Many members of one body: What does church unity really mean? People in the Corinthian church must have winced when they read Paul's definition of 'one body'. He didn't tell them to chop off a limb and send the problem people away

I was standing in the foyer after our Christmas Eve service, when I noticed a middle-aged couple I didn't recognize. I introduced myself and asked where they were from. They laughed, blushed a little and said they were visitors from Millwoods Pentecostal, "the competition."

"No, we're all on the same team," I said. "It's good to meet a neighbour." They laughed and agreed.

Why would people from different churches view each other as competition? Sure, we are different stylistically, theologically, and maybe even in a family/cultural sort of way. There are reasons why I choose this church and they choose theirs.

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However, we are working …