We Are NOT Divided!

Dear Pastors

We are NOT Divided!

That’s right we aren’t, at least not as Christians. Why? Because the Bible tells me so.
Today I am going to ask if you would re-consider the ‘Don’t Divide Us’ commentary that seems to have gotten some traction in NZ.

Let me say straight off the bat I am sympathetic to this sentiment. It may feel like we are being divided – some would say we already are. The haves and the have nots, the vaccinated and the un-vaccinated. I understand how some folks conclude that we are creating a two class society based on our vaccination status.
But I must resist this urge and think better thoughts. As a Christian Leader, I want (need) to think biblically……..from a Christian worldview and I want to ask if you would do the same? I want to ask that we analyse carefully the popular narratives circulating at present and review them in the light of biblical teaching.

So here goes. Let’s start with the text. Ephesians 4:1-6 (NLT) Bolding mine.

Unity in the Body

“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all”.

1. Biblically speaking we are ONE. Covid-19 can’t change that. Vaccinations can’t change that. Matters of conscious can’t change that. Nothing in fact can change that.
2. The Government isn’t dividing us. Public Health isn’t dividing us. Vaccine certificates aren’t intended to divide us.
3. If there is a cause for division it is a deadly virus that is attempting to divide us. And without a doubt our adversary the devil is attempting to divide us.
4. Public Health is trying to contain this deadly virus so of necessity the Government and Public Health must categorise vaccinated and unvaccinated people separately and then treat them differently for a season. They don’t want to do that. No body in fact wants to do that. It’s not the Kiwi way. To be honest nobody anywhere in the world wants this.
5. But as Christians we ARE one. Nothing on planet earth can change that. There is one body and one Spirit. Our status as ‘children of God’ or members of the ‘family of God’ does not and will not change depending on whether we are vaccinated or not. Praise the Lord for that!
6. So for a season, I want to put forth today that we will need to figure out how to minister to both groups of people. And it looks like that will have to be in different groups and different places and different times…….did I say…..for a season, to get us through this pandemic.
7. But we are good at that. For years and years we have figured out how to minister to children and teenagers and folks who speak other languages. When we do this we simply regarded this as common sense and/or good missiological practise. We never saw this as dividing the church but rather as ministering to ALL our people in ways so that ALL people can hear and connect to the Gospel story. We became all things to all people.
8. In doing this we haven’t divided the church we have simply ministered to folks in age appropriate ways or along ethnic lines or along stylistic lines or along ………yes vaccination lines. For example when we send the children out to Kids Church on Sunday morning we aren’t dividing the church any more than when we decide to have two worship services on Sunday morning – the early traditional service and the 10.30am contemporary service. In fact we divide (split, separate, allot, categorise) people into groups all the time in most every arena of life.
9. So though ‘categorised’ into two groups we are still one…..one people, one family, one congregation……regardless of our vaccination status.
10. And the Apostle Paul ‘begs’ us today to “keep ourselves united in that one Spirit”.

Blessings
Alan

Alan Vink is currently the Executive Director for LeadershipWorx. Prior to this role he has been the Executive Director of Willow Creek Association NZ (WillowNZ), a Baptist pastor (23 years), Bible College teacher, and church consultant.