What does 'Uniting all Christians as one body' mean to you?

[Naomi4Christ]

This is a spin-off thread from DR. It is an opportunity for staff and general members to discuss our mission statement.

So, what significance does our mission statement mean to you?

It's not just staff on the spot - anyone can chip in - the more the merrier!

[Crazy Liz]

Thank you, Naomi!

I'd just like to chat a little between members and staff about what "Uniting all Christians a One Body" means to you.

I'm sure like every short phrase, it means different things to different people. That's good. I'm looking forward to a variety of responses.

Thanks again, Naomi! :clap:

[garfieldthecatman]

Wow, such enthusiasm!! (sp)

What "uniting Christians as one body" means to me is we are spanning across the globe to connect the finger to the hand. In other words, uniting small groups of Christians with other Christians to form not such one body part, but the whole body of Christ.

[Crazy Liz]

Thanks for posting, catman!

[garfieldthecatman]

Thanks for posting, catman!

That's what Catman loves doing. :D

[intricatic]

To me, it's always meant trying to establish an atmosphere conducive to hosting discussion between a large and varied body of believers, from many different denominations and doctrinal positions.

[Crazy Liz]

That sounds pretty good.

[intricatic]

Thanks. :)

[Lel]

Also, I think we should be making sure that we reach out to everyone and try not to injure those who may be on the fringes or outcast in the process.

[Miracle Storm]

No matter the denomination, being mindful of our equality in Christ.
Repairing relationships with those we disagree with in having fruitful discussion, though they can become heated sometimes.

Loving one another as the Lord loves us.
Fellowshipping as His body!

[Miracle Storm]

No matter the denomination, being mindful of our equality in Christ.
Repairing relationships with those we disagree with in having fruitful discussion, though they can become heated sometimes.

Loving one another as the Lord loves us.
Fellowshipping as His body!
I would also like to add this Scripture as it is perfect for this topic.
1 Corinthians 12
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by[c (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2012;&version=31;#fen-NIV-28632c)] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

[intricatic]

Very excellent bit of scripture. :thumbsup:

[Jeff1]

Jesus never wanted us to be divided over petty issues, so to me, uniting all Christians honors his sacrifice. We are stronger together than we could ever be apart.

[Miracle Storm]

Jesus never wanted us to be divided over petty issues, so to me, uniting all Christians honors his sacrifice. We are stronger together than we could ever be apart.
:clap:Great answer:clap:
United We Stand!! :preach:

[Annabel Lee]

For united we stand, divided we fall
And if our backs should ever be against the wall..

--Brotherhood of Man

[Miracle Storm]

:wave:
Hello, any other staff contribution to this thread would be much appreciated.
Especially if it came from some execs. :)

...OR Erwin, we would very much enjoy your view! :clap:

[Redeemed_Warrior]

To me it signifies the great need for integrity from all fronts, meaning that Integrity and Honesty go along way to uniting

[zx128k]

Galatians 3:26,28
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:6.7
Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, " So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

1 Corinthians 6:17
But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

1 Corinthians 3:16
Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?

What does 'Uniting all Christians as one body' mean to you?
From what I have read from the bible all christians are unitied through the body of christ because of their faith in him.

[Naomi4Christ]

To me, I see an ear, a finger, a little toe - all different and all necessary to make a complete body.

I love hearing the views of other parts of the body - they help me understand my own faith, and deepen my own faith.

It's like when you do a bible study where you read the same passage in 3 or 4 different versions. It's like some kind of triangulation where you can approach from three different angles and pinpoint the truth.

I actually have little interest in having a theological discussion with my own kind - I am hungry to hear from others. My own, I see them every week at church, and midweek too. It's the diversity that turns me on.

I am also happy to learn from other people of faith, outside of the body of Christ. We have so much in common.

[Ainuhina]

having grown up in a protestant church, attending a free evangelical one for most of my teenage years and now going to a bapist church I can only say that we are all different....and we are all "one body" - each congregation has it's own function...just as every cell in the body does....so only if we stand united can we form "a body" - a living witness....

uniting all means we have to stand together and start focusing on the things we have in common and on the goal God set before us - to spread the word and make all nations disciples - instead of fighting each other simply cause our doctrines don't match....I've seen that destroy communities and it nearlly got me away from being a Christian when I was a teen.....

[justanobserver]

What does 'Uniting all Christians as one body' mean to you?


Well, IMHO ( a non christian one), to me it speaks of a desire, a dream, a vision, a wish of a man to attempt to bring all the diversity of christianity into one mind and one accord in one setting.

whether that works as well as the desired wishes or not, is not for me to say. I have my opinions tho; I do think its next to an impossibility to have the different faiths leave their particular beleifs at the door when they show here. The differences will come out sooner or later in a discussion. But its those dioscussions that folks like me will see, watch and learn.

Myself, from a sinner/backslider/non christian POV, I can understand and see the purpose of a site such as this. A place to provide fellowship to the christian, a place to provide outreach to the sinner. Also a haven where christians of same faiths/beleifs can mingle, fellowship in a reasonably safe enviroment, something that should be able to safely assume.

Further, to build up, encourage those that are weak in their faith, faultering in their believes, exchange theology, views, opinons and interpretations of those staunch in their convictions.

To the rest - the athiest, the agnostic, the religious non christian, the seekers and backsliders, the disenfranchised and disallusioned:

as the Word sais in Isa 55:11

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.


This is where I see the role of the christian in this site. To minister His Truth, to be the Example to all thru word and deed, no matter how it is received.

I came here because it is purported to be a christian site. I came here looking for answers thru the posts, PMs, observations, interactions with others, etc.

I am looking foward to the new changes but if it gets to the point that I cannot no longer tell the difference between saint and sinner (as the old saying goes), then I will leave here and look for my answers elswewhere.

This is how I see a site such as this. dont know if this is all off topic or not what your asking for but its my view.

[Melchizedek]

Uniting Christians as one body, means agape. Unconditional love for our fellow brothers and sisters, and showing grace to those with which we disagree with, without compromising the essential truths of the faith that makes us part of that body.

Scripture clearly shows us that Jesus had the lifestyle to love without compromise. He confronted those who were wrong, but always did so with the intent to reach them as God Himself knows how to reach another human being.

It is not by wise and persuasive words of man's wisdom that one becomes a believer in Christ. It is by demonstrations of the Holy Spirit's power. In our witness, if we have not love, our words mean nothing. Love then is defined as action, and on a message board, that action is patience, grace, and Truth. Without Truth, we have nothing. Without love, we have not the Truth.

As Jesus prayed for the unity of the disciples, he was also praying for us, his disciples 2000 years later. God has a plan to return, and I believe it is soon. What church is he coming back for?

He's coming back for the church of his heart. His heart is love. His heart is loving action. And no better place can be found a definition of love, than the Bible. All of God's commandments, from the least to the greatest, embody this definition. It serves as the standard. To refuse it to anyone is to not love at all, but to hate, destroy, ... murder.

Christian Forums was created to serve as a witness to the world that Christians can be united in love. When we first started, the dream and vision was to provide a refuge for the refugees of the world - a world that knows not love.

That definition for love, the Bible, God's commandments, teaching and instruction in how to love God and love people; is what will unite a fractured body, both those divided over the internet, and those divided also in the real world.

If we compromise on the Truth, if we hold back love as defined in the Bible and demonstrated by our Christ, Jesus; then we will have failed this vision, and blasphemed the name of God which we carry upon as as ambassadors of His will.

"Uniting Christians as One Body" is not just a phrase. It's the prayer of our Savior for his Bride. If we, as His Bride, are called to unity, then our mission should be define that unity.

It is only after many years of seeing this vision start, and seeing it come to fruit, being tested, and now under trial; that the path to that unity is clearer today than it was before.

I have become a Messianic believer, - a love filled God-following Spirit-filled, commandment-loving disciple of of Jesus; one who by His grace, continues to show grace to others as I have been - with the point to love them as Jesus taught us, and as the Word instructs us.

We can not, as a body, survive if we are divided over doctrines that seem petty in the eyes of Jesus. We can not, as a body, survive the attack on the body, if we ourselves become complacent tools in the Enemy's attack. Complacency kills the spirit. Grace sets it free. Love turns it into an instrument of God's love to another person.

I encourage all those here to find out what Love is, what Love does, and how Love... is Truth.

Shalom, and God bless.

Josephus

[Crazy Liz]

Uniting Christians as one body, means agape. Unconditional love for our fellow brothers and sisters, and showing grace to those with which we disagree with, without compromising the essential truths of the faith that makes us part of that body.

Scripture clearly shows us that Jesus had the lifestyle to love without compromise. He confronted those who were wrong, but always did so with the intent to reach them as God Himself knows how to reach another human being.

It is not by wise and persuasive words of man's wisdom that one becomes a believer in Christ. It is by demonstrations of the Holy Spirit's power. In our witness, if we have not love, our words mean nothing. Love then is defined as action, and on a message board, that action is patience, grace, and Truth. Without Truth, we have nothing. Without love, we have not the Truth.

As Jesus prayed for the unity of the disciples, he was also praying for us, his disciples 2000 years later. God has a plan to return, and I believe it is soon. What church is he coming back for?

He's coming back for the church of his heart. His heart is love. His heart is loving action. And no better place can be found a definition of love, than the Bible. All of God's commandments, from the least to the greatest, embody this definition. It serves as the standard. To refuse it to anyone is to not love at all, but to hate, destroy, ... murder.

Christian Forums was created to serve as a witness to the world that Christians can be united in love. When we first started, the dream and vision was to provide a refuge for the refugees of the world - a world that knows not love.

That definition for love, the Bible, God's commandments, teaching and instruction in how to love God and love people; is what will unite a fractured body, both those divided over the internet, and those divided also in the real world.

If we compromise on the Truth, if we hold back love as defined in the Bible and demonstrated by our Christ, Jesus; then we will have failed this vision, and blasphemed the name of God which we carry upon as as ambassadors of His will.

"Uniting Christians as One Body" is not just a phrase. It's the prayer of our Savior for his Bride. If we, as His Bride, are called to unity, then our mission should be define that unity.

It is only after many years of seeing this vision start, and seeing it come to fruit, being tested, and now under trial; that the path to that unity is clearer today than it was before.

I have become a Messianic believer, - a love filled God-following Spirit-filled, commandment-loving disciple of of Jesus; one who by His grace, continues to show grace to others as I have been - with the point to love them as Jesus taught us, and as the Word instructs us.

We can not, as a body, survive if we are divided over doctrines that seem petty in the eyes of Jesus. We can not, as a body, survive the attack on the body, if we ourselves become complacent tools in the Enemy's attack. Complacency kills the spirit. Grace sets it free. Love turns it into an instrument of God's love to another person.

I encourage all those here to find out what Love is, what Love does, and how Love... is Truth.

Shalom, and God bless.

Josephus
Thanks for posting some memory of how CF started.

[hopperace]

http://www1.foru.ms/attachment.php?attachmentid=105647&stc=1&d=1187617375

[APY]

Wow, such enthusiasm!! (sp)

What "uniting Christians as one body" means to me is we are spanning across the globe to connect the finger to the hand. In other words, uniting small groups of Christians with other Christians to form not such one body part, but the whole body of Christ.
Amen!

[Ohioprof]

Uniting Christians as one body, means agape. Unconditional love for our fellow brothers and sisters, and showing grace to those with which we disagree with, without compromising the essential truths of the faith that makes us part of that body.

Scripture clearly shows us that Jesus had the lifestyle to love without compromise. He confronted those who were wrong, but always did so with the intent to reach them as God Himself knows how to reach another human being.

It is not by wise and persuasive words of man's wisdom that one becomes a believer in Christ. It is by demonstrations of the Holy Spirit's power. In our witness, if we have not love, our words mean nothing. Love then is defined as action, and on a message board, that action is patience, grace, and Truth. Without Truth, we have nothing. Without love, we have not the Truth.

As Jesus prayed for the unity of the disciples, he was also praying for us, his disciples 2000 years later. God has a plan to return, and I believe it is soon. What church is he coming back for?

He's coming back for the church of his heart. His heart is love. His heart is loving action. And no better place can be found a definition of love, than the Bible. All of God's commandments, from the least to the greatest, embody this definition. It serves as the standard. To refuse it to anyone is to not love at all, but to hate, destroy, ... murder.

Christian Forums was created to serve as a witness to the world that Christians can be united in love. When we first started, the dream and vision was to provide a refuge for the refugees of the world - a world that knows not love.

That definition for love, the Bible, God's commandments, teaching and instruction in how to love God and love people; is what will unite a fractured body, both those divided over the internet, and those divided also in the real world.

If we compromise on the Truth, if we hold back love as defined in the Bible and demonstrated by our Christ, Jesus; then we will have failed this vision, and blasphemed the name of God which we carry upon as as ambassadors of His will.

"Uniting Christians as One Body" is not just a phrase. It's the prayer of our Savior for his Bride. If we, as His Bride, are called to unity, then our mission should be define that unity.

It is only after many years of seeing this vision start, and seeing it come to fruit, being tested, and now under trial; that the path to that unity is clearer today than it was before.

I have become a Messianic believer, - a love filled God-following Spirit-filled, commandment-loving disciple of of Jesus; one who by His grace, continues to show grace to others as I have been - with the point to love them as Jesus taught us, and as the Word instructs us.

We can not, as a body, survive if we are divided over doctrines that seem petty in the eyes of Jesus. We can not, as a body, survive the attack on the body, if we ourselves become complacent tools in the Enemy's attack. Complacency kills the spirit. Grace sets it free. Love turns it into an instrument of God's love to another person.

I encourage all those here to find out what Love is, what Love does, and how Love... is Truth.

Shalom, and God bless.

Josephus
This is beautifully written. And the message is compelling.

[meh]

closed at OP request

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