The Hurdles to Church Unity

The Hurdles to Church Unity

Growing up in the church as a pastor’s kid gave me a front-row seat to some pretty silly Christian fights. There was the whole hymns vs. choruses controversy that had churchgoers at each other’s throats in the 80s and 90s. Then there were even pettier squabbles, over Christian rock music and the color of carpet in the church foyer.

Fast forward 30 years and the fights are different but just as heated. Maybe more so. Today, many Christians refuse to worship with, let alone associate with, people who vote differently from them. It almost makes me nostalgic for the good ol’ days of arguing about music. The hurdles to unity are higher than ever.

That’s why I was grateful for the latest episode of The Russell Moore Show, where Moore and producer Ashley Hales answered questions about Christian unity. Fielding questions on a variety of divisive topics, they explore what’s behind our current tendency to tribalism. Also, check out our resource on the topic. Unity in Diversity shows how your church can welcome people of different family structures, economic conditions, ages, races, educations, and religious backgrounds.