If I had my druthers

I was just thinking about this very thing when this pic providentially showed up on a friend's FB wall. (Thank you, Brandi!) If I had my druthers, I would be part of a group of Christians who regularly discussed difficult topics. Not for the sake of pressuring consensus or to vent but to ask hard questions and not assume there are easy answers. I've been able to find this to a certain degree online. It is harder face-to-face, which is really where my heart is.

It seems that discussing our place in the public square is not exactly a favorite topic among Christians. We don't want to start arguments. We don't want to disagree, but how can we challenge one another to make doctrine in the pew a matter of practical Christian ethics if we don't talk about these things? I also wonder if we mistakenly put consensus and conformity in the place of unity in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then it is easier to norm and assume we all vote the same, have the same educational philosophy for our kids, are in the same socioeconomic strata so we can live our lives in a roughly similar manner, etc. This is fine if we want to form a club that will never make any waves and affirm our personal choices, but the church is more than this. 

Praise God for the gospel that saves and transforms, but the transformation is still in progress. We're still learning to know and love God better and to love our neighbors as well. This calls for patience with one another especially at a time when civil disagreement seems to be a lost art. I also think discussing difficult topics can only strengthen the church. Then unity won't be just a pat phrase and a warm fuzzy provided we steer clear of certain issues, but a firm commitment to trust God not only for our own growth but for others who we may disagree with at the moment.