How to make room for unity in your congregation
Rebecca Barnes, editor
It was the mid-1970s and the hot issue for the small Richland Hills Church of Christ was coffee and donuts in the Bible classroom. Rick Atchley, senior minister of the North Richland Hills, Texas, congregation-which has since grown into a megachurch-said a church elder's handling of the situation made all the difference. The elder told the woman who was complaining to either leave or come back and be happy.
"I think there are people looking for churches with that spirit," Atchley told a group of church leaders gathered at the North American Christian Convention in Louisville earlier this year. He said many members are tired of arguments over every issue, no matter how insignificant. Intead, he offered 10 ways for churches to keep the peace and remain united.
1. Admit a relationship between biblical interpretation and church affiliation.
"I grew up thinking our church believed the Bible while others twisted it," Atchley admitted. He said such a narrow mindset fed upon itself because he remained isolated from other followers of Jesus, gathering only with those who shared similar interpretations. It was that lack of diversity in thought that became confusion in a congregation that did not draw distinctions between tradition and Scripture.
2. Discern the difference between culture and Scripture.
"We all practice the faith under the influence of cultural baggage that we all fail to recognize," Atchley said. That can turn many positions of churches into cultural issues rather than scriptural issues, he said. For example, Atchley's boyhood church taught that alcohol, smoking, and swimming with the opposite gender were sins. Admitting this was cultural rather than scriptural was difficult, he said. He found that venturing out to other churches, particularly on the mission field, helped him separate the two.
3. Admit the difference between doctrine and opinion.
"Most churches split over subjective rather than objective issues," Atchley said. "It isn't the question of the deity of Christ that splits churches; it's personal faith issues." There is a link between theology and practice, however. And there is a way to encourage unity-the cross.
4. Preach salvation by grace, not works.
Churches that are prone to fighting over subjective issues or resist change may not fully comprehend the Gospel, according to Atchley: "If you grew up thinking you're saved because of how you do church, any change will be met with opposition." Preaching the cross will clarify the issue of salvation and hopefully put other issues in proper perspective.
5. Don't force people with personal faith convictions to offend their consciences.
Atchley cited New Testament examples of differing consciences over eating meat, idol meat, or kosher meat, or not eating any meat, in explaining how a subjective issue can become a faith issue for people. This is the place for understanding and allowing differing practices that are all tolerated.
6. Don't allow people to impose their convictions on others.
The biggest whiners should not control the church, Atchley said. He used worship practices as an example. "No one should make you hold up your hands. But the elders should not make a statement that there will be no hands held up," he said.
7. Be of the same mind.
This is the mind of Christ. Atchley cited Romans 15 on congregational unity, and Philippians 2 about considering others better than oneself.
8. Accept one another.
"This is where we have not done well," he said. Instead of accepting each other amid their diferences, many congregations have chosen to split, he said. "Denominationalism does nothing to highlight the cross of Christ."
Atchley added that acceptance means not judging others' behavior as wrong and not trying to change it. "I have learned that God has reserved the right to use people who disagree with me," he said. In fact, he said that theological diversity is the secret to church growth.
"I've got people in my church who believe the Holy Spirit only operates in the Bible, and I've got people in my church that in their closets at home pray in tongues. I've got people in my church who are across the board on the role of women, on marriage and divorce, and on Jesus' return.
"To my knowledge I am the only person with the correct view on all this," Atchley joked.
9. Practice the virtue of tolerance.
"I think it is crucial that we deal with all disputable matters by first remembering our own desperate need for grace," Atchley said. With some amount of tolerance, disagreements can end as two sincere, but different conclusions.
10. Value silence.
Keeping your opinions to yourself helps, Atchley said. "Grace reminds all of usthat sometimes we just need to be quiet."
Editor's note: Atchley co-authored a book on church unity this year with Bob Russell, former senior minister of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky. "Together Again" suggests unifying the distinct groups within the non-denominational Christian Churches and Churches of Christ.
Rebecca Barnes, editor
It was the mid-1970s and the hot issue for the small Richland Hills Church of Christ was coffee and donuts in the Bible classroom. Rick Atchley, senior minister of the North Richland Hills, Texas, congregation-which has since grown into a megachurch-said a church elder's handling of the situation made all the difference. The elder told the woman who was complaining to either leave or come back and be happy.
"I think there are people looking for churches with that spirit," Atchley told a group of church leaders gathered at the North American Christian Convention in Louisville earlier this year. He said many members are tired of arguments over every issue, no matter how insignificant. Intead, he offered 10 ways for churches to keep the peace and remain united.
1. Admit a relationship between biblical interpretation and church affiliation.
"I grew up thinking our church believed the Bible while others twisted it," Atchley admitted. He said such a narrow mindset fed upon itself because he remained isolated from other followers of Jesus, gathering only with those who shared similar interpretations. It was that lack of diversity in thought that became confusion in a congregation that did not draw distinctions between tradition and Scripture.
2. Discern the difference between culture and Scripture.
"We all practice the faith under the influence of cultural baggage that we all fail to recognize," Atchley said. That can turn many positions of churches into cultural issues rather than scriptural issues, he said. For example, Atchley's boyhood church taught that alcohol, smoking, and swimming with the opposite gender were sins. Admitting this was cultural rather than scriptural was difficult, he said. He found that venturing out to other churches, particularly on the mission field, helped him separate the two.
3. Admit the difference between doctrine and opinion.
"Most churches split over subjective rather than objective issues," Atchley said. "It isn't the question of the deity of Christ that splits churches; it's personal faith issues." There is a link between theology and practice, however. And there is a way to encourage unity-the cross.
4. Preach salvation by grace, not works.
Churches that are prone to fighting over subjective issues or resist change may not fully comprehend the Gospel, according to Atchley: "If you grew up thinking you're saved because of how you do church, any change will be met with opposition." Preaching the cross will clarify the issue of salvation and hopefully put other issues in proper perspective.
5. Don't force people with personal faith convictions to offend their consciences.
Atchley cited New Testament examples of differing consciences over eating meat, idol meat, or kosher meat, or not eating any meat, in explaining how a subjective issue can become a faith issue for people. This is the place for understanding and allowing differing practices that are all tolerated.
6. Don't allow people to impose their convictions on others.
The biggest whiners should not control the church, Atchley said. He used worship practices as an example. "No one should make you hold up your hands. But the elders should not make a statement that there will be no hands held up," he said.
7. Be of the same mind.
This is the mind of Christ. Atchley cited Romans 15 on congregational unity, and Philippians 2 about considering others better than oneself.
8. Accept one another.
"This is where we have not done well," he said. Instead of accepting each other amid their diferences, many congregations have chosen to split, he said. "Denominationalism does nothing to highlight the cross of Christ."
Atchley added that acceptance means not judging others' behavior as wrong and not trying to change it. "I have learned that God has reserved the right to use people who disagree with me," he said. In fact, he said that theological diversity is the secret to church growth.
"I've got people in my church who believe the Holy Spirit only operates in the Bible, and I've got people in my church that in their closets at home pray in tongues. I've got people in my church who are across the board on the role of women, on marriage and divorce, and on Jesus' return.
"To my knowledge I am the only person with the correct view on all this," Atchley joked.
9. Practice the virtue of tolerance.
"I think it is crucial that we deal with all disputable matters by first remembering our own desperate need for grace," Atchley said. With some amount of tolerance, disagreements can end as two sincere, but different conclusions.
10. Value silence.
Keeping your opinions to yourself helps, Atchley said. "Grace reminds all of usthat sometimes we just need to be quiet."
Editor's note: Atchley co-authored a book on church unity this year with Bob Russell, former senior minister of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky. "Together Again" suggests unifying the distinct groups within the non-denominational Christian Churches and Churches of Christ.
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