"Why So Many Churches?" - Genesis 11:1-9 - June 3, 2001

One question I am frequently asked is, "Why are there so many different churches?" People are confused as to why there are so many different denominations, why the Church can’t seem to get it all together. There have been efforts to unite the mainline churches but none have been successful. There are simply too many differences, most in the way of customs, traditions and beliefs that separate the churches.

We live in an age when denominational ties are not as sacred as they once were. People tend to switch from one faith to another with little difficulty. In the past most of our church folks were born into the church. Now folks actually go church shopping. They tend to settle in a church that most closely resembles their own understandings, meets their comfort level or fits their life style.

When I look at my own background I soon discover that my faith experience is a hybrid one. In my family there have been Methodists, Baptists, even native American Indians. My parents raised me in the Evangelical United Brethren Church. They prided themselves in ecumenism. For the last 15 years I have been in the United Church of Christ which prides itself in inclusiveness.

The fact that there are many different churches has never been an issue for me. Since the world is so diverse and people come from various backgrounds, both social and economic it makes sense that we tend to be with those who share our beliefs. I don’t believe that God weeps over the fact that the Church is not united. Although our denomination bears the slogan, "That we may all be one," I think it is totally unrealistic to be one church in a multicultural world.

The story of the tower of Babel illustrates that God didn’t truly expect us to be all together. It was during this event that God actually confused the languages of the people and made it impossible for them to communicate. You would think that this would be contrary to God’s will, but I believe humanity’s united efforts of that time were offensive to God.

The tower of Babel offended God because it was a tower built by people wanting to make a name for themselves. It wasn’t built out of respect for the Almighty. It was built out of pride and arrogance. These were a selfish people, who had one language, but a language of conceit. This was a group whose primary goal was to isolate themselves from the rest of the world rather than bring it together. They were exclusive and by putting their efforts into a symbol that brought attention to themselves they alienated themselves from God.

The danger of "togetherness" or "unity" is self-centeredness. When we are obsessed with making a name for ourselves we stop listening to alternative ideas and voices. We block out the needs of others who are different from us. We fail to see anything other than our own goals.

Recently my wife and I were building a privacy fence at our cabin. After we had set the posts we received a note from the neighbors. They were pleading with us to reconsider the construction of the privacy fence since it totally blocked their view of the lake from their front deck. We had not realized this when we decided to build the fence. In fact, we were embarrassed that our new privacy fence, while giving us the privacy we desired, would in fact completely obliterate the view of the lake for our neighbors. We have now moved the fence to a new location.

I believe that when God confused the language of the people who built the tower of Babel God was confronting them with their selfishness. Their united effort, though perhaps very noble would ultimately alienate them from God and the rest of the world.

People are different. We speak different languages. We have unique traditions and customs. We live in different neighborhoods and yes, attend different churches. Anytime one group focuses on itself they risk alienating themselves from God and from others.

Some of you today are graduating from High School and College. You have heard speeches in which you have been told to be successful. You have been told to go and make a name for yourself, "be all you can be." That is well and good but God wants to be part of your goals and plans. God wants to be consulted in the process and God wants to be praised for your achievements. God wants the towers that you build, not to be self-serving, but serving all of God’s people.

Today is Pentecost, ironically another event which unified people. At Pentecost just the opposite happened. Instead of no longer being able to communicate the Church was given the power to understand everyone who spoke languages different from their own. It s the one moment in the history of the Church when the entire faith community was in fact unified and together.

But, Pentecost was different from Babel since the faith community was not building a tower or creating an empire for themselves. Instead, they were united by their efforts to care for each other and dedicated to the needs of everyone. "And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And all who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people." (Acts 2:42-47)

Whenever we consider the needs of our neighbor, focusing on others rather than building empires for ourselves we are able to communicate with others, regardless of our differences. The common language God desires is not that we all be the same or that we all speak the same language. God wants all of us to live the language of love.

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