Thursday, 10 November 2011 00:00 | and posted in Q&A Corner
Let me introduce you to the family. On your left is the dad - he likes 80's rock and motorbikes. Next up the mum, who likes soap operas and Italian food. Little sister likes playing with friends on her trampoline, while big brother likes warhammer and playing his music loud. This winds granny up as she prefers quietness, and only listens to classical music. Then, there is Grandad who is happy as long as he's allowed to watch football anytime it's on.
You see, in any family there are a lot of different characters and a lot of different interests, preferences, likes and dislikes represented. In the church family (which worldwide is somewhere around the 1.6 billion mark!) this is true too. We can't get the whole family together in one room, so it's natural that people meet up in smaller groups. It's also natural that people get together with those they get on with and share interests with.
So you do get lots of differences in churches. Some people like worship songs that are loud with drums and guitars, while others like a quieter more contemplative style. Some people like an approach where they are encouraged to think about things, while others prefer being able to get out and do things. Different denominations understand God differently too, but that's not a problem. After all, none of us has a full understanding of God and it's great to learn from each other.
What is most important is that all denominations have one thing in common: the love of Jesus. One of the last things Jesus prayed for was unity in his followers. Like the families we live in, we can have misunderstandings and get things wrong - but ultimately, we are glad to be part of the same family.