Have you ever felt like you were alone in your church? Maybe you look around and think, “There are not a lot of people like me.” In some sense that may be true. There may not be many people who were raised in your hometown, like the same type of food, enjoy the same hobbies, and prefer the same music. So, yes, in this sense you may not be able to chop it up with them about your favorite team or curry or novel.
On the other hand, if you are a Christian, this could not be further from the truth.
If you are a Christian then you have a very large family. You share the same passions, burdens, history and future. What’s more, the things that you do have in common with the church are the most important things! Whatever your hobby it pales in comparison to your joint pursuit of holiness. Whatever your favorite cuisine it is simply crumbs and scraps compared to how we feed upon the bread of life.
This is why you can parachute a Christian into any culture anywhere in the world–and if possible–any period of history, and they would be able to relate and enjoy rich, meaningful fellowship. I have witnessed this many times over whether visiting friends overseas or visiting churches here stateside, it does not matter, Christians are family. This past week I enjoyed the Together for The Gospel (T4G) conference. I met people from all over the world. Within literally minutes we were talking at a meaningful, intimate, family level.
The problem that we too often have is what we base our closeness on. Frankly, much of it is worldly and inconsequential. The gospel raises a flag far higher than all of our earthly identifiers. When that flag is raised we are bidden to rally under it and salute it.
Let me challenge you to look at your congregation, and indeed all Christians on the basis of this towering flag of identity and community. To do this we must also lower the worldly flags (without burning them).
