Trinity Baptist Church Online

Contending As One Man 

Harvard professor Robert Putnam, in his book Bowling Alone shows, that by every measure, participation in civic life is at a record low.   In other words, Americans don’t just want their privacy; we have lost our sense of need of others.  We are “radical individualists.”  

Now, it may not concern you that more Americans are choosing to bowl alone but the privatization of the American lifestyle should concern every Christian for two reasons.  First of all, many churches are dying because of it.  Secondly, some experts believe that this momentum toward radical individualism is in part encouraged by the church culture. Specifically, that the way local churches do not relate to one another condones the individualistic mentality.  Our behavior teaches the rest of the community that it is okay by God to be self-absorbed and inwardly focused.  Sadly, the church, instead of raising the bar of unselfishness we instead are helping to lower it.  As influencers of our culture’s character, we have lost our saltiness. 

How different from the Bible’s expectation regarding the witness of the church. Paul writes in Philippians, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…. I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel” (1:27).

In essence, Paul tells us “by myself individualism” is not appropriate attire for the gospel.  It would be like putting a diamond necklace around your neck while wearing a ratty bathrobe and an old pair of bunny rabbit slippers.  When church corporations around you treat each other as competitors instead of partners, we are inappropriately dressed.  

Note that Paul expects the city church at Philippi to do more than contend as one man, he expects they will  stand firm in one spirit. In other words, we need to bring an attitude to match. Collaboration simply means you are willing to show up and play on the same ball field. It means you are willing to put on a jersey that says you are part of a team. But, that doesn’t mean you are playing like a team. All championship teams have learned to pass the ball, cheer for their teammates, and put winning ahead of personal press clippings. We win when we, in unity, present Christ clearly. 

If there is ever going to be a “kingdom testimony” in Plymouth County it will be because the churches, black and white, urban and suburban, learn to play unselfish team ball.  In fact, the key to community transformation will reside in the attitude that Christians insert in the community character building process.  Imagine if every local church actually began to “…look not only to own interests, but also to the interests of others” ( Philippians 2:4).  Imagine, if in a rampant way, the unbelievers of Plymouth County actually observed one church send some volunteers to staff a nursery for another church.  Imagine if it was not uncommon for the men’s group of one church to help repair or paint the fellowship hall of another.  Even better, imagine what the rest of the community would think if several churches each contributed great amounts of cash to another church’s new building program.  They would say, the attitude of Christians in our community is “supernatural.” They would say they have the attitude of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5). 

In order to bring a kingdom testimony to our region there will need to be this kind of supernatural collaboration.  There will need to be unselfish teamwork unheard of in the natural world.  In the Apostles’ Creed the church fathers called it communio sanctorum the “communion of the saints.” Yes, in the invisible realm we are already connected as the “holy catholic church.”  But, in the visible realm, in our witness, there must be a functional unity, the communion of the saints.  Trinity is praying for a countywide kingdom testimony.  May you be one of the Christians who help your church to contend as one man.                                                                    – by Reverend Dr. Mark T. Oliver