But it's hit home to me in the last 24 hours that I, too, am part of this as well. Last night my daughter had basketball practice at the Christian church gymnasium as part of her Upward program. Today I had lunch with my son at the Baptist church where he goes to pre-school (and my wife has worked for many years). And tonight I will as I usually do be teaching Bible class at the church that employs me, the Church of Christ.
When we first moved here and my wife started working at the daycare located at the Baptist church, I wondered if there would be any negative fallout from our church, since by my experience most members of Churches of Christ are rather tribalistic in their mindset. Indeed, one of the churches I used to preach for now regularly has its Wednesday class on the subject of 'denominational doctrines' (not something I did, but still reflecting their conservativism). The basic attitude I was raised with was that other groups could come and be a part of us and our activities (but don't try to lead or make us believe what you do, and most importantly leave your pianos at home), but we could not be a part of them. Young people who went to activities at other youth groups were looked at with suspicion.
Maybe this was because I was raised in the Bible belt where churches were so competitive. Maybe it was because this was also a time in which churches (and Christian mindsets/morals) were still a dominant social force. Because we could dominate, why did we need other churches?
Today, of course, things are much different. Most churches are on the decline. We've realized that we have more in common with other churches than we once did. We realize that individual small churches cannot do everything that its members now want. And so maybe we're OK with more cooperation now. We don't see it as a sign of unfaithfulness, or of lax feelings about denominationalism. Maybe we aren't going to be having worship services together anytime soon and maybe we don't always agree about points of doctrine, but maybe inching ever closer together in activities of fellowship is part of what it means to be the body of Christ.
"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone." (1 Corinthians 12:4-6 ESV)
