Three Billion Reasons to Lay Down Our Differences

[RevVonHanshaw]

Brethren,
One of the greatest tragedies in modern American Christianity is how easily we divide ourselves while the world around us perishes without the Gospel. We split, splinter, and separate over personalities, preferences, minor doctrinal nuances, and territorial insecurity—while nearly three billion souls have never once heard the name of Jesus Christ.

Let that sink in. Three billion image‑bearers. Three billion eternal souls. Three billion people who do not know the Savior we claim to love.

Yet here at home, churches that share the same Bible, the same Gospel, and the same core doctrines often refuse to fellowship, cooperate, or labor together. Jealousy, competition, and insecurity have replaced humility, brotherhood, and mission. We have become experts at building walls, but amateurs at building bridges.

This is not New Testament Christianity. This is not the faith once delivered to the saints. This is not the spirit of Acts, where believers prayed together, fasted together, served together, and sent missionaries together. This is not true New Testament Christianity that turned the world upside down by evangelism and soul-winning.

The early church turned the world upside down because they were united around the Gospel and consumed with the Great Commission. Today, many churches cannot even unite around a potluck without drama.

Brethren, the unreached are waiting. The fields are white. The hour is late.

Let us repent of petty divisions. Let us lay aside childish competition. Let us rediscover the urgency of missions and the unity of the Spirit.

If we truly believe the Gospel, then we must act like it—together.

In Christ,
Rev. Von Hanshaw

 

[Salty]

Rev Von Hanshaw
You bring up some very interesting points. You state " preferences, minor doctrinal nuances, ". But what one considers "minor" another considers essential. For example one church may insist that if a church is not KJO and believes in closed communion they are not Scripturally correct. Now, I could attend (maybe not join) such a church - ie - I can fellowship with them - but would they fellowship with our church since I preach out of the (so-called) "perverted" NKJV, and we would allow not just any Baptist - but even non-Baptist to partake in the Lords Supper.
Now, on the other hand, I would never invite a female pastor to preach in our church. In addition If a pastor sees no problem with the homo$exual life style - would never preach from my pulpit.

So 1) where do we draw the line 2) who determines where the line is drawn?

Here in the Salt City, our pastors organization - GSAE - is looking into the possibility of inviting the Billy Graham Association here for a crusade (or whatever they call it now). I know some would not participate because they feel that the BGEA is too ecumenical. I have already signed up to participate. So, here is the situation - who will disfellowship with me. Not because of my fundamental beliefs - but because of secondary separation!

Yet this secondary separation is so important to so many - even when some 150,000 people end up in Hell every day.

 

[KermitDaFrog]

Hello brother, if you're so interested in evangelism, I'd be willing to help you practice with evangelism. I could pretend to be an MSA person and you can give me the gospel.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

If we truly believe the Gospel, then we must act like it—together.

Amen, Rev!
There are certain basics, without which there can be no Gospel; and I suppose those will vary from person to person and church to church. I suppose we ought to discuss what those are.
But to separate over Bible versions, closed or open Lord's Supper and the like, really makes no sense.

 

[Salty]

Amen, Rev!
There are certain basics, without which there can be no Gospel; and I suppose those will vary from person to person and church to church. I suppose we ought to discuss what those are.
But to separate over Bible versions, closed or open Lord's Supper and the like, really makes no sense.

Martin, I agree with you
BUT those that tend to be more strict in certain doctrines are the ones that will not compromise with others that disagree.
AS I mentioned - I could attend a church that is closed communion - even if they would not allow me to partake.

On the other hand - a preacher who supports the homo$e/ual life style - would say I am not loving as Jesus taught us.

In another thread - it was reported that even the Calvary Chapel denomination has split! = But I suppose that is one result of our fallen nature.

 

[Ascetic X]

One of the greatest tragedies in modern American Christianity is how easily we church people tolerate ecclesiastical worldliness, mammonism, materialism, hedonism, sexual abominations, and socialism … while the world around us thinks being a Christian does not include separation from the self and the world, and thus perishes without the true understanding of the Gospel.

We yearn for unity, but without purity, uniting with heretics, libertines, and apostates is no good.

If our differences were truly minor, trivial, and inconsequential, then unity would be a desirable goal.

We have strict standards to uphold, without being holier-than-thou Pharisees, and need to clean up our act as a universal church that represents Christ and His principles for living.