Unity or Uniformity?
A little over a week ago, I was at a gathering of people from our movement, where I was blessed by a time of study from the Word. One study was on loving each other as the Body of Christ.
An esteemed leader of our movement shared that we should be in unity as the Body. Amen. He then was quick to say that unity does not mean uniformity. There were a few muffled amens in the room. I think I said something like, "Go ahead, preach." Others sat in an almost stunned silence. There were a few wrinkled noses that seemed to disagree. Others I think missed the comment altogether.
I have been persuaded more and more over the years that my style of Christianity is not necessarily for all the other people in the world. I am also convinced that my idea of salvation is not the same as others. I am not a universalist, but often believe that we who claim to be evangelicals are a bit legalistic in our view of how our relationship with God ought to be. I think that often our Wesleyan roots that are about holiness confuse it with piety and legalism. Instead of being perfect in our love for God, we often think that we are to be completely perfect (and sometimes judgemental) in our behavior. To quote my grandmother "One is not superior, just because they claim to be sanctified."
I am also convinced that there is room for different methodology and style within an organization like ours. Not all of our places need to look alike. Not all of our people need to look alike.
In this movement, I think that often we do value uniformity. I believe in accountability. That does not mean that we all need to be in lock step with what is most valued in the organization.
Unity in purpose and in mission is a far different thing. Uniformity is often confused for unity. Unity in mission and purpose is essential for the life of the Church. We need to be about the purpose of bringing the Kingdom and its values to earth. How that happens, depends on the culture and context of the place where the mission is being pursued.
In other words, one size does not fit all. The question is then, "How do we hold each other accountable? How do we set some type of standard?" To me, I think this is an easy answer. Is it in line with two things.
First, the methodology and the look, must be God-honoring. It must be something which seeks to bring the best of the Kingdom to earth. It cannot be shoddy. It must be thoroughly prayed through and it must seek to bring all to the place where they can be touched by the grace of Christ and the healing of Christian community. It must serve and not seek to be served. It must be an exercise of faith, humility and grace.
Secondly, it cannot be personality driven alone. I understand that all leaders have a vision. Hopefully, it is a vision that comes from The Heart of God Himself. It cannot depend upon just the leader. It must be something that the community of believers find to be the way. In other words, there must be a confirmation in the Body as well as to the leader. Autocratic leadership is not godly leadership. It is about power and ego. Those things are not of God. We are reminded in scripture that "Jesus humbled himself....even to death on a cross."
It is tricky to get consensus all the time. That calls for us to be more prayerful and diligent in our visioning of what God is doing and what He asks us to do in concert with His will for a particular situation.
That means that not all of our centers, our corps, our soldiers or our officers will look alike. Where does that leave uniformity? For that matter, where does that leave our uniform?
I am not saying that commonality in method is always bad. I am saying that it is much easier not to think and go with what is spoon-fed to us denominationally, instead of really seeking the Spirit in our context.
A Sunday School promotion may work extremely well in one context, in another it may be just spinning our wheels. A brass band may work well in one context. In another, it may just be viewed as an oddity. A uniform in service to the community may open doors to further ministry, but on a Sunday may make many who are new to the fellowship feel completely out of place.
I know that I am treading on some dangerous ground here. I am not trying to cause a rift. Rather, I am trying to say that we really need to be incredibly creative and contextual in this day of ever-changing culture and spirituality. We can stand for Christ and be unified. We can do it in different ways as long as He is honored.
So what are the marks of unity in the Body that you think need to be displayed even more in our movement? What are the issues of uniformity that need to be re-examined and maybe counted as inconsequential? Does unity need uniformity? Am I just fooling myself in thinking maybe it doesn't? Where does denominational pride creep in?
What do you think?
An esteemed leader of our movement shared that we should be in unity as the Body. Amen. He then was quick to say that unity does not mean uniformity. There were a few muffled amens in the room. I think I said something like, "Go ahead, preach." Others sat in an almost stunned silence. There were a few wrinkled noses that seemed to disagree. Others I think missed the comment altogether.
I have been persuaded more and more over the years that my style of Christianity is not necessarily for all the other people in the world. I am also convinced that my idea of salvation is not the same as others. I am not a universalist, but often believe that we who claim to be evangelicals are a bit legalistic in our view of how our relationship with God ought to be. I think that often our Wesleyan roots that are about holiness confuse it with piety and legalism. Instead of being perfect in our love for God, we often think that we are to be completely perfect (and sometimes judgemental) in our behavior. To quote my grandmother "One is not superior, just because they claim to be sanctified."
I am also convinced that there is room for different methodology and style within an organization like ours. Not all of our places need to look alike. Not all of our people need to look alike.
In this movement, I think that often we do value uniformity. I believe in accountability. That does not mean that we all need to be in lock step with what is most valued in the organization.
Unity in purpose and in mission is a far different thing. Uniformity is often confused for unity. Unity in mission and purpose is essential for the life of the Church. We need to be about the purpose of bringing the Kingdom and its values to earth. How that happens, depends on the culture and context of the place where the mission is being pursued.
In other words, one size does not fit all. The question is then, "How do we hold each other accountable? How do we set some type of standard?" To me, I think this is an easy answer. Is it in line with two things.
First, the methodology and the look, must be God-honoring. It must be something which seeks to bring the best of the Kingdom to earth. It cannot be shoddy. It must be thoroughly prayed through and it must seek to bring all to the place where they can be touched by the grace of Christ and the healing of Christian community. It must serve and not seek to be served. It must be an exercise of faith, humility and grace.
Secondly, it cannot be personality driven alone. I understand that all leaders have a vision. Hopefully, it is a vision that comes from The Heart of God Himself. It cannot depend upon just the leader. It must be something that the community of believers find to be the way. In other words, there must be a confirmation in the Body as well as to the leader. Autocratic leadership is not godly leadership. It is about power and ego. Those things are not of God. We are reminded in scripture that "Jesus humbled himself....even to death on a cross."
It is tricky to get consensus all the time. That calls for us to be more prayerful and diligent in our visioning of what God is doing and what He asks us to do in concert with His will for a particular situation.
That means that not all of our centers, our corps, our soldiers or our officers will look alike. Where does that leave uniformity? For that matter, where does that leave our uniform?
I am not saying that commonality in method is always bad. I am saying that it is much easier not to think and go with what is spoon-fed to us denominationally, instead of really seeking the Spirit in our context.
A Sunday School promotion may work extremely well in one context, in another it may be just spinning our wheels. A brass band may work well in one context. In another, it may just be viewed as an oddity. A uniform in service to the community may open doors to further ministry, but on a Sunday may make many who are new to the fellowship feel completely out of place.
I know that I am treading on some dangerous ground here. I am not trying to cause a rift. Rather, I am trying to say that we really need to be incredibly creative and contextual in this day of ever-changing culture and spirituality. We can stand for Christ and be unified. We can do it in different ways as long as He is honored.
So what are the marks of unity in the Body that you think need to be displayed even more in our movement? What are the issues of uniformity that need to be re-examined and maybe counted as inconsequential? Does unity need uniformity? Am I just fooling myself in thinking maybe it doesn't? Where does denominational pride creep in?
What do you think?
posted by Larry at 8:27 PM
4 Comments:
I'm not stalking your blog, promise. I just happen to be up late. :)
I agree so much with what you've written.
However, In an army, uniformity is key to achieving mission, isn't it?
I suspect sometimes even that my desire to be authentic within this global movement that we call the Salvation Army has resulted in the frustration of those who are trying to accomplish certain objectives. This makes me wonder at times if I'm hindering rather than helping its mission.
On the other hand, keeping with the army analogy, the wrong orders can actually set you down a path contrary to your stated objective - and I hope some of my interpretations of "heart to God and hand to man" have caused others at times to take a second look at why protocol is protocol, why our methodology is our methodology. I have a long way to go, I know.
I think you are right - unity, not uniformity is key. "That they may be one, even as We are One", was Jesus' prayer. I would love to know what that looks like.
It's hard to say what is inconsequential and what is non-negotiable. It depends on whether you're talking about the Army as a public social service organization or a Wesleyan-Arminian supernatural oddity, a "revolutionary movement of covenanted warriors exercising holy passion to win the world for Jesus". :)
If it's the former, it probably wouldn't be such a good idea to ditch the uniform. (I'm not sure it's necessary for the latter.)
If it's the latter, you can't ditch any signs of our unashamedly Christ-centered identity. (As we've seen with "Doing the Most Good", it doesn't seem to be necessary with the former.)
Am I making sense? Am I setting up a false dichotomy? You tell me.
Whatever we are, we are following the risen Lord. His only non-negotiable seems to me to be love. Love God. Love others. Right?
Unity and diversity is I think an important thing within the church as a whole and within the Army.
However, I also feel that uniformity does have its place. For starters we must have uniformity of vision with regards to what our mission is! This doesn't mean that how we work out that mission has to be the same, but if the Army is to be faithful to its call then there has to be a corporate focus as well as a local one. I think it is Paul in Philippians who talks about us being one in purpose, which is how we should strive to be.
Secondly, there has to be uniformity in our doctrines and principles. I struggle with the growing battle over some aspects of our beliefs and the apparent disregard some have for each others view. Nor should we simply do whatever we want regardless of what the wider Salvation Army says. These two things actually ends up creating division, which is something that should not be part of the church at all.
Having said all that I have had the joy at serving at 4 totally different corps in the last 13 years, and have been involved in the leadership of all 4. There were incredible differences between them, yet this did not stop them being part of the same Salvation Army.
I agree with your premise . . . however, for there to be unity, the way I think you’re talking about it, all of us, (i.e. the Army) will need to learn what it means to “sacrifice the flesh.” Selfishness creates disunity . . . why does it always have to be about us? Why does it always have to be about the Army?
Just a few thoughts . . .
I’m presently at Bible Conference . . . the General speaks tonight . . . I’m looking forward to hearing what he has to say.
Blessings,
Bret
Graeme,
I would be interested in hearing more as to what you mean about "the apparent disregard for each others view"
Just wondering, do you think that our doctrines and theology should be fluid as more revelation comes? Isn't that how we became Protestants and Wesleyans?
Just wondering.
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