One.

The preacher approached the microphone, sweat beading off his forehead. His face was set in a sort of sneer as he gripped the edges of the pulpit and began to scream. "You're supposed to be a Pentecostal church" he said, "But you worship like a bunch of Methodists!" The sermons I was used to hearing were accompanied by loud shouts of agreement, like “Amen!” “Hallelujah!” or “Preach it!” This day, however the sermon was accompanied by stony silence. How dare that man call us Methodists!

Growing up in the Church of God, I, like other kids, had learned to use the names of other denominations as insults. Those who didn't participate in church were deemed to be "back-row Baptists." People often said things like "I used to be Catholic, but now I'm a Christian," or "did you know that the pope is going to be the Anti-Christ?" I suppose I recognized that other denominations were technically Christian, but I knew that the heaven for Church of God people was a little better than the heaven for Presbyterians. It's funny, but I was never really led to think much about the one, holy, catholic (little 'c') church.

Then one day I noticed something. I was reading in the Book of John, and I noticed Jesus' final prayer for His disciples before being crucified. It takes place in chapter 17.

20. "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21. that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

22. "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23. I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

Jesus wants us to be one! I realized as I was reading this that Jesus, in this prayer to His father, was summing up His earthly ministry in one idea: unity.

I am a protestant. I like to protest. As an American I come by this trait honestly. However, as I examine my heart I realize that Christ has called us to something more. We like to stand on our rights, but Christ is calling us to stand on His love. We like to get our own way, but Christ is calling us to fight for His way (even when it means turning the other cheek). He calls us to be one as He and the Father are one. Then He goes to the cross and gives us the means by which to accomplish this impossible task of unity: grace. It is time for us to reach beyond denominational boundaries and our petty disagreements and do the work that Christ called us to do.

God, teach me to forgive as I have been forgiven. Teach me to love others the way You have loved me. Cause us to be One. Amen.