Confront the Scandal of Our Prejudices—Part 7
Getting Together
Another prejudice that needs to be addressed is our denominationalism. I’m not necessarily advocating that we join together as part of a great ecumenical movement. We don’t need to blindly embrace the minister down the street who believes Christ to be a good man but little more—and certainly not the unique Son of God. There are essential doctrinal differences that cannot be overlooked.
But that doesn’t mean that all in the true body of Christ, those who have received His saving grace, can’t learn to work together better. In our land the enemy is increasing in power. The strides Satan has made in recent years are frightening. Christians will never stop him if we can’t learn to cooperate more.
I am thrilled with reports I hear of ministers in many parts of the country praying together across denominational lines. We are not as far behind denominationally as we are racially, but that’s hardly a high compliment.
As I talk with church leaders, I am amazed how little Baptists know about Episcopalians, or Episcopalians about the Salvation Army, or the Army about what’s happening in Presbyterian circles. In many ways these are like different worlds which seldom interface unless something like a Billy Graham Crusade brings them together.
In a given town, churches and the people of those various churches so often are spiritually isolated from one another. Free Methodists don’t know who attends the local Church of God church, or the Missouri Synod Lutheran church, or the Evangelical Free church, or the Assembly of God church. There are exceptions, but on the whole we don’t really know the true body of Christ in our particular settings as I believe our Lord would like us to.
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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?
Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?
David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.
We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.
For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.
