2. Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil. Proverbs 4:25 - 27 (NKJV)

3. Unity God’s Plan for Church “I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18) Christ never planned to build many churches He never planned to establish denominations Jesus prayed the church would be “one” “That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:28)

4. Unity of the Spirit Promotes Singularity of Faith The unity of the Spirit (Eph. 4:1-6) One body One Spirit One hope of your calling One Lord One faith One baptism One God and Father of all

5. Unity Characteristic of Church Unity characterized the church in its infancy (Acts 4:32) They pursued those things that made for peace (Rom. 14:19) Paul prayed the church would be like- minded and would with one mind and one mouth glorify God (Rom. 15:5-6) God is not glorified in diversity of faith!

6. Division Condemned Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment 1 Cor. 1:10 (NKJV)

7. Causes of Division What causes religious division? James 4:1-4 gives the answer: Fleshly desire Selfish religion Friendship with the world The result is a rejection of truth and a desire for false teaching that pleases the flesh (2 Tim. 4:3-4)

8. Unity – On What Basis? Conduct worthy of the gospel (Phil. 1:27) Speak the same thing: “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God…” (1 Peter 4:11) “Speak where the Bible speaks, be silent where the Bible is silent” Reject human names and creeds “Call Bible things by Bible names and do Bible things in Bible ways”

9. Speak the Truth in Love Note those who cause division (Rom. 16:17) We must beware and warn concerning those who deceive (Col. 2:8) “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) We must speak the truth in love to come to the unity of the faith and defend against the “cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Eph. 4:11-5)

10. Listen to the voices of some past denominational leaders…

11. Martin Luther "I ask that men make no reference to my name, and call themselves not Lutherans, but Christians. What is Luther? My doctrine, I am sure, is not mine, nor have I been crucified for any one. St. Paul, in I Cor. 3, would not allow Christians to call themselves Pauline or Petrine, but Christian. How then should I, poor, foul carcass that I am, come to have men give to the children of Christ a name derived from my worthless name? No, no, my dear friends; let us abolish all party names, and call ourselves Christians after Him Whose doctrine we have."

12. John Wesley “Would to God that all party names, and unscriptural phrases and forms which have divided the Christian world, were forgot and that the very name [Methodist] might never be mentioned more, but be buried in eternal oblivion."

13. Charles Spurgeon "I look forward with pleasure to the day when there will not be a Baptist living! I hope that the Baptist name will soon perish, but let Christ's name last forever." (Spurgeon was arguably the greatest Baptist preacher of all)

14. The following statement was made in a speech by H. Leo Boles in his address “The Way of Unity Between the Christian Church and Churches of Christ” May 3, 1939

15. (Boles quoting from Raccoon John Smith) "For several years past I have stood pledged to meet the religious world, or any part of it, on the ancient gospel and order of things as presented in the words of the Book. This is the foundation on which Christians once stood, and on it they can, and ought to, stand again. From this I cannot depart to meet any man, or set of men, in the wide world. While, for the sake of peace and Christian union, I have long since waived the public maintenance of any speculation I may hold, yet no one gospel fact, commandment, or promise will I surrender for the world"

16. After quoting his grandfather, John Smith, Brother Boles went on to say: “This is the ground of unity that was accepted in 1832 by the Stone and Campbell groups; it is the fundamental teaching of the New Testament. Such a unity honors the truth of God, respects the authority of Christ, and glorifies God …

17. Brethren, this is where the churches of Christ stand today; it is where unity may be found now; it is where you left the New Testament; it is where you left the churches of Christ, and it is where you can find them when you come back. On this ground and teaching, and only on this, can scriptural unity be had now; on these basic principles of the New Testament Christian unity may always be had.”

18. Unity…Not Union Two movements seeking the restoration of the New Testament church came together at Cane Ridge, KY in 1832 to join hands They became one in identity, one in doctrine, one in purpose The movements that were identified with Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell became lost in one name.... “Christian”

20. Who will join us to stand unified upon the holy word of God?

21. Who among us will reject the Word of Life to attain a form of union with doctrines of men?

22. Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil. Proverbs 4:25 - 27 (NKJV)