Born Against?

For the past couple of weeks, I've read the following the statement a few times online, through a couple of other ministry sites, in addition to, having heard it in real life over the same period of time. I think I even included once or twice in a previous post as well, but it bears repeating.

Healthy churches are made up of healthy people.

I heard it again, even over the weekend, but the part that really got me thinking was the statement:

Some are born again. Some are born against.

A play on words to be sure, as the transforming power of salvation is to bring us in to right relationship with God whereby our first concern begins to be more of God and less of us.

That said, some people, both save and unsaved, are "disrupters". There's a time and place to do so. Differing opinions, strategies that consider all-sides of an argument; weighing possible outcomes to a variety of scenarios in an effort to make the best decision and take the wisest course of action.

But for some; that's their role in every conversation. In every circumstance. There's a difference between working out differences and focusing on the differences to the point and hope of not reaching decisions versus making life difficult and giving voice to thought as one expresses their frustration to the degree that others begin to share it and take it on as their own.

The body of Christ will always have difference among us, but when our ideas begin to get in the way of the work that God desires to accomplish; that's a disruption that carries eternal consequences. It harms the witness and work of the church.

It's bad enough when it's unintended and accidental; it's problematic when it happens on purpose

Pray, this #seniorPastorMonday, that churches would experience a spirit of unity and harmony, in a greater dimension. May their be a grace as differences are worked out, but may the power of the Holy Spirit work to remind all of believers that the we are meant to build each other up in Christ and point the unsaved to Christ... not destroy each other and the turn the unsaved into uninterested at the same time. Pray, that indeed, more churches would become healthy as their people become healthy, maturing in their faith; growing in the walk with God. May God be lifted up, as we remember again, we are not our own... we were created by God, redeemed by God and granted access to God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

May our lives be about Christ.
May we show that to be true to those around us who desperately need to experience God for themselves.
May God's will be made perfect in our imperfections.
United... all for God and God for us, all.

- PNC

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