I have talked to quite a few people in the last couple of years that have said the following words, “I just can’t go to that church anymore because I totally disagree with (fill in the blank)__________.”

One friend left his church because he disagreed with something that the pastor preached, another couple left their church because theytook issuewith the curriculum the children’s ministry was using…

It begs the question: Is church simply a place to find people who think and act just like we do?

We love listening to our pastor preach; generally, we are challenged by what he has to say…but, occasionally we disagree. And that’s ok!

CS Lewis writes that people who follow Jesus, “…recognize one another immediately and infallibly, across every barrier of color, sex, class, age, even of creeds…”

What is your community like? Is it a collection of people that look, dress, act, vote, and typically think just like you?Is that what the body of Christ is supposed to be…a collection of clones… a political voting bloc? How many of your close friends do you strongly disagree with on spiritual, social, or political issues?

Think about it for a moment: How many times has your perspective been changed by someone who completely agreed with you?

In a world of communities polarized across racial, economic, political, and even denominational lines — shouldn’t the people of God be different?

Church must be the place where we get caught up in a story greater than our own — God’s story of redemption.

It should be the place that we can sit around the table, strongly disagree with one another, and yet remain committed to live, love, and journey together…

Maybe we should consider this question as we attend our places of worship this weekend: Can’t we all just disagree?