Correct me if I'm wrong:
In order for an ecosystem to be healthy, it must be diverse, with everything from redwoods to fungus.
In order for a body to be healthy, it must be diverse. The leg and the pancreas are not interchangeable, nor are they easy to mix up.
In order for a community to be healthy, it must be diverse. It needs teachers and children, doctors and politicians and somebody who doesn't mind driving the garbage truck.
So far, so good?
Then why, somebody tell me, is the diverse, multicoloured, varicultured Church necessarily unhealthy?
The Northumberland area is blessed with churches that serve as centuries old shade trees, as flamboyant wild flowers and as wheat and fruit, sheltering people in need, modelling joy and exuberance and feeding the spirit and mind.
Would we be better off with something that has all the eco-diversity of a putting green (and about as much personality)?
Division and "war" come in with self-righteousness, self-importance and judgementalism, not diversity, and not with the love of Christ. Let's make sure we know the difference.
Celebrate one. Avoid the other like the devil.
In order for an ecosystem to be healthy, it must be diverse, with everything from redwoods to fungus.
In order for a body to be healthy, it must be diverse. The leg and the pancreas are not interchangeable, nor are they easy to mix up.
In order for a community to be healthy, it must be diverse. It needs teachers and children, doctors and politicians and somebody who doesn't mind driving the garbage truck.
So far, so good?
Then why, somebody tell me, is the diverse, multicoloured, varicultured Church necessarily unhealthy?
The Northumberland area is blessed with churches that serve as centuries old shade trees, as flamboyant wild flowers and as wheat and fruit, sheltering people in need, modelling joy and exuberance and feeding the spirit and mind.
Would we be better off with something that has all the eco-diversity of a putting green (and about as much personality)?
Division and "war" come in with self-righteousness, self-importance and judgementalism, not diversity, and not with the love of Christ. Let's make sure we know the difference.
Celebrate one. Avoid the other like the devil.
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