To Reconcile the Body of Christ
How the Heck Can We Do That? It's Broken
The overall ministry theme of God’s call upon my life has been “to reconcile the Body of Christ.” That’s a mighty big statement, but when I look at events that have happened through the years that reveal evidence of the hand of God interwoven with that theme in my life, I’m convinced. That’s my theme, my call: To reconcile the Body of Christ.
Underlying that theme lies the truth of the matter: at the heart of the Church, there is need for reconciliation. The Body of Christ is broken. That’s what rips my heart out: Christ’s Body is broken.
That has ecumenical implications. We Christians sometimes don’t love each other very much across denominational line, or even between churches in the same denomination. We look down on each other for various reasons, from “not doing worship right,” to being scandalized by what some denominations believe, that we don’t believe.
And we don’t get the big picture: Even though we’re not identical, we are to love each other. We fail miserably if we don’t love each other in spite of our differences. Where is the genuine love – a blend of our love and Christ’s holy love – between us? We love the same Jesus. We say we do, anyway. Why can’t we act like that’s the deepest truth of life?
I know, I know, some churches do wonderful things together and are quite ecumenical. That makes my heart glad. But there is much work to do, much more love to share.
A major example of this theme is God’s call on my life in the 1970’s, to serve in Ulster Project, a peace and reconciliation movement between teenagers of opposite faith in Northern Ireland. During the years I was involved with that, my mind was blown any number of times because of God’s direction and protection. And the result on those teenagers? – changed lives. Reconciled lives between Catholics and Protestants.
Another implication of the theme “to reconcile the Body of Christ” involves an additional way that the Body of Christ is broken. God’s people abuse each other in individual churches! We hurt and harm each other, many times exactly on purpose! We exert unkind power over each other. People are offended and wounded. Many times, they don’t know how to handle the trauma and shock that has been put upon them. They carry the trauma in one way or another for years. The abuse has taken away their joy. The abuse rips Christ’s heart in two…Again and Again.
The abusers – (we are each and all capable of being one) – commit sin when we behave that way, even if the offense was unintentional. Most of the time, in my experience, the abuse doesn’t get addressed. It gets swept under the church welcome mat. That rips my heart out. And I know it rips His Heart out…Again.
If I pay close attention to my emotions, I discover again, that abuse in churches makes me angry. Don’t we realize that when we hurt each other, we are actually abusing Christ himself? After all, the Church is His Body. I have taught Communication Skills in various places. Guess what I called this workshop – anyone? “See How They Love One Another: Communication Skills as a Spiritual Discipline for Sacred Conversations.” The theme: To reconcile the Body of Christ.
Some of the churches that I’ve been called to as an ordained minister, have experienced some kind of church-wide trauma that they’re still reeling from when I arrive. I want you to know that I’m not an expert of any kind. I don’t know how to reconcile people. As a matter of fact, I hate conflict with a passion and don’t want to be in its presence. I’d rather go somewhere else. But those places and situations are where the Lord keeps on calling me to minister. Without the Lord and a lot of prayer, I could do nothing.
What is my role there? To walk among them, quietly listening, praying, teaching, preaching God’s love, really seeing people by gently looking into their eyes, designing workshops on pertinent topics. More than once, when it comes time for me to leave a congregation, they have told me that my presence brought them healing. I know that it was not I who brought them healing. It’s all about the Lord. It’s all about love, y’all!
So yeah, to reconcile God’s people is my passion.
Hmmm...Who said it? Oh yeah, it was Jesus: “Love one another as I have loved you.” Let’s take that statement and wear it like a garment — and then see what happens.
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