MAINTAINING CHURCH UNITY
The Sermon Messages from first Sunday focused on Unity - Ephesians 4:1-6
Unity means in the scriptural text means that we are to walk together as one in the Lord. The Apostle Paul felt the necessity to urge and encourage the church to maintain unity within the body of Christ. Ministry without Unity is close to impossible. Unity is not created by man but we are encouraged to maintain unity by relying on that which is produced by the Holy Spirit within us. To the Philippian church he wrote “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,” Phil. 1:27. To the Corinthian church he wrote “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment,” 1 Cor. 1:10. To the Romans he wrote “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits,” Rom. 12:16. The Apostle Paul is merely reaffirming the words of Jesus Christ when he urges us to be unified in the Spirit. Jesus said in his high priestly prayer as he was nearing his death in these verses “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me,” John 17:20-23. We need to maintain unity to be a witness to sinners and world that is now ravaged by sin. Paul mentions seven common elements that all believers share in Christ. These elements serve to teach us that unity in the church comes from our relationship with the Godhead. Every member of the trinity is involved making unity possible within the church. Seven as we know biblically is the number of completion. The seven elements in Ephesians 4:4-6 are
One Body 2. One Spirit 3. One Hope 4. One Lord 5. One Faith 6. One Baptism 7. One God the Father of All
God has created a unity within His church that can never be broken. It is as shatterproof as the godhead itself. We know that local churches have trouble and they experience what we call splits. However, the universal church, the Body of Christ, can never split. It stands complete and united in the power of God. We are different, but we serve the same God. We are members of the same family. We are indwelled by the same Spirit. We are headed to the same Heaven. We believe the same things. Thus, we must do everything in our power to live in the unity we have been given in Christ. It is not automatic, but it is possible as we live out the commands of Eph. 4:1-3. We should ask ourselves this personal question Am I doing all I can to help the church walk in unity?
EVENTS & SERVICES
July 9 (Thu) & 10 (Fri), 2015
56th Annual Church Anniversary Services (9th & 10th: 7:30pm and 12th: All day services at 8:00am, 11:00am and 3:30pm)
Rev. Darrell Armstrong, Pastor of the Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton, New Jersey a son of Holy Light will bring the revival message and also be the speaker at 11:00am. The 8:00am speaker will be Dr. Richard Askew, pastor of the Greater New Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. The 3:30pm speaker will be Pastor Jerome Vincent Carter, pastor of the South Bay Abundant Life Church in Long Beach.
At the 3:30pm service there will be a special tribute to Pastor Brown. There will be food served between the 11:00am and 3:30pm services. We are asking for a donation of up to $56.00 which will be used towards memorial sign dedicated to Pastor Brown on the corner of 96th and Normandie.
July 18, 2015 (Sat)
Upcoming Church Vote - Concerning Pastoral Vacancy (9:00am - 1:00pm)
Please contact either Deacon Chairman Rodney Weber or Deacon Wendell Jones for information on the upcoming vote.
July 26, 2015 (Sun)
Sis Brown Musical for the Mission Ministry (3:30pm)
Save the date! July 26, 2015, at 3 pm for Sister Opal Brown's Musical. Stop look and listen in the name of Jesus! I would like to invite you to the most spirit filled musical ever! The MC will be Eric Johnson. Join us for a praise service with Nicole Branham and Chris Hall. The musical will feature Amandia Cabbil Hewitt and Christian Branham and many more. The colors are black and white and the proceeds will benefit the Mission of Holy Light Missionary Baptist Church.