What Does Unity Even Mean?

Mark Lauterbach:

Networking is great. But it is not the unity of the church.

Networking is not the same as the millenia old belief that there is but one true holy and catholic church.

I am all for pastors in locales meeting with like minded men, for fellowship and care and encouragement. But that is not what the apostles creed means.

So why am I writing about this?

Well, for reasons beyond my control, I have spent entirely more hours in the last year thinking about polity than I have the previous 30. My reading has firmed up my convictions in many ways. It has also introduced me to doctrinal reflections that were previously unknown to me.

One of those is the doctrine of the one true church.

I have to admit, as soon as I hear such a term, my “reformation marks of the true church” DNA reacts and makes me itch. It sounds so, so, so . . . Catholic.

Well, duh.

Read the rest.  Important implications for us.