How Can We Maintain Unity in the Church? A Call to Be One in Christ

Why Unity in the Church Matters Today

Have you ever felt alone in a crowd? Maybe you’ve posted something online, hoping someone would notice, but no one did. You’re not alone in that feeling. A Harvard study found that 61% of people between 18 and 25 feel serious loneliness often. That number is surprising because this generation is the most digitally connected in history. Yet something important is still missing: true connection, the kind that reaches past screens and touches our hearts.

Read the Harvard Study on Loneliness in America

Jesus knew that ache. On the night before He was arrested, He didn’t pray for safety or strength—He prayed for unity. Not just for the people in the room with Him, but for everyone who would come to believe in Him through their message. That includes us. He prayed that we would be one.

This kind of unity isn’t just friendliness. It’s deep and soul-level. It means being seen, being heard, and being loved. It’s knowing we’re not alone. And it’s not just emotional—it’s spiritual. That’s what unity in the church is meant to be: people doing life together, centered in Christ, reaching out with open arms.

What Does Unity in the Church Mean According to Jesus?

Jesus’ words in John 17:20-26 are more than a prayer—they’re a blueprint. He says, “I pray that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” This points us to the Trinity: God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Three persons, yet one God. That’s not sameness—it’s oneness rooted in love, equality, and shared purpose.

What does unity in the church mean? It’s not about agreeing on every detail. It’s about standing together in the things that matter most: love, grace, forgiveness, and the gospel. God’s definition of unity looks like connection without competition and love without limits.

Jesus isn’t calling us to put on a polite face for Sunday morning. He’s calling us to something much deeper—a relationship with one another that reflects His relationship with God the Father. The spiritual meaning of unity is this: we are bound together by God’s love, not our preferences or backgrounds. Unity is what the Holy Spirit builds when we stop trying to prove ourselves and start trusting Christ more than our own opinions.

What Destroys Unity in the Church?

Unity sounds beautiful, but it’s not easy. And we know from experience that it can fall apart quickly. So, what destroys unity in the church?

Pride. Selfishness. Unforgiveness. Gossip. Judgment. Fear of change. All these things act like termites in a house—they eat away at the structure until everything feels unstable. Sometimes it’s not even what we say but what we don’t say. The unspoken hurts, the unshared burdens, the silence that grows between us.

We’ve seen it in the Church. The United Methodist Church, like many others, has experienced division over the years. Whole congregations have split. Friendships have ended. Families have chosen different paths. Some stayed out of loyalty and hope. Others left feeling unheard or betrayed. Still others started fresh, rebuilding from the foundation up.

This isn’t just theory—it’s heartbreak. It’s grief. It’s real life. But even in our brokenness, Jesus prays: “that they may be one.” He knows our struggles and yet invites us into unity. Not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary. His love can hold together what human hands have broken.

How Do You Show Unity in the Church?

What does unity look like in everyday church life?

It starts with showing up. It means being there for people—consistently. You forgive when it’s hard. You listen without needing to fix. You accept that people won’t always agree with you and choose love anyway.

One of the most powerful pictures of unity is the communion table. At that table, everyone is equal. The young and the old, the rich and the poor, the joyful and the grieving—all eat the same bread and drink the same cup. It’s not just a ritual. It’s a reminder. Unity doesn’t require uniformity. It requires humility.

The bread doesn’t ask where you work. The cup doesn’t care about your theology degree. It asks, “Do you come in faith? Do you come in need? Do you come in love?” If yes, then you are welcome.

Everyday unity looks like this:

• Invite someone to share a meal or coffee.
• Write a note to someone who’s been missing.
• Pray for someone you disagree with.
• Join a ministry or small group, not to lead, but to serve.
• Practice kindness, even when it’s inconvenient.
• Ask more questions and make fewer assumptions.

Unity is also about celebration and grief. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Mourn with those who mourn. Share your life, and make space for others to do the same. That’s how unity becomes more than a church word—it becomes a lifestyle.

Living the Answer: How Can We Maintain Unity in the Church?

We do it by living as Jesus prayed. Unity is not just a value; it’s a testimony. It tells the world who Jesus is. When people see a church loving across political lines, racial divides, and theological differences—they take notice. Not because we’re flashy, but because unity is rare and holy.

Unity doesn’t mean we erase our identities. It means we root our identity in Christ first. The cross is not a banner of sameness; it’s a symbol of surrender. At the cross, we lay down our need to be right and pick up our call to be loving.

To maintain unity, we must:

• Keep Christ at the center
• Prioritize relationships over opinions
• Focus on shared mission
• Stay humble and willing to grow
• Let the Holy Spirit lead

This is not about being perfect. It’s about being present. It’s about choosing each other again and again, just like Christ chooses us.

Jesus is not watching from a distance. He reigns close. He intercedes for us. He empowers us with the Holy Spirit. And He calls us to carry out His mission—not alone, but together.

So as you prepare for your week, as you share meals, attend worship, or scroll through your feed, remember His prayer. Remember your place in His story. You are part of a community that is being built in love.

Let this be the prayer of Noel Church: May we be one.

Let this be our invitation to the world: Come and belong. Come and be known. Come and be loved.

Let’s be known in Him. And let’s make Him known.

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