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All of us who are in Christ Jesus share a common purpose, the Great Commission. We have the responsibility of carrying the message of the Gospel to the nations and to our own communities. However, making disciples of all nations is not an easy task, nor is leading those disciples once they have accepted Christ. Pastors and other ministers often find themselves overwhelmed, especially in these days of the "do-it-all" church mentality. Anyone who has been in ministry for any period of time has heard the expression, "If the only tool you have in your toolbox is a hammer then you approach every problem as if it were a nail." The normal use of this is to "encourage" pastors and other leadership to have as many tools in their own toolbox as possible. While there is some truth there, this notion has added unnecessary stress to the already difficult job of being a pastor in the body of Christ. Most local churches simply do not have the resources, either financial or personnel, to have a complete tool kit by themselves. Let's face it, there are very few "mega-churches" that have the means to do this. The overwhelming majority of the body is made up of local churches of less than 500 people, with the median somewhere around 80. While the large churches serve a purpose and have provided valuable resources and training, most of the work of the of the Body is done in these smaller congregations with limited resources. For a moment, let's take a step back. To continue with the tool metaphor, what if a church with a hammer, drill, and a saw joins forces with another that has a level, socket wrench, and a set of screwdrivers. Instead of trying to do it all and have it all, these congregations partner their strengths together and work towards the common purpose of making disciples of all nations. "And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one even as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world will know that Thou didst send me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me." (John 17:22, 23, NASV) Working together to fulfill the Great Commission, putting aside denominational and cultural differences, we can see the results of the blessing of the unity that the Lord prayed for in this piece of His prayer as our High Priest. Psalm 133 is very explicit about God's desire for us to unite and the blessing commanded when we do so. |