There's the Problem!

There are some things that I find nearly unbelievable. Acts 4:32 says, “All the believers were one in heart and mind” (NIV). Did you hear that? Other versions say “they (believers) were in one accord.” I am sorry, but in my wildest dreams I cannot even imagine if that is possible, or what that would be like! All believers…he is referring to the Methodists and the Baptists, and the Lutherans, and the Catholics, and the Apostolics, and the list goes on to include ALL believers. I will confess I have yet to see a Methodist church (including my current appointment) where ALL the Methodists were one in heart and mind, let alone ALL believers. (Just so you know, I have consulted with other pastors, some of other denominations, and they concur.) So what’s going on here? Has God withdrawn his blessing? Has the Spirit lost his power? Is it us…are we the ones to blame for this insurgence against one another and against God? Yes, I said against God. If we are the Church and Christ is our head, then when we fail to accomplish what he calls us to accomplish, for whatever reason, we have rebelled against our leader. So how do we become of “one in heart and mind?” We start with prayer, lots of prayer. We practice respect, especially if we expect respect. We acknowledge that our personal agenda may be different from God’s. And we realize the importance of being of one heart and mind: so important that Jesus prayed that we “may be one as we (the Father and the Son) 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 17:22b-23 NIV).