HOW TO PRACTICE UNITY

This teaching is taken from Xenos.Org

Show love and respect for Christians outside your own church. This is not to imply that we need not show love and respect for non-Christians! It is to say that non-Christians need to also see a special kinship between Christians at work, etc.

We may have important differences with other true Christians over doctrine, how we do church, etc.--differences big enough that we are probably better off being committed to different churches. But we need to remember that what we have in common far outweighs our differences. I worry that many Xenos people do not do this enough. It's great to feel excited about your church, but don't become arrogant and view other Christians and Christian churches as enemies! Not only is this arrogant and cultic--it is also ugly for non-Christians to see.

Instead, we should be warm and affectionate when you run into Christians from other churches that you know. We should also show genuine interest in what God is teaching them and how he is working through them.

One of the best ways to demonstrate this unity is to work with Christians from other churches in some common ministry.

For 16 years I have been teaching a Bible study at a nursing home here in town. It has been great to see many people come to Christ in the last years of their lives. It has also been great to work with other Christians from different churches as we reach out to the people in the nursing home.

You can collaborate with other Christians in your neighborhood to pray for your neighbors and work together in reaching out to them. You can do the same with associates at work.

But as important as this is, the New Testament emphasizes another kind of unity far more. Be "in fellowship" instead of merely "going to church." I hate the phrase "going to church" because it implies the church is a building, when the Bible says the church is the people who know Christ. But even if we change "going to church" to "attending Central Teaching," there is still a big difference between this and being "in fellowship."

"Fellowship" means sharing something in common. To be in fellowship with other Christians means that you are regularly sharing your common relationship with Christ with other Christians: discussing what you are learning from his Word, sharing how he is changing your life, talking to Christ together, urging each other to stay faithful to Christ, working together to serve others, showing appropriate affection toward one another, etc.

If you come here very long, you'll hear this slogan: "Xenos is not a large meeting-based church that also has home-groups; it is home-group-based church that also has large meetings." The reason for this is simple: Christian fellowship flourishes in home groups in a way that can never happen at a meeting like this. If you know Christ, you should view this meeting as a complement to your involvement in home group, not a substitute for it. Being in fellowship will strengthen and feed your walk with Christ tremendously, and it will help you reach your non-Christian friends for Christ much more effectively.

Another way you know when you're "in fellowship" is when you get hurt, offended, disappointed, etc. When this happens, do you withdraw and dismiss--or do you work hard to maintain these relationships?

Consider this passage (read Eph. 4:1-3). You can hear Paul echoing Jesus is Jn. 17 as he reminds us of the importance of unity as we seek to represent Christ. He is utterly realistic about the difficulty of maintaining this kind of unity between sinful, fallen people--so he reminds us of what we need to cultivate to do this.

I need to ask God for the humility to see my own contribution to the conflict (and apologize for it), instead of just focusing on the other person's.

I need to ask God for the gentleness to treat my brother or sister as precious rather than brutally lashing out at or smashing him. And I need to apologize when I blow it here.

I need to ask God for patience and forbearance (and forgiveness) when they hurt me or don’t change as quickly as I want them to--just as I am thankful that God extends this to me.

For those of us who are "in fellowship," this is a constant challenge. I can't always restore every strained relationship, but I am responsible to do my part as God shows me. This is a great training ground for my own growth, and it safeguards the unity that intangibly affects and attracts non-Christians who interact with us.

THE MORE WE READ, THE BETTER WE KNOW JESUS

I was reading about the secrets of "ABUNDANT LIFE". This is only a portion of an outline from ExecutableOutlines.Com

THE MORE WE READ, THE BETTER WE KNOW JESUS...

1. As simple as it sounds, Bible reading is the catalyst to the abundant life

By reading we come to know
By knowing we come to love
By loving we come to obey
By obeying we come to abide
By abiding we come to bear fruit
By bearing fruit we experience the abundant life

2. Yet many Christians neglect the Word of God

Even though its value in bearing fruit is seen even in Psa. 1:1-3
How sad when we now have the full revelation of the New Testament

-- Neglecting the Word of God is why many do not experience the abundant life!

HOLY IS THE LORD MUSIC VIDEO - Chris Tomlin's (Daniel Choo)

Chris Tomlin's Song by: Daniel Choo