SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON - JUNE 6TH

Four Ways To Promote Church Unity

LESSON PASSAGES OUTLINE
1. Focus on Members’ Agreement (1 Cor. 1:10)
2. Focus on the Gospel’s Truth (1 Cor. 1:21-25)
3. Focus on God’s Work (1 Cor. 1:26-31)
4. Focus on the Church’s Best (1 Cor. 3:9-10,16-17)

BIBLICAL TRUTH - Christians are to promote the unity of their churches and avoid actions that contribute to divisions.

Introduction - Commentary by Terry Ellis, Senior Pastor of Spring Hill Baptist Church in Mobile, AL.

Sam didn’t like the change introduced by the minister of music at his church. Although most church members approved of the new approach, Sam began to criticize, undermine, and belittle the approach as well as the minister of music. He never wasted a setting: in the fellowship time before Sunday School, in the hallways on the way to the worship service, and in weekday conversations with friends. Sam always found a way to vent his disapproval.

Sadly, “Sams” are all too common in churches. We are tempted to criticize whomever and whatever we don’t agree with. Some, however, push beyond voicing criticism to causing dissension. They often think they’re doing God a favor by this behavior!

Is church unity important to you? In what ways do you seek to promote it? In what ways are you tempted to undermine it?

All who participate in a Sunday School class face a temptation at the point of handling disagreements. How will we respond to differences of opinion? Will we do something to further the problem or will we handle it in a way that leads to peace and harmony?

Surely we want to be able to handle it in a way that is not disagreeable! Even when there is a difference of opinion we must preserve and even deepen our love for one another and our commitment to being a unified group.