Confession of Faith: Church Order and Unity

The image to the right seems to be what goes on in many churches and in fact in many people's lives..."My way or the Highway, I am right and only one of us can be."  Confessing church order and unity in the Mennonite church is to confess that we are fallen and broken human beings with a tendency to move in our own directions and sometimes even leave churches when we disagree with what is happening.  In order to help keep the love of one another before all else, we confess and abide by certain processes in order to maintain unity.

However, church order and unity is more than this: it is a belief that we are all members of one body to which Jesus Christ is the head and the foundational cornerstone.  Since we are all one body, even if we are many different parts who think and even act differently, we seek the best ways to work with each other in love and grace. 

In a world that quickly fractures, Mennonites speak a word of strength together, of holding onto a firm foundation (Jesus) and allowing other things to be decided in time.  One of the fastest ways communities fracture is when major shifts or changes take place.  To help combat this, Mennonites say, "Slow down!  It is better to wait on the Lord then to make hasty decisions."  This seems to me to be lost in much of U.S. America today - we want decisions made and they should be made now.  Instead...slow down...the Lord might have a word for us if we wait on the King to speak.

Want to learn more?  Here is Article 16 of the Mennonite Confession of faith:   http://www.mennoniteusa.org/about/confession-of-faith-in-a-mennonite-perspective-1995/article-16-church-order-and-unity/

Image from: heargodspeak.blogspot.com