"A Church Connected" - I Corinthians 12:3-13 - May 23, 1999

A few weeks ago I was going to garage sales with my wife. At one sale I found a really nice set of golf clubs at a terrific price. I am mostly a duffer, but the clubs I use are obsolete. These were perfect and my investment would be minimal. My wife agreed. When I took out the driver to feel the swing I got a big surprise. The clubs were for a left-handed person. So much for my great bargain.

The left-handed golf clubs are of no use to me but to a left-handed person they are perfect. It just so happens that I have a friend who plays golf with me who is left handed. And when we play we both play by the exact same rules. The only exception is that we can’t use each others clubs. We are fairly equal in our ability but it is impossible for us to use the same equipment.

The church at Corinth believed that everyone should be like them. They had developed a "club" mentality that had certain requirements. If you didn’t play by their rules, dress like them, act like them, you didn’t get in. Paul was encouraging the Church at Corinth to be more diverse. As long as they promoted sameness, their faith would be only superficial.

The church is not a club. It is not an organization that depends on superficial dress codes and look alike motions. What makes the church unique is that we are not all the same, but different. Not only are some of us left handed and others right handed, we think differently, vote differently, disagree on many issues and even believe differently. What makes us interesting is the fact that we come from different backgrounds, different communities and each of us has individual talents that are unique. And in spite of all our differences we are still part of the same Church and therefore connected. We are therefore bonded together not because we are all alike, but because we share a common mission.

Since we are all different it is not always easy to relate to one another. People are threatened by strangers, folks who are from other places, or who represent other points of view. People are afraid of diversity. They feel secure when things and people are familiar. They want to protect their tradition and image. But Paul concerned himself with mission. In other words, it doesn’t matter that we are all the same. What really matters is that are all working together for the common good and for the glory of God.

The fact that we are all different can be a problem. People tend to group together and interact with those who live and believe similarly. We feel safe when we are surrounded with folks who share common opinions and beliefs. As soon as someone or something unfamiliar appears in the group there is a discomfort which sometimes leads to conflict.

There is also a positive side of being a diverse group of people. Diversity can lead to tolerance of people who have different opinions or are simply "different." A group that is diverse is more inclusive of those who don’t fit in anywhere else. Granted it is more difficult to have a clear vision, since there is such a wide range of opinions and beliefs, but diversity broadens our vision and expands our possibilities.

Naturally, the more diverse the group, the greater the possibility of conflict. But, conflict can lead to creativity and create an atmosphere where tension can be vented. Conflict forces us to communicate and to struggle with the difficult issues of life. We have to be intentional about interacting. We have to make an effort to mingle, to engage people other than those we know.

The church, Paul says, is like a body. When one part aches, we all ache. When one part is successful, we are all successful. It doesn’t matter whose child is being baptized, we can all celebrate. When a church event is successful we can all be thankful. Like it or not we are all connected. That is what gives us our strength, that is what it means to be the church.

Perhaps you remember the movie, "If you could see what I hear". It was about a blind man and a deaf man. They witnessed a crime. Separately the crime could not be solved, but by using both of them they were able to piece together the mystery.

The Church is a team. This is not "my" church. A Church cannot function with only a minister. It takes every individual’s gifts and talents to work for the common good. If we were all alike it would be a boring congregation. It is no less true for families. What makes for healthy families is every individual having the freedom to be who they are. It is no accident that opposites attract. If you and your mate are exactly the same, your relationship would be dull and meaningless. What makes your life exciting is that your qualities compliment one another.

I have been counseling a young man in the community (who is not a member of the church), whose marriage is falling apart. It cannot be successful because it is not a team concept. In this case his spouse is giving about 10% while he is giving 90%. He feels bad because he has tried to make it work. Unfortunately, his spouse is not willing to try. As we have reflected on his relationship it has become obvious that it is not a team. Unless a relationship is 50/50 there is no team concept, no unity. No group, no relationship, no Church can succeed unless all the different parts are working together.

Paul reminded the church at Corinth that everyone is different but all are important. There is a variety of "spiritual gifts" or talents but all are inspired by the same God. Whenever one person dominates the whole thing breaks down. Instead of teamwork you have individuals competing for the spotlight.

This is the time of year that we witness many golf tournaments. There is always a lot of attention given to the winners. But, what about the caddies? Without them there would be no tournament. And sometimes it is their suggestions, encouragement that enables the golfer to select the right club or make the right shot. Without them, those that play the game might not have enough energy to finish the course. Caddies are important too, just as every member of this congregation. We are all part of the body of Christ, all part of the "spiritual" team.

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio