Geography lesson

A fact that is commonly and rather conveniently overlooked is that the early church had no separators other than geography.  When they were at odds about a particular issue, they came together to reason and find consensus.This became part of my vision, and indeed I believe it is the vision of many good-minded protestants concerned with unity: take all the Protestants in a given city, count their number, and divide them evenly into the largest existing buildings.  Before all that of course we would have to come to a general agreement about certain things that have divided us for half a century. This plan is so unrealistic that it is instantly laughable.  Why?  Authority.

 

In order for Protestant unity to work many leaders, pastors, and teachers would have to relinquish positions of authority and come under the authority of others.  This is a difficult practice in individual churches, never mind trying to do it across all the Protestant leaders in a geographic region.  Imagine senior pastors becoming 'merely' teachers or assistants, mere laymen under the authority of those truly chosen by God to have authority.  Many pastors take great pride in having so many spinning plates spinning simultaneously - imagine asking each of them to just spin one plate well.  Imagine the increase in efficiency!

 

I guess a business analogy is not altogether useless in this regard.  Looking at the problem from an organizational structure and resource management (such stuffy terms) - what business would have a dozen outlets in every city selling the same product with only slight variation.  Can you see how confusion might enter the minds of its patrons?  Trying to decide where to go, they settle on the one where the most of their friends are, or the one that has the most appealing version of the product at the best price... or should I say lowest cost?

 

We can barely bring two congregations together without the need for lawyers, and when we do pull off a joint service with a number of denominations involved, the more conservative groups cry "Ecumenism!" - as if it is some great evil to come together with those who believe differently about a few things.  I mean it's not like we're having a joint service with the Masonic lodge here. Even though many differences are nearly indiscernible, it seems as though the greatest sin is giving up on our differences!  It is seen not so much as a striving for unity as a compromise of those all-important small differences.