insignificant and unimportant, though unity matters to Christ (see John 17:20-21). Apparently the thinking is that if we act united then we are.

Yet such meetings are just a sham and a farce and do nothing but make everyone present into a hypocrite. For example, one preacher who attends these meetings preaches at a congregation that believes it to be sinful for a congregation to provide organized Bible classes. How in good conscience did that brother then come to this meeting and encourage men who are doing what he teaches is sinful? Did he pray that their Bible classes would prosper? Did he encourage others in having classes? Did others pray for him to have more success teaching that Bible classes are wrong, and that those who have them are in sin?

I cannot imagine myself at such a meeting. Could I, in good conscience, encourage the other preachers there when I believe some of them are preaching error and leading Christians into apostasy? How many preachers there would want to pray for and encourage me, since part of my work has been to actively teach and preach against Irving's large liberal churches, like South MacArthur, and the practices there? I wonder if South Mac's preacher would want to pray "Dear Lord, please bless Mark's sermon Sunday on Bible authority as he makes application to South Mac's apostasy so that many of our members will hear that sermon, be convicted of their sins, and leave us." There's a prayer I don't expect to hear any time soon!

The second reason I'm opposed to such meetings is that while they not only are hypocritical and a farce, they actually work against real biblical unity. In the invitation I received via email it was noted that these meetings are designed to "build friendships that might serve to strengthen unity among the churches of Christ in Irving." Note carefully what it says that strengthens unity among Christians. Not Bible study and reading and applying God's word to our lives, but friendships. Being better friends is the key to unity, according to those promoting this preacher gathering. Yet such thinking says the reason we are divided is because we just don't know each other well enough and so are not being nice to each other. Is that really true? If we just knew each other better our differences over gymnasiums in the church building, and fellowshipping denominational churches and using more than one cup in the Lord's Supper would all just disappear? Who is really kidding who here?

My Methodist neighbor is a fine person. I know him well and we are quite friendly to each other. Yet our good relations have not united us in our service to God. Why not? Because our differences are doctrinal and scriptural. They are not differences of personality. I am separated religiously from him because I don't believe what he believes - not because I don't like him or don't know him.

Similarly, my refusal to come to this preacher gathering has nothing to do with being nice or treating people in a friendly way. Christians should be nice to everybody (Matthew 7:12). Our separation comes straight down to the fact that I believe these other congregations are preaching and teaching another Gospel and so I cannot be united with them, nor can I pray for their ministry, nor can I try to encourage anyone in those congregations. I should want, in fact, very much to discourage folks from those congregations - so much that people would leave what I deem to be apostate practices and practice the truth! But no one wants to hear that, and if someone should say such at a preacher meeting it would just be embarrassing and awkward for most folks. So such meetings put the emphasis far from the Bible and what it says. Therein lies the problem. These meetings don't recognize what caused division in the first place and then actively quell the only thing that will solve it: Bible study. Frank and honest discussion of conviction and faith simply are not welcome.

I thank God that the New Testament church didn't value tolerance and "let's all get along" like people do today. When the church was troubled by differences over the Law of Moses and circumcision the response was Bible study, prayer and an airing of those differences so that God's will could be determined. Study Acts 15 carefully and you will find this is precisely what happened. Indeed, Paul and Barnabas traveled to Jerusalem, not to encourage the Judaizers in their teaching, but to put a stop to it so that all brethren could be harmonized in the truth (see Acts 15:3-4, 7). Being friendly and getting better acquainted wasn't the order of the day. Finding the truth was! Why can't we be like those brethren long ago? Why do we have to hide our differences instead of speaking plainly and boldly so that we can finally be united in the truth? I don't want to be part of anything that demands the truth be veiled so that our differences are perpetrated rather than solved!

I truly do not wish to be perceived as difficult, obnoxious or hard to get along with. However, my passion for real New Testament Christianity does not permit me to have sham unity and pretend union while doctrinal differences are shoved under the rug. Be assured - the moment someone puts together a "Let's Talk about our Differences, Study the Bible and Just Follow It" session I'll be there in a heartbeat. I hope and pray that some day such a session will occur. Yet I'll not go down to the plains of Ono ( Nehemiah 6:2) to make believe the churches of Christ in Irving are all serving the Lord and doing what is right. It is God's word that produces real God-pleasing unity, and thus it is God's word that needs our attention, not coffee and artificial smiles. May the day come soon when everyone will be interested in following just the New Testament.