A pastor friend of mine is embarking on a challenging program to feed the underprivileged children in the neighbor adjoining our church during the summer months and provide activities for them. This covers several blocks, therefore, he will need several volunteers to commit for five days of the week. I suggested he visit one of our mainline neighbor churches just one block away and suggest we would welcome them as a partner to take one of the feeding stations.
His report to me was the pastor said they do not work with other churches. What a revelation! A Christain church that does not work with other churches (I assume he was talking about other churches not of his denomination) for the community good---in serving others. I was reflecting about the healing by Jesus of the Roman soldier's daughter; isn't that an example for us to use to pattern our lives and our churches.
It caused me to wonder why would a pastor say that or better yet why would he/she believe it was best not to work with other churches. Was it because they don't trust other people outside their own church? Could it be they are afraid their working side-by-side with other churches they might see things differently? Or could it mean they want to always be in control?
I think it is likely the later. Control is a powerful thing; reguiring no compromising, no sharing, no attempt to know and understand others, no thinking and always in fear.
Until we learn to work together as a Christian community we will find our task here on earth unfinished. Understanding that Jesus did not come into this world to establish a church; he did not come here for us to just worship him; he came to affirm the truth "the kingdom of heaven is here now." We are to live in the now not in the future or the past, but now----the kingdom is here and we as a Christian community are to join hands and reach out to others in love.
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