Celebrating 50 Years: The Power of Unity
I have been celebrating my Jubilee year of ministry for several months now. 50 years of ministry began when I graduated from high school, also 50 years ago.
The best-selling single record of 1975 was Love Will Keep Us Together, by the duo The Captain and Tennille. (I will give extra credit to anyone who heard that song, or will admit to listening to it!) It was a syrupy pop song, but its message was commendable—love would (or should) be a unifying impulse.
Love, Marriage, and the Church’s Role
It is no secret that unity brings strength. On the other hand, division brings weakness. This principle holds true whether it is applied to a married couple, a family, a sports team, a corporation, or a church. Certainly, if any group should be modeling the strength that unity provides, it should be the church. Unfortunately, cultural forces have become predominant lately that seek to tear us apart rather than join us together.
This rift is especially noticeable regarding men and women. Since this is February, the month when we traditionally celebrate love, I thought it would be appropriate to address the issue.
Two accelerating trends that impact our country and culture are people waiting longer to marry, or not marrying at all. In addition, people who are married are choosing to have less children than previous generations, or not having children.
People are struggling with anxiety about life in general, and that anxiety leads to a heightened risk of commitment.
Strong relationships build strong marriages, which build strong families. The logical conclusion is that strong families build strong churches and communities. Anything that contributes to feelings of disconnection, isolation, and loneliness creates division and weakness in our culture.
How can the church step into the gap? Perfectly, as it turns out.
At its root, the greatest problem is when men and women are seeking the satisfaction from each other that only God can fill.
February is a great month to drive home the message of love — that the cries for acceptance and grace can only be filled by the great Lover of our souls. And that He is the source from which that love and grace overflows and extends to others.
But in addition, trust this fact: your church offers young adults a safe place where they can “see” the truth about relationships. You and your church leaders have the extraordinary opportunity to model the humility that is essential for unity between genders.
Before the Apostle Paul addressed the Ephesians — wives and husbands, specifically — he said this, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21)
Modeling Christ-Centered Relationships in the Church
It can be as simple as sharing an anecdote from your own life where there was mutual submission, or off-handedly explaining, “I told my wife I would do thus and so, so I’ve got to leave right now.” It’s as powerful as the respect you give your spouse from the pulpit and as simple as helping with the dishes when you have guests over.
Every time you are rubbing shoulders with your congregation through social events, small groups, and committees, you and your leaders are modeling through your comments and actions what healthy Christ-submitted relationships look like. And yes, your people will always benefit from opportunities to have direct teaching about relationships in Bible studies or from the pulpit.
But to be sure, being healthy in relationships cannot be faked or just talked about.
You and I both know there are so many tragic examples in the church where a personal failure has fractured trust into millions of pieces.
This awesome responsibility should drive us to our knees, make us transparent in Accountability, (Who are you accountable to?) and commit us to regular prayer times with our spouses.
The beauty of a strong relationship begins when it is organically grown, nurtured, weeded, nurtured, and weeded again.
Let us pray and work to portray the beauty of unity between men and women.
The next generation needs to see it.
Yours for the Harvest,
Dr. Rod Parsley
Founder & General Overseer
I have been celebrating my Jubilee year of ministry for several months now. 50 years of ministry began when I graduated from high school, also 50 years ago.
The best-selling single record of 1975 was Love Will Keep Us Together, by the duo The Captain and Tennille. (I will give extra credit to anyone who heard that song, or will admit to listening to it!) It was a syrupy pop song, but its message was commendable—love would (or should) be a unifying impulse.
Love, Marriage, and the Church’s Role
It is no secret that unity brings strength. On the other hand, division brings weakness. This principle holds true whether it is applied to a married couple, a family, a sports team, a corporation, or a church. Certainly, if any group should be modeling the strength that unity provides, it should be the church. Unfortunately, cultural forces have become predominant lately that seek to tear us apart rather than join us together.
This rift is especially noticeable regarding men and women. Since this is February, the month when we traditionally celebrate love, I thought it would be appropriate to address the issue.
Two accelerating trends that impact our country and culture are people waiting longer to marry, or not marrying at all. In addition, people who are married are choosing to have less children than previous generations, or not having children.
People are struggling with anxiety about life in general, and that anxiety leads to a heightened risk of commitment.
Strong relationships build strong marriages, which build strong families. The logical conclusion is that strong families build strong churches and communities. Anything that contributes to feelings of disconnection, isolation, and loneliness creates division and weakness in our culture.
How can the church step into the gap? Perfectly, as it turns out.
At its root, the greatest problem is when men and women are seeking the satisfaction from each other that only God can fill.
February is a great month to drive home the message of love — that the cries for acceptance and grace can only be filled by the great Lover of our souls. And that He is the source from which that love and grace overflows and extends to others.
But in addition, trust this fact: your church offers young adults a safe place where they can “see” the truth about relationships. You and your church leaders have the extraordinary opportunity to model the humility that is essential for unity between genders.
Before the Apostle Paul addressed the Ephesians — wives and husbands, specifically — he said this, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21)
Modeling Christ-Centered Relationships in the Church
It can be as simple as sharing an anecdote from your own life where there was mutual submission, or off-handedly explaining, “I told my wife I would do thus and so, so I’ve got to leave right now.” It’s as powerful as the respect you give your spouse from the pulpit and as simple as helping with the dishes when you have guests over.
Every time you are rubbing shoulders with your congregation through social events, small groups, and committees, you and your leaders are modeling through your comments and actions what healthy Christ-submitted relationships look like. And yes, your people will always benefit from opportunities to have direct teaching about relationships in Bible studies or from the pulpit.
But to be sure, being healthy in relationships cannot be faked or just talked about.
You and I both know there are so many tragic examples in the church where a personal failure has fractured trust into millions of pieces.
This awesome responsibility should drive us to our knees, make us transparent in Accountability, (Who are you accountable to?) and commit us to regular prayer times with our spouses.
The beauty of a strong relationship begins when it is organically grown, nurtured, weeded, nurtured, and weeded again.
Let us pray and work to portray the beauty of unity between men and women.
The next generation needs to see it.
Yours for the Harvest,
Dr. Rod Parsley
Founder & General Overseer