I too would love to see “an honest wrestle” on a number of issues. But what I would love to see even more is a worldwide community of believers who do not place their doctrinal differences before their fellowship and unity or mission in Christ.

I personally come from a “reformed” and “evangelical” background. In another thread, Andrew has summarised the opinions of a number of evangelical scholars who are to various degrees rather horrified by the rise of a postmodern emerging church movement. I can really hear where these folks are coming from having been one of that ‘group’ until fairly recently. It took me a long time to face my own dissatisfaction with my own thinking honestly enough to realise that I had long been latently pomo in my heart!

But there are still plenty of evangelicals who are showing no signs of moving out of that closet. Whither the body of Christ if we are going to keep doing this to ourselves? Let’s get beyond doctrine for once even if we are 2,000 years late in doing so and let us explore our fellowship with one another in love. Wherever there are believers who strive to be disciples of Jesus, who wish to bear more of the fruit of the Spirit, there let there be fellowship and unity.

I am a great fan of John Stott’s and ‘uncle John’ is very fond of quoting “unity in essentials”. Of course, my line for what I would consider “essential” has moved, and moved rather far! But does that mean that I can no longer be comfortable in the presence of those more conservative or more liberal or more or less whatever than myself? Can we no longer together preach Christ and Him crucified?

It also strikes me as odd that amongst the scholars, where great and grave differences of opinion do thrive (by definition?) when in conclave or at conferences there is generally good fellowship to be seen. I fear that it is we the sheep that read these scholars and then emotionally form opinions that render us unable to extend a true hand of fellowship, acceptance and love to one another.

So, let’s have universalists and let’s have eternal damnationists but most important let us have love for one another, as He first loved us - and may all of our battles begin and end joyfully in love.

Live to serve : Serve to live