Division = Confusion

There seems to be some intrinsic, built in desire to see a band of brothers and sisters conquer some task, mission, or goal that lies incredibly deep within me. This is partially why I spent twelve dollars this past Monday along with my best friend to go and watch a 61 year old, face lifted, bow tox ridden, steroid induced, hero by the name of one John Rambo rescue the world from evil. I mean seriously Sly how do you do it? This guy is my dads age and my pops struggles to even finish a round of golf (sorry dad). I must admit seeing Sly in the shape he is in did inspire me to start a new diet, there was something hard to digest about a 61 year old grandpa making me look really bad, and I mean really bad!

Back to this intrinsic desire to be on mission with a select few is something I think about a lot, and something that I have been studying this week in Philippians chapter 2. The author of this short Epistle would categorize this as “oneness” as would the founder of Christianity himself; that being Jesus in John chapter 17. Paul begins to address this band of brothers and sisters in the influential city of Philippi, imploring them to bond to one another in “spirit and purpose.” He says:

“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with 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 purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better then yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

This idea of oneness is something that I believe we not only crave but something that the world uses at an authenticomenter (word I just made up, an instrument used to tell if someone or some group is legit, or authentic)(copywrite 2008). I’ve been reading a book by Joe Meyers called “the search to belong” a read that has challenged a lot of my thinking, and within that book I came across a quote by the legend Francis Schaeffer that stated:

“Our relationship with each other is the criterion the world uses to judge whether our message is truthful—Christian Community is the final apologetic.”

This quote, in light of my studying of Philippians has been rocking me and leading me to ask the question of what do people see of God through me, through my missional community, through the community of Axis? Do people see more of God, because of what they see in the gathered community of Axis?

As Paul writes to this community in Philippi it’s important to know that they were quite the eclectic group, lead by women (culturally not the norm) and made up of anything but a homogenous group. What a difficult task of committing to oneness in the reality of diversity.

There are many things I love about you, the Axis Community and one of those is the amount of diversity that we have. I love how different we are, how each MCH differs from the other, however we are bonded together by our shared vision, and values of making Christ known in our culture, making Him known among our generation! This small band of brothers and sisters in Philippi seemed to understand what was at stake; they believed Paul and embraced the words of Jesus that said:

“I'm praying not only for them but also for those who will believe in me Because of them and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind--Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us.
Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me. The same glory you gave me, I gave them, so they'll be as unified and together as we are—I in them and you in me.
Then they'll be mature in this oneness, and give the godless world evidence that you've sent me and loved them in the same way you've loved me.”

It really is true that division = confusion, and we know that confusion leads to Spiritual inactivity. This is what happens when we are divided and not moving and living in unity as the body of Christ, the world continues to look on in confusion.

Will you pray with me for the unity of our Community? Will you pray with me that in the midst of our diversity we will claim unity? Will you continue to place Christ in the center of your MCH and in the center of Axis?

Also I want you to consider how you are bringing about dis-unity, whether in small ways or big ways? Will you surrender this? Will you realize and accept that it’s not about you, but about something much bigger? I have to do this weekly by the way!

Let’s chat and acknowledge that in deed the world is watching!

Jon