Five Dangers to Be On Guard For . . . #4

I've been writing about "five dangers" to be on guard for in our children's ministry and so far I've written about the danger of gossip, the danger of child abuse and the danger of falling into the "its-all-me-trap". Today I want you to think about another danger . . . the danger of another trap, the "we're-the-only-ones" trap.

Certainly as we serve in our own church, we should be excited about the things God is doing and the people He has sent for us to serve. Certainly as we serve in our own church, we should be loyal and committed to the people in our church. Certainly as we serve in our own church, we should rejoice when new children and families become part of our church family. However; we need to watch and be on guard so we do not fall into a trap where we think we are the only ones who have a church where children and families in our community should attend. We need to watch and be on guard so we do not fall into a trap where we look down on, or worse, say negative things about other churches in our community. We must be on guard and watching so we do not have a superior attitude towards other churches in our community because Jesus made it clear, we are all members of one body - His body! 

Look at I Corinthians 12; "5 There are different ways to serve but the same Lord to serve.6 And there are different ways that God works through people but the same God. God works in all of us in everything we do.7 Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person, for the common good. 12 A person's body is one thing, but it has many parts. Though there are many parts to a body, all those parts make only one body. Christ is like that also. 13 Some of us are Jews, and some are Greeks. Some of us are slaves, and some are free. But we were all baptized into one body through one Spirit. And we were all made to share in the one Spirit. 27 Together you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body."

The very next verses are found in I Corinthians 13 where God clearly tells us what love is and looks like; "4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud.5 Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. 6 Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth. 7 Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures. 8 Love never ends. 13 So these three things continue forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love."

Now, I understand there are different denominations because on some things, we have a difference of opinion. But, when we agree on the most important things - Jesus is God's Son, He lived a perfect, sinless life, He was born of a virgin, died on the cross in our place, rose from the dead, ascended into Heaven and will return one day . . . well, then we are "siblings" and we need to get along! We need to work together wherever and whenever we can.  And, we need to be on-guard, watching and alert so we do not fall into the "we're-the-only-ones" trap.

Just imagine how you can impact your community when you work together to do so! (One great place to begin working together with your "siblings" is on CM Connect. If you are not already a member of this on-line community, check it out right now and join!)