We are in this together ...

Just got an email prayer request from a Pastor friend's church asking special prayer for a ministry team that they have in another country. As I paused to pray for the needs of this team and their ministry I was really struck with need for all of us to be reminded that we are in this thing together. By this thing I mean ministry. Wherever we are, whatever tribe (denomination) we claim to be in, whatever our style we must not lose sight of the fact that we are not doing a solo act. We are a part of a much larger team. Our team is spread all around the globe, we don't all wear the same outer uniform but we are on the same team.

We need to be lifting one another in prayer a lot more often. We need to mourn with each other and we need to truly rejoice with each other as God blesses. I have observed that in the church we seem to have more trouble rejoicing with other churches and believers than we do mourning with them.

This concept came home to me this week as someone from my church who had been away on vacation recently told me about an amazing church they visited while they were gone. (That's right they went to church on vacation, now there's a foreign concept for many people.) They wanted to go somewhere very different and looked for a large church with something happening. I was told about how exciting it was, I was thrilled to hear this and asked where they went. I knew it was several states away and not in our denomination, but was curious. As soon as they said the name, I started laughing and said yes, I know of that place and named the pastor. I received an astonished look. Then I said that I have quoted this pastor a few times recently because I read his blog most days. My joy came from this family seeing something different and exciting and it was mentioned that they now see some of things I have been trying to say around here lately.

We really are in this together. So let's act like it, let's pray like it, let's cheer like it and make sure we remember that it is God's team and not ours.