In All Things Grace: A Layman's Take on Church Unity

By Darryl McCollum

Why is Gods church fractured? Is the unity that Christ prays for in the High Priestly Prayer out of reach in todays world? Explore the possibilities that exist in an almost four-hundred-year-old tract written by a Lutheran theologian to unite the church spiritually in their foundation of Christ. In All Things Grace is a window into the possibilities when we truly are one with Christ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jul 8, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490883090

Darryl McCollum

Darryl McCollum is resident of Concord, California, and the proud father of three wonderful children. He is an ordained ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church USA and currently a spiritual growth elder at his home church in Concord, California. He sits on the board of trustees for RESTORE, a Christian recovery and after care program, which operates homes in Concord. He is one of the co-founders and president of the Praise in the Park Concord Music Festival. The event welcomes Christians of all varieties to worship God together in an all-day festival unifying God’s church by building the community through connecting local charities to those in need and with those willing to serve. His favorite ministry for God is writing songs, playing keyboard, and singing in The Flock, a contemporary Christian rock band.

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Copyright © 2015 Darryl McCollum.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-8310-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-8311-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-8309-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015908934

WestBow Press rev. date: 07/08/2015

Contents

Dedication

Introduction

Why Unity?

Unity Prayer

Schism or I’m Right Therefore, You’re Wrong

A New, Old Idea

In Essentials Unity

Belief

Obedience

Repentance from Sin

Forgiveness

Love

In Non-Essentials Liberty

Paradox Lost

Ego a Small but Significant Word

Quadrilateral, What’s That?

Religion or Relationship?

Ego Again? Yes, Because It’s That Important

In All Things Charity (Grace)

Scripture

What a Friend

Unity in Diversity

Endnotes

Dedication

To everyone in God’s church bold enough to radically love those that may have different opinions from themselves. And to those who recognize and graciously accept the unique relationships that other believers have with Christ and God.

I write respectfully to those brave enough to turn everything over to Christ, to put ego, and self, aside in order to live in the freedom of servant hood.

Introduction

Many mainline denominations struggle with culturally driven doctrinal changes and God’s word regarding them. For example, redefining marriage and the authority of Scripture are two large issues across all denominations in this season of church history.

When discussing issues of this importance there is nearly always a perception that one side wins and one side loses. Often these differences drive a split in God’s church and create a condition where everyone loses to some degree as the body is broken, divided, and wounded.

Since 1990 population has increased 37.2% while adherents to the Christian faith have only increased 7.9%. This represents a 12% reduction in membership when weighted against population¹. There are many opinions as to why but basically the reasons are any body’s guess. However, the more we split over disagreements of doctrine (large or small) the fewer slices of a shrinking pie are available to each congregation. As memberships are split, so are available spiritual gifts, thus further reducing potential ministry.

In Ephesians Paul speaks of some key ministry gifts such as: Apostles, Evangelists, Prophets, Pastors, and Teachers. Today, however, there are some congregations that believe Prophets no longer exist, or that apostolic churches are only for certain people. And evangelism has taken on a negative reputation in America. Yet a healthy church needs all five of these vocations to thrive. By splitting up or losing basic gifts we’ve watered down our capacity to succeed in the mission of making disciples. And then another question becomes: when we do make disciples, are we making Disciples of Christ, or disciples of our denomination, or even our particular congregation?

From the cradle up we are taught that God is Love. We know intuitively the more you love the more you suffer loss when there is dissention. We know that God is immutable but Scripture also shows us that His character loves this world. He endured suffering on a cross for us and He still suffers with us in our struggles. I believe each time we split His church it pains Christ that we are not working His plan of reconciliation and oneness.

In All Things Grace we’ll explore how to mend divisions and be unified within our diversity. We’ll see how to use the glue of our relationship with Christ as our common foundation.

I pray that God will use this book to soften our hardened hearts as His people. And that He will help us to become unified for the purpose of advancing His kingdom here on earth as it is in Heaven.

Why Unity?

In July, 2014, a wonderful Christian music festival called Praise in the Park gathered Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants, both denominational and nondenominational. Evangelical progressive, reformed, and charismatic, believers of God’s church were present as brothers and sisters in Christ. The Festival united God’s church around three fundamental principles, Faith, Love, and Service.

All in all the festival was a huge success. Twenty-five charities took advantage of the free booth space to offer services to the community and service opportunities to people wanting to serve. Nearly five thousand people came to praise God and to lift that praise in the heart of the city. Passersby and diners at nearby restaurants joined in. One man recommitted his life to Christ after being away from faith for over twenty years. A homeless woman in bondage to addiction found a program among the charities. She’s completed recovery and is working again. Praise God for His miracles!

However, several local congregations refused to support or join however because they felt it would compromise the integrity of their faith. To affiliate with people of different opinion on some doctrinal issues was a stumbling block for them. These congregational leaders believed many of the participants were not Christians because of what they called irreconcilable theological differences. For example, we considered engaging a prominent local female pastor to speak at the event but found that more congregations would have withdrawn their support had we done so.

I naively believed going into planning the event that all of God’s people could unite behind Faith, Love and Service with a goal of strengthening our community for a single day. More than fifty ministries did support the event which gave me hope that the barriers we have put up as fallible humans can be overcome with God’s intervention. With God’s help we are planning to make this an annual festival for