"That They May Be One" — Unity in a Divided World
The other day, I found myself at lunch with a group of guys from Lake Cities United Methodist Church. Nothing fancy—just a table full of good food, laughter, and easy conversation. But somewhere between bites of food and debates about the best way BBQ in Texas (a topic that could start a holy war in some circles), I had a moment of clarity.
There we were—liberals, conservatives, and moderates—all gathered around the same table. We talked theology. We talked about the economy. We even dipped our toes into politics. And through it all, there was no arguing, no eye-rolling, no trying to “win” the conversation. Just mutual respect and a shared love for Christ—and maybe smoked meat.
That lunch became a picture in my mind of what the Church is meant to be.
It hit me: this is why I love being a United Methodist. We don’t all think the same. We don’t all vote the same. But we choose to show up anyway, to worship together, to eat together, to be the Church together. And that kind of unity—messy, real, grace-filled—is a sacred thing.
One of my favorite things about being part of the United Methodist Church is the beautiful, sometimes messy, often miraculous blend of people who gather in our sanctuaries. Conservatives, moderates, and liberals all kneel at the same altar, sing from the same hymnal, and pray to the same God. We don’t always agree on everything—far from it—but we’ve chosen to share the table, worship together, and strive for holiness of heart and life side by side.
That’s not nothing. In fact, in today’s world, that’s something sacred.
I contrast that with what grieves me most about the current state of the United States of America: we seem to be racing toward ever-deepening division. Ideological camps have become walled fortresses, and many seem more eager to defeat their neighbors than to understand them. We are quick to label and slow to listen. We are becoming experts at isolation and amateurs at reconciliation.
This is not what Jesus prayed for.
In John 17:20-26, Jesus offers one of the most powerful prayers in Scripture—what some call His “high priestly prayer.” As He approaches the cross, His heart is not focused on revenge or retribution, but on unity. Hear His words:
“I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
—John 17:20-21 (NRSV)
"That they may all be one."
This is not a call for uniformity. Jesus didn’t pray that we would all be the same—He prayed that we would be united. There is a big difference. Unity is not sameness. Unity is love lived out amid difference.
That’s what I see in the United Methodist Church when we get it right. We bring our different perspectives, backgrounds, and beliefs—not to win an argument, but to bear witness to a God who holds us together. Our unity isn’t rooted in politics, nationality, or even theology—it’s rooted in Christ.
And what a testimony that is to the world.
In an age of division, maybe the Church is called not just to preach unity, but to practice it. Maybe one of our greatest evangelistic tools isn’t a perfectly crafted sermon or a viral social media post—but a congregation full of people who shouldn’t get along, yet do, because Christ is in the center.
Jesus knew the world would need that witness. He prayed for it. And we are the answer to that prayer—if we’re willing.
So today, I give thanks for the United Methodist Church and its beautiful diversity. And I pray for our nation—that we might rediscover the sacred value of unity, not as a weakness, but as a sign of God’s presence among us.
May we be one—not because we all think alike, but because we all love alike.
In God’s grip,
Pastor Chuck Church
