Awakening Faith: Hope From the Global Churchਨਮੂਨਾ

Unity in the Spirit

Growth is always exciting. New churches are being planted. New believers are experiencing baptisms. Movements multiplying. But with growth comes its own dangers. Pride can creep in, personalities can clash, and before long, competition threatens the very thing God is building.

I’ve seen this play out, but I’ve also seen a more beautiful picture. In persecuted nations, believers celebrate every new follower of Christ. Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal…it doesn’t matter. What matters is that another name is written in the Book of Life. They don’t waste energy on division; they rejoice that the family of God is growing.

I remember one pastor in such a nation telling me, “A baptism at one church has every church in the nation celebrating that Sunday.” His words echoed Paul’s call to the Ephesian church: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.”

Unity doesn’t mean uniformity. It means keeping Jesus at the center. When we walk in unity, the church doesn’t shrink; it flourishes. Division erodes witness. Unity multiplies it.

So here’s the question: are you pursuing unity with fellow believers, or are you settling for division?