unity

The Power of Unity

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” – Philippians 2:1,2 When a large group of people are united, there is incredible power to behold. You can accomplish a lot when everyone is on the same page. Do you remember the months following the 9/11 tragedy? There was this incredible unity among Americans that hadn’t been felt in a long time. There was no Democrat or Republican division. Our nation decided to love and support one another. We set our differences aside for one common cause — to pick up the pieces from one of the worst tragedies ever. Maybe you’ve had a moment in your country or culture

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Three Keys to Becoming a Servant Leader

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5,6 As we wrap up our discussion about what it means to love our enemies and bring unity to our workplaces, I want to offer three practical tips that will help you to be a conduit of peace from the inside out. You see, becoming a servant leader is not a matter of trying harder, it’s a matter of the heart. The more you trust the Lord with your life and the more assuredly you believe that serving others is His best plan for you, the more naturally peace and goodness will flow from you. That said, here are a few things to remember: First of all, be patient. Intentionally practice patience and quit hurrying through your life. Instead

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The Surprising Truth About Heresy

“In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.” – 1 Corinthians 11:17,18 What do you think of when you hear the word heretic? If you’re like most Christians, you probably think of someone who ascribes to and promotes a false doctrine. Like maybe they don’t believe in the Trinity or they don’t believe that Jesus was the Son of God. Surprisingly, this may not have been the Apostle Paul’s intent when he used this term! The root word used to derive heresy is hairesis, which in Greek means “one who chooses.” So a heretic, in Paul’s view, is someone who causes division in the church by choosing their own way over God’s. Thus, it

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Differences Are Diamonds

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves.” – Philippians 2:1-3 We are certainly living in a hotly divided culture right now. Never have I seen so many people so prone to judge anyone who is not on their “side.” And while there are issues of great concern facing the nations of the world today, I believe that as Christians, our call is to model a higher standard. While it’s natural to associate with those who see things the way that we do, this is not our charge as believers. In fact, we’re

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God Loves Gatherings

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” – Matthew 18:20 Yesterday, we talked about the amazing truth that Jesus chooses to make His home in us, His followers. Thus, when two or more of us gather together, we experience His presence and see new facets of His love through others. In fact, as I write this, I can’t help but remember the wonderful get-togethers at my Grandpa and Grandma Schuller’s house as I was growing up. Though ours was a big family and we didn’t all see each other often, when we gathered at Christmas and Easter, there was a wonderful sense of warmth and worship (my Grandma even had an organ built in the dining room so we could sing together at meals). I dealt with a lot coming from a divorced household and going back and forth between two parents, but

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The Root of the Problem

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.’” – Matthew 5:27-29 As Christians, we should constantly seek to become more like Jesus. While this is an everyday aspiration, looking ahead to a new year gives us an opportunity to commit ourselves again to the call of discipleship. In light of our divided culture — one in which social media has given everyone a platform — many of us feel a burden to cultivate unity. More than ever, we’re zealous about bringing divine justice and mercy to earth, yet

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