A Fractured Body

I have never had to experience a bone fracture, but I know people who have. They say that it is very painful. A fracture of the bone takes weeks, and sometimes longer, to heal. It does not go away overnight, and the effects can sometimes linger around for the rest of your life. I look around at the Church body and I see fractures. We have divided ourselves up to the point that we, I believe, are not accomplishing all that God would have us too. On the way to the church that I pastor, there are two churches sitting right across the street from one another. The other day as I was on my way to the office I felt something in my spirit that I had not before. As I passed between the two churches I began to feel the separation. You see, we have divided ourselves up by denominations and feel that the one we are apart of is the very best, and in some cases, we are the only ones that have it right. I wonder how God feels about our division. Paul says that we are to be one body. We are to be in unity. We are baptized by the same Spirit and under the same Headship. However, it appears that we have suffered some fractures. It is so bad, that we never fellowship with others who are outside our own church fellowship. How can we win our communities for Christ if we are not going to work together. We have bought in, as pastors, to the corporate way of thinking. It seems that we are trying to build successful businesses instead of a fellowship of disciples who will go out and do the Lord's work. We are competing with one another and keeping score. This is NOT God's will for His church. I believe that God is calling us to come together as a body once again. I believe that He wants to heal the fractures and deliver us from a cometitive spirit. The enemy has subtly led us away from God's intention for the Church. I am not saying that we should do away with denominations or merger all of our churches. I know that each local body has its own personality and every local church doesn't fit everybody. I know that the local church has a very important purpose. I just feel that we should be working together instead of against each other. The fractures are hurting our ability to do the Lord's work. May God heal the fractures and unify us again. God bless