Could Unity be a Spiritual Gift?

By Rick Blumenberg / @RickBlumenberg

The small congregation where I have served as pastor for the past year is facing some changes in the next few weeks and months. They are combining with another neighboring congregation and together, under the leadership of Pastor Herb Smith with his daughter Rachel Green as worship leader, they are beginning an entirely new congregation of the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) in a building that has been around for more than a hundred years.

I’m using this experience to introduces thoughts about the uniqueness of church groups, associations, denominations, etc., as a part of the greater fellowship of Christ. Several years ago I worked for a Christian Music radio station in advertising sales. I met Christian business men and women in a wide variety of churches and we worked with a wide variety of church groups through the station.

During this time I became convinced God also gives spiritual gifts to different church groups. The various Mennonite and Amish groups clearly have the gift of service and they have taught the greater church so much from their giftedness.

The Pentecostals and some high church groups have taught us much about worship from widely divergent worship styles, and the greater church has benefited from them both.

The Baptists, particularly Southern Baptists, but really most of them, simply by exercising their evangelistic gifts, have made us all better evangelists. There are many other examples, but I think you get the point. I thank God for spiritual gifts, both individual and corporate.

Perhaps our (Church of God, Anderson, Indiana) fellowship has a spiritual gift in regards to our ability to work with both the liberal and conservative wings of the church. One place where I was pastor I belonged to two different pastoral fellowship groups—one very conservative and one quite liberal. I had great fellowship and worked cooperatively with ministers, ministries and organizations from both groups, but I was the only pastor in the community who was normally present for both.

This may be stretching it a bit, and I’m not sure what spiritual gift that would be, but I do think our concept of the unity of all believers has developed into a ministry in which many Church of God pastors are involved.

So could Unity be a spiritual gift? I really don’t know, but I thank God for that ministry and for all of you who are involved.

I’m Rick Blumenberg and that’s My View from Tanner Creek.

     

New Book: Beginning the Journey

Beginning the Journey: First Steps in Your Walk with God, by Rick Blumenberg and Brenda Shepard, is my latest venture into the world of publishing. This one is an “In House” publication of First Church of God in St. Joseph, Michigan, where I serve as Associate Pastor for Missions, Life Group, and Prayer Ministries. Based on my previous book Let’s Get Down to Basics: An Introduction to Christian Living, it has been greatly improved by my co-author and friend, Brenda Shepard. Brenda wrote one of the chapters entirely, re-worked and edited all of them and wrote Appendix A and B to help the readers with Bible study.

“Journey” is designed as a workbook instead of a regular book with too small type, (like the first one). The book was inspired by Sandy Mason, our Women’s Ministries Director, who wanted something for new Christians and those new to the Church of God. Brenda first taught the class to an all women group, but it would work just as well for men or for a mixed group. Teresa LaPlante is our Director of Communications at First Church and she did a great job with the design and published it for us with our own equipment. Cristi Wright did proof-reading and offered invaluable editing insights.

The first six chapters deal with disciplines for living the Christian life. These chapters include,
1) Beginning the Journey
2) The Bible: Light for the Journey
3) Prayer: Talking with God
4) Quiet Time: Rest for the Journey
5) Fellowship: Companions on the Journey
6) Stewardship: Managing God’s Resources
7) Exploring Spiritual Gifts
8) Overcoming Temptation
9) Discovering God’s Will
10) Inviting Others on the Journey.

Appendix A: Understanding the Bible and Appendix B: Bible Study Guides are extremely helpful, especially to the new Believer who wants to establish good Bible study habits.

We live in an amazing time when print publishing is really “on demand” and we can do as few copies as we want. Even easier is electronic publishing, such as this blog, where we can write it and have it out to the public in a matter of minutes! While there is a lot of junk and garbage on the World Wide Web, it is also being used widely to give access to valuable information and to share the good news of the Gospel.

While I’m thanking people I should say thanks to Associate Pastor for High School Ministries, Randy Bennett. It is only with his help that this blog is up and running.

I'm Rick Blumenberg . . .
and that's my view, from Tanner Creek.