This week we are in the midst of praying through the 40 day Jewish season of repentance, Teshuvah.
The word Teshuvah literally means to return to the presence of God. It is a season of introspection and repentance for Christians to come into unity with God, as Jesus prayed in John 17:21. However, as Jesus prayed, unity with God also requires unity with each other in Christ. (John 17:20-23).
Yet, almost since the beginning of Christianity, believers have quarreled about Christian doctrine and church government. The first Jerusalem Council served as an example of a favorably resolved dispute (Acts 15). However, other disputes resulted in division and treatment of opponents as non-Christians. As Ralph Martin famously said, “The Body of Christ is broken.”
Today there are many denominations and doctrines which create a great diversity within the body of Christ. Yet, we can still be United in Christ. Lutheran theologian Oscar Cullmann said, “Unity in the church . . . is unity in diversity . . . recognizing others in all their variety as true Christians.” Pope Francis has said, “Unity brought by the Spirit can harmonize every diversity.” Unity in diversity recognizes the contributions of other streams of Christianity and blends them together in a symphony of harmony. It is a unity of the Spirit, not in doctrine or church government.
The Unity Revival has already begun. In 2014 the Pope sent a historic video to Kenneth Copeland which you can view on the UnitedinChristInternational.com website. The Pope’s outreach to Kenneth Copeland produced a flood of Christian leaders who traveled to Rome for international reconciliation meetings. There has also been a strong movement for unity among American church leaders. However, the unity movement has not yet reached many of our cities and local churches.
The urgent need to heal the Body of Christ must be communicated from the national leadership of movements and denominations to the local churches. The city fathers must become champions of unity, bringing the Body of Christ together to impact their communities. The prayer of Jesus in John 17 is not only about unity. It is for unity with a purpose, “so that the world may believe” (John 17:21). Unity is the key to transformation.
The Body of Christ must be healed to do its work for Christ.
During the second ten days of Teshuvah, from August 29 to September 7, we will be praying for God’s people and the healing of the broken Body of Christ as God’s people come together, united in Christ.
• August 29: The blessings of unity (Ps. 133)
• August 30: Unity in Christ (John 17:20–22)
• August 31: Accepting our brothers (Rom. 15:5–7)
• September 1: Do not judge (Rom. 14:13; Luke 6:37–38)
• September 2: Divisions (1 Cor. 3:1–9)
• September 3: Evangelism through unity (John 17:23)
• September 4: Watchmen warnings (Ezek. 33)
• September 5: Appealing to all (1 Cor. 9:27)
• September 6: Salvation for Israel (Rom. 11:11–32)
• September 7: Messianic Jews and the Toward Jerusalem Council II movement (Acts 15)
“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me”
John 17:23