Cymbala decries division within and among churches
___By Ferrell Foster
___Texas Baptist Communications
___SAN ANTONIO--Division in churches is preventing God's Holy Spirit from working in those churches, New York pastor Jim Cymbala told Texas Baptists last week.
___Cymbala, pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle, preached at the Baptist General Convention of Texas Evangelism Conference Jan. 30 for the second consecutive year. In this year's closing session, he recalled Jesus' words in Mark 3 that "a house divided against itself cannot stand."
___"Do you know what holds back most churches in Texas?" It's the same thing that holds them back elsewhere--division, Cymbala said.
___"Talking and division and fighting" within congregations are destroying them, he explained. "We let it go on and on," and church members are so used to it that they are no longer surprised by it.
___Brooklyn Tabernacle does not allow people in its world-famous choir to talk badly about others, Cymbala said. If a choir member is found to be talking negatively about others or sowing division, he or she is put out of the choir.
___"We don't need music," the pastor said. "We need Holy Ghost music."
___In many churches, deacons fight deacons, choir members fight choir members and the beat goes on throughout the church, he said. This is literally killing pastors because of the discord and stress it creates.
___The early Christian church described in the Book of Acts flourished because there was no division among the believers, Cymbala said. There was "nothing being done to obstruct" the work of the Holy Spirit.
___"It's impossible for God to bless something that is divided," he warned. "No house divided against itself can stand. That's the first principle of spiritual life."
___That principle also applies to the larger Christian world, he declared. "Right now, Christendom is divided. To God, there are no denominations. ... We're all precious to him."
___Cymbala spoke of "carnal distinctions" Christians use to divide themselves, and he then applied the principle of unity to families. "You don't divide my children up; we're one family. And so is God's family."
___The Bible speaks clearly against a "party spirit," the New York pastor said. The Apostle Paul said to "mark those who cause division among you."
___Finally, Cymbala said it's "sick" and "bizarre" that what Martin Luther King Jr. said in the 1960s is still true, that 11 o'clock on Sunday morning is still the most segregated hour of the week.
___People in America participate with those of other races at work, in sports and in government, Cymbala said, explaining that everything in this country is done interracially except church.
___There are white people in Texas who will cheer for Dallas Cowboys running back Emmett Smith but not want his "cousin" to go to their church, Cymbala said. Then he added that "black racism is just as ugly as white racism," as is Hispanic racism.
___"God's Holy Spirit is no respecter of persons," the pastor said. Then he drew a challenge to Texas churches: "If your doors aren't open to everyone, they can't be open to God."
The Baptist Standard
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