by Mitchell Skelton

Has the call for unity among believers been abandoned in the church today?  Has the fire that burned among the leaders of the Restoration been extinguished?  If the church of the 21st century truly models itself after the first century church then the plea for unity must be made and heeded.

Jesus’ prayer for unity had a specific purpose. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one... May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 18:20–21, 23).

Much effort is expended in brotherhood papers and lectureships addressing “change agents.”  Noticeably missing from most of these articles is any effort toward reconciliation.  Don’t misunderstand, when we observe the church practicing error then we have a responsibility to correct the error but that also involves making the effort to restore unity among believers.  We should, “Make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (Rom. 14:19).

Achieving unity seems like such a monumental objective that we often dismiss the thought.  Often the true reason we don’t think unity is possible is because we don’t think people will be willing to conform their actions to the will of our own minds.  Consider the example of a couple preparing for marriage.  Before their wedding, David and Susan met with the minister to discuss their marriage ceremony and various traditions, such as lighting the unity candle from two individual candles. Couples usually blow out the two candles as a sign of becoming one. Their minister said that many people were now leaving their individual candles lit to signify independence and personal freedom. He asked if they wanted to extinguish the candles or leave them burning. After thinking about it, David replied, "How about if we leave mine lit and blow hers out?"

Unity is not about everyone doing the same things in exactly the same way.  We are bound by scripture and from the scriptures we must not stray but when the “change agent” is simply proposing a different way of accomplishing a scriptural practice then we are simply discussing matters of opinion.  Arguments, strife, bitterness and even splits have been caused by matters as insignificant as what song book to use or whether or not a fellowship hall can have a roof higher than eight feet tall to accommodate basketball goals.

Whenever you bring a group of people together under a common banner there are bound to be disagreements.  When disagreements occur in a family you have only two choices.  You can decide to no longer live together as a family or you can decide that the good of the family is better served by accepting your family member and their opinion.  The church is a family.  When disagreements arise we must put our disagreements to the test.  Is it a matter of faith or is it an opinion?  If we cannot appeal to scripture for our opinion then we must preserve the unity of the Lord’s Church. To decide that we can no longer live together as the family that we are, in this case would be sin. It is for the good of the church and the work of God that we receive our brothers as Christ has received them.  If we as a family of God would realize that we have no choice but to work things out then the work of God could continue unrestrained and God would be given the glory.


Let us heed the Restoration call!  Let’s speak where the bible speaks, and let us be silent where the bible is silent. Remember, just because you don’t like it does not mean God don’t like it.