We live in some of the most divisive times in history. These divisions are manifesting everywhere– including in the church. As such, it can be difficult for church leaders to communicate and unite a congregation.
ARC (Association of Related Churches) believes no one should do ministry alone. Miles McPherson, an ARC church partner, discusses how churches can help believers work through and communicate in divisive times by equipping them with the right tools.
Miles McPherson, a pastor of Rock Church and partner of ARC, says that in addition to living in a divisive world, what he’s experiencing right now is that it’s a contentious world.
He points out that there’s a spirit of division, self-righteousness, and entitlement that’s mixed into an “us versus them” culture. People aren’t working together but rather picking one side or the other, with battle lines drawn in between.
Believers in Jesus cannot live in a binary culture where you’re an advocate for one opinion over another. Following the word of God requires you to be prophetic and have people’s sights lifted to the kingdom of God.
Focus on God
Today’s divisive culture largely happens because people focus on the wrong things. People are either for or against the police, for or against vaccines, for or against political parties or candidates.
In this scenario, someone who isn’t on your side becomes your enemy. People are also subject to being “canceled” if they are on your side but agree with things the “other side” says or does.
Pastor McPherson says this can be fixed by shifting your focus to the right thing — God. God has called us to promote His Kingdom. McPherson recommends that ARC church members live above that and focus on what we all have in common rather than what makes us different. It’s important to place value on the image of God and every person and realize that every person has shared humanity.
Redefine Diversity
Somehow, the word “diversity” has taken on negative connotations in recent years. Too many people view diversity as “you are different than me.”
Miles McPherson says a better way to approach diversity is to consider it God’s creative variations of what we have in common. God creatively designed every person with a different shade of color, different hair texture, different cultures, and so much more.
Yet, while these may all sound like things that make us different, they’re actually things that we all have in common. Everyone has a color, a hair texture, and a culture. By redefining diversity in this way, churches can profess a message of unity rather than division.
The Third Option
Miles McPherson, who is on the leadership team with ARC (Association of Related Churches), wrote a book called The Third Option. In it, he describes how all people have blind spots to things we don’t know we don’t know.
The key to communicating better is understanding that each of us has things we don’t know or know about ourselves, other cultures, and other people. As such, giving people room to learn and make mistakes is important.
Church leaders need to teach their members how to focus on winning relationships and not arguments and how to seek to give value and honor to the things we all have in common rather than what makes us different.
As ARC Churches explains, doing so can help churches successfully unite their congregation.
About ARC (Association of Related Churches)
ARC (Association of Related Churches) represents a collaborative network comprising independent congregations from various denominations, networks, and backgrounds. Its primary mission is to provide essential support and resources to church planters and pastors, enabling them to effectively share the teachings of Jesus. ARC’s operational approach revolves around empowering and equipping church leaders, fostering the widespread dissemination of the life-changing message of Jesus. Established in 2000, ARC has evolved into a worldwide entity and has played a pivotal role in facilitating the establishment of over 1,000 new churches.
