Complimentary Christianity

One of the things I love is sports because they teach you so much about life and they require intellect, discipline and teamwork. I used to love playing them, now I love watching them. One of the things you will hear a coach tell their team is that they want them to play complimentary ball. When I was younger, I didn’t really know what that meant. I grew to understand that coaches understand different players are gifted differently and have different levels of skill. Their desire is that each person would put down their ego and play to each other’s strengths for the betterment of the team. Teams that figure out how to play complimentary are hard to beat because they’re versatile and run as one.

When I was in my early 20’s, I had the unique opportunity to intern at a church that had over 20 denominations and 50 nationalities all under one pastor. It was incredible to see the Body of Christ united by their commonality instead of being divided by their differences. I got to experience the Church function the way it was intended to. Each person and group of people didn’t fight others trying to say their way was the on,y way or the “right” way. Instead, they worshipped side by side in a variety of services throughout the month. This church still exists and is thriving because the people who attend understand we’re co-laborers and not competitors.

Paul addressed this in Ephesians 4:4-7. He wrote, “You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness. But that doesn’t mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift” (MSG). We are all different and have been gifted differently, but we all have one purpose. It’s time we quit trying to do everything on our own and being upset because we’re not gifted the same way as others. Your gifts are meant to be used in a complimentary fashion with others in order to advance the Kingdom. We are all different and have different ways of achieving the Great Commission, but we’re also one body and are called to work together under one Lord.

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash