In my last post I said this about the road ahead for (Western) churches:

Step 1: Christian unity!
Step 2: See step 1.

Our Savior Jesus once said "A house divided against itself can not stand" and later went on to say "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, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. 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 17:20-23)

If we resolve to be Christians, one body, one faith, one baptism, one together and open to the transformation of our lives by the Holy Spirit of God I believe that church form and structure will flow naturally into our current contexts. In some places it will look the same as before and in other places radically different but we have a God big enough to handle it.

Over the past few weeks I've been discussing these concepts with people with different denominational and traditional backgrounds with a great deal of enthusiasm but for the most part all conversations start and end with "my theology is right".

I belong to a church tradition that developed out of the Stone-Campbell movement, sometimes known as the Restoration movement. Just saying that brings baggage alone with it but I have to say, the more I study it and the intent of it's founders I can not help but resonate with them.

In the essentials, unity. In the non-essentials, liberty. And in all thing, charity.

    
So how do we get past the "my theology is right" mind set that throws up road blocks? I had one discussion about Baptism with a Roman Catholic which ended quite poorly. He insisted on a doctrinal trajectory that I simply could not accept, that baptism of the infant is a regenerating act that saves the child where as I hold to the believe that Jesus instigated baptism as a conscious act of the believer to demonstrate their faith.

Finding a theological common ground is tough, this is just one example so it begs the question "Is it worth it?" Is trying to uncover that which we have in common worth the stress, distress and pain?

Yes.

Why?

Because Jesus said to.

Is that enough?

Yes!

I want to be Christ-like. I believe that to be the goal of our faith, to become like Jesus, to share in his mission and to demonstrate his love to a lost and hopeless world. How can I do this without seeking unity with other believers?

Can I leave you with this challenge? Find someone of a different denomination, a different theological tradition and find our what you have in common.