On Friday mornings in Cairo my family gathered with at least 15 other nationalities in our international community church. (Friday is often the reserved holy day in Muslim-majority countries.) The mix of backgrounds meant that at times we experienced different styles of preaching, different styles of worship, and different senses of humor than we would have in America. Our spiritual growth was richer for that experience. Rather than just focusing on “Do I like this style of music?”, we thought about “How do I see or interact with God in new ways through this worship service?” Our congregation was a complex whole made up of many different pieces combined into one.   

Different backgrounds and traditions can also mean different interpretations of secondary issues of church life. In a season when disagreements came to a head, our church had to fight to stay “combined into one.” We had to fight against the pull for disunity and stand united.  

Not surprisingly, we were not the first church to face this struggle. Paul begs the Ephesian church live out their faith by preserving unity, reminding them that they are one body, one spirit, with one hope, and with one God and Father (4:1-6). We have been adopted into a new family and we have to learn how the new family dynamics are going to work. And Paul also encouraged the Philippian church to be of the “same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.” (2:1-2) 

In our church, I saw some people get mad about the disagreements. But I also saw people share their perspectives with love and humility, seeking what was best for body of Christ represented by our congregation. I saw people willing to lay aside their personal preferences to maintain the same love that Christ showed us. Our church persevered in worship, in truth, in love, and in purpose. 

In a world that divides over any disagreement, we can bear witness to a love that seeks to hold together.