THE LOST ART OF RELATIONSHIP
develop a connection. We would be spending eternity together at some point, so why not start now?
We extended the same courtesy of relationship, inviting their church to come and worship with us. It wasn’t supposed to be something we did on a regular basis but more of a learning exercise. The outcome was incredible; our eyes were opened to a different expression of love toward God—one church followed a liturgy, and the other (even though planned) followed a free-form schedule; one pastor wore a robe, and the other wore jeans and a button-down shirt; one congregation wore business casual, and the other casual comfortable. But we all worshipped Jesus Christ for all that he is.
There was no fear that people from either church were going to leave and become a part of the other. And there was no fear that we would get into lengthy disagreements on doctrine or arguments over which style of worship was better. It was an eye-opening experience for some of the leaders on my team, to say the least.
Different Ethnicities—Still the Same Creator
It was a few weeks before Easter, the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. A group of us pastors who met on a monthly basis included one pastor of a church called Successful Christian Fellowship, which was located in a community that very closely represented the ethnicity in their church—mostly African American. The church I pastored was also an even representation of the community we were serving, which was about fifty percent Caucasian, thirty percent Spanish, and the rest African American and various other ethnicities.
In building the relationship with the pastor there, our church leadership felt very strongly about having a joint service with their church at our location. The plan was to have everyone sit next to someone from the other church, worship together as we sang, take a joint offering, of which, we would split between the two churches, I would preach, and at the end of the service, our leadership team would wash the feet of their leadership team.^7
What happened at that service was one of the most powerful connections in relationship I have experienced. Some might think this was a cheesy attempt to show reconciliation and integration. But those who might think this had to experience the humility that was evident by both sides during that ceremony to understand what had taken place. It accomplished a lasting impression and change in perspective for everyone in our churches about unity in relationship that Jesus intended from the very beginning.
After that, our church was invited to participate in a joint Good Friday service with five or six other churches. I was asked to speak on one of the