As I have mentioned in earlier writings, my introduction to church in my mid-teens was with the Plymouth Brethren (Open, middle of the road section). Many PBs were suspicious of those Christians who weren’t PB and mostly dismissive of what was referred to at the time as the “Ecumenical Movement”. Some even went as far as to counsel that I should not have anything to do with Liberals or Catholics and even many Evangelicals because of their unsound doctrine.

This began to change when I went on an Operation Mobilisation mission crusade at the end of my school years and then when I went to university I came across many real Christians outside the PB fold, and found we could do stuff together, regarded as “for the Lord”, indicating there was at least a measure of Christian Unity. What really brought home the notion of the desirability (even necessity) for Christian Unity was when I began to read the writings of the American evangelical theologian, philosopher, and Presbyterian pastor, opposer of theological modernism, Francis Schaeffer, where he argued this was a pre-requisite for winning a world for Christ.

The text that stood out for me from his writings was part of Jesus’ prayer for His disciples: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” John 17:21. Linked to this was another saying of Jesus, which was about how the people of God should treat one another: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” John 13:34. It seemed to me then as well as now that we very much needed both sets of words of Jesus to be played out among His followers and yet too often I found that was not the case. Moreover, the unity that was needed was not an organisational one or even holding the same views concerning all items of Christian doctrine, but rather a knitting together of hearts for Jesus.

Lots of water has gone under the bridge during the fifty years that has elapsed since that time, with these texts often being reflected on, during which I have managed to rub shoulders with many of the sort of folk my PB mentors warned me against and often in positive ways despite holding the view still that if Proposition X and Proposition Y contradict one another, not only must one of them (or even both propositions) be wrong but if any are important and relevant enough and, when it comes to Christian belief and how we should tackle the issues of the day and prioritise what we should be doing, many are, it may limit how united folk from the two camps can be.

Despite finding ways to work with those not in my own theological camp (including helping the homeless, those having mental health and addiction issues and recent foreign nationals, notably asylum seekers), and even having meaningful Christian fellowship, including through prayer and Bible study, I see a widespread lack of unity wherever I look, and at a time when, along with proclaiming the Gospel, this is what is needed when as a world we are facing an onslaught of unrighteousness that will lead to the Antichrist rule, with the world going in a direction that is not as God would want:

1. The war in Ukraine
2. The war in Israel/Gaza
3. The transhumanist agenda
4. Dealing with the next pan(plan)demic
5. Dealing with a climate emergency that isn’t
6. The onslaught of globalism, along with bad leaders
7. The taking away of freedoms once taken for granted
8. The imposition of digital ids
9. A worldwide currency reset
10. Child trafficking on an industrial scale

I suspect my sharing the list above may cause some who agreed before doing so to now disagree, including among Christians that feel these things should not concern us and other things should. Maybe it should and maybe it shouldn’t but my observation has been that I am finding too many earnest Christians are feeling de-churched and looking for real fellowship (along with those who aren’t truly Christian, recognising that the world is in dire straits often looking in the wrong places for fixes). It is not just those in church leadership dismissing these concerns but many are failing to do what the John 17 prayer is about – helping bring true followers of Jesus into a genuine unity that is based on love for God, love for what is right and love for truth (even to an extent of, while insisting on things that are essential, accepting those things that aren’t).

For the past two and more years, I have been struggling with the notion that we are seeing in the wider world a/the Great Reset, Great Awakening and Great Deception all playing out at the same time, not knowing which will prevail in the near future although knowing for sure that in the more distant future that Jesus will return and set up His righteous and perfect Kingdom. I am also mindful that we are all ill served by the Unholy Trinity (media, politicians, elites) and there is a “narrative” said Trinity would have us follow even though it is an untrue and unrighteous one. The question is begged – how should, what appears as the disunited people of God (the Church comprising real believers in Christ) respond to the above, including finding our oneness in Christ?

The first thing to say (and this applies personally) is we should get right with God, i.e. live godly lives and not compromise with sin. The second thing is to remember the Two Great Commands to do with loving God and our neighbour (i.e. everyone), which has enormous implications. Thirdly, we should be about spreading the good news of the Gospel (humankind’s only hope) – and while the practical ramifications are enormous and, as I have found, the prospect of falling out with fellow Christians who see things differently is real. This is best done by a united, universal Church more than (although this is may be a good place to start) by a united local church.