Unity

January 9, 2008

Ephesians 4:11-16

“The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.”

Yesterday, I traveled with a group from the church to the Billy Graham Library here in Charlotte. It is an impressive experience. Certainly, any of us who have observed Billy Graham from afar know of the integrity that defined his life but the experience made that picture of integrity more impressive. The experience elicited in most of us stories of our connections to Billy and his family. I must share a story that Bill Finger shared with me. (I’m sharing this without permission and will not do it the justice that Bill’s rendition would offer!)

You may know that Bill Finger is retired from the Charlotte DOT so Bill often had the duty of manning the command center with others from the DOT. At one of the last crusades that Billy Graham held here in Charlotte, a voice came over the central communication system. It said, “I’m told that everyone who is involved in managing the traffic for this event can hear me. This is Billy Graham and I just want you to know how deeply grateful I am for your work to make this experience happen. You are crucial to what we are doing here and I want to be sure that you understand the depth of my gratitude and your ministry here tonight. You are most appreciated! May God bless you all!” It was a powerful moment that spoke to the fact that Billy Graham understood so well. It spoke to the very heart of this passage.

The passage calls us to understand ourselves as those equipped for ministry. Each one of us has something to offer to the larger working of the church. It may seem small to us but without our contribution there would be a large gap in the ministry of the church.

We each have crucial pieces to play in the life and ministry of the church. You have gifts that I can’t begin to offer and I have some that you wouldn’t dare attempt. We need each other. Our unity is crucial.

The unity that Billy Graham practiced was evident in that library. There was a large room that outlined the people who worked for him and what they brought to the ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. This week, I would encourage us all to observe the ministries of people that might not often receive praise and thanks for their work and let them know that we appreciate them! Let them know that we support them, that we are honored to be connected to them and yes, that we love them!

Know that you are loved and appreciated by me—whether your work happens at St. John’s, in and around Charlotte, or in and around Apex or Atlanta! Thank you for what you do to make the Church the rich entity that it is! Amen.