The Journey Part 7: Common Ground

If we were going to realize unity in the body of Christ, we had to start with those who were at least somewhat similar in belief and practice. So I started with the group of pastors in our city who had a similar background of charismatic/pentecostal theology. There were about 12 participants who started meeting every other Friday for prayer, although on most weeks 6 or 7, whose schedules didn't have a conflict on that day, would show.

We talked about unity within our little fellowship and believed that if we showed unity amongst ourselves then our church members might catch the vision as well. I suggested an idea that we have a worship service together, not just occasionally but on a regular basis. We chose the 5th Sunday of the months that have five Sundays. This occurred four times a year. We wanted a venue where we could gather together on the basis of what we agreed upon rather than trying to highlight our distinctives which often kept us apart. We called our gatherings "Common Ground," and set a few basic parameters for our gatherings that would encourage unity. The rules were simple.

1. We would rotate our meetings from church to church.
2. The host pastor was not allowed to preach in his own church.
3. Our worship teams would combine as much as possible to form a unified team.
4. Our church members were encouraged to bring a two liter bottle of soda or a snack for a time of fellowship afterwards.
5. The host church would be responsible for set up and the guests would clean up afterwards
6. We would take an offering to be given to an organization that was not affiliated with any of the churches represented in our group.

The meetings were an incredible success. The cross-pollination that occurred created a wholesome sense of unity as our church members became aware of the extended Body of Christ. The worship part of the service was intense and we envisioned ourselves as a microcosm of the worship scene in heaven. But there was one thing that happened that we were not expecting. The profound respect that was shown for the other pastors by the people was an immediate confirmation that the old saying was true, "as the pulpit goes, so goes the pew."

The pastors committed to a covenant that we would not receive any church members tranferring from our midst without interviewing the incoming visitors, and then subsequently calling the minister of the church from which the visitors originated. In honoring one another's calling, the people followed suit. Church hopping slowed to a trickle and eventually stopped. There was no place to hide for disgruntled members with unresolved issues, so pastors and people dealt with issues of conflict and the churches became more healthy. John 17 was becoming a reality.

Other churches from other denominations joined us. We continued in our Common Ground services for 6 years until my subsequent calling to serve another church. I learned that leadership was critical if Common Ground was to be a reality. When I left to serve elsewhere, no one followed up on the concept and the meetings eventually ceased. I tried to replicate the idea in my new ministry assignment, but it never got off the ground. But my passion to see Christians come together was stronger than ever.

Yet another stream was running as an undercurrent in my soul. I was discovering ancient worship traditions and saw value in integrating this stream into my personal life and in the life of the church I was leading. I discovered Robert Webber and started reading his books. The Evangelical and Charismatic parts of my life and ministry would expand to include a Sacramental element. I tried to experiment here and there, although I really didn't know what I was doing, . My attempts weren't very fruitful because they seemed choppy and disconnected. I hadn't seen "blended worship" done successfully anywhere and so I had nothing to compare my effort to.

My trip to Jacksonville was on the horizon. Little did I know that my search was going to lead me to the fulfillment of my hearts yearning.

Stay tuned for Part 8: The Ancient Future Connection