Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Fitted Together

2. Vital Differences

3. The Bond of Perfection

4. Choose the Low Road

5. Watch the Lamb

Conclusion

Notes

Copyright

About the Authour

About Believers Eastern Church

More Resources of Believers Eastern Church

More Books by Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan

“That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”

St John 17:21

Introduction

One of my all-time favorite books is The Calvary Road by Roy Hession. This book was written in the context of a group of missionaries working and experiencing a time of revival together. In the introduction of the book, Norman P. Grubb writes,

We [the group of missionaries] are beginning to learn, as a company of Christ’s witnesses, that the rivers of life to the world do not flow out in their fullness through one man, but through the body, the team. Our brokenness and openness must be two-way, horizontal as well as vertical, with one another as with God. We are just beginning to experience in our own ranks that team work in the Spirit is one of the keys to revival, and that we have to learn and practice the laws of a living fellowship.[1]

It is my prayer that the Lord would give us an understanding of true unity and help us to put into practice the “laws of a living fellowship.” We were not called to be individuals doing our own thing. We were called into the family of God, to oneness and unity with Him and with our fellowman.

May we strive to maintain this unity, each day linking arms with our brothers and sisters, genuinely loving each other and labouring together to see the kingdom of God come.

CHAPTER ONE

Fitted Together

In 1 Kings 18:31, when the prophet Elijah repaired the broken altar, we are told he used 12 stones, “according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come . . .” This is an interesting statement, because at the time of this account the children of Israel were splintered into various groups, fragmented and backslidden in heart. Yet despite their condition, God still referred to them as one, together chosen as His children. It was on that restored altar, with the stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel, that God made His great power known by defeating the prophets of Baal.

But consider this: Would that altar have been complete with only 11 of the stones or 8 of the stones representing the tribes of Israel? No, it would not have been. It was all 12 stones that were recognised by God and all 12 through which He made His power known.

We can learn a lot from this Old Testament example. Another beautiful illustration of how we are to be united as one is found in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem. It is said that each stone used in its building was chipped at and carved away until it fit perfectly with the stones around it—so perfectly that no mortar was even needed to hold them together. Each individual stone fit perfectly with the others, becoming one beautiful temple for the Lord. This is what the Lord desires for us today.

You see, rather than dwelling in a temple made with human hands as in the days of old, God has now chosen instead to dwell within you and me, His temple made with living stones (see 1 Peter 2:5). Like the stones used to build the temple, God desires His living stones to fit together perfectly by the unity of His Spirit and the bond of love.

The kingdom of God is a relational kingdom. Think about it; Jesus didn’t ask us to pray only alone. He said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (St Matthew 18:20, emphasis mine). Neither did He send out the disciples individually but rather two by two (see St Mark 6). His purpose in doing things this way was so that they would be able to minister to each other and support one another as they reached out to the lost around them, and so that the world, by observing the disciples’ love for one another, would know the love of God.

During Jesus’ last few moments before going to the cross, He left His disciples not with a series of steps on how to reach the lost. He did not sit them down with notebooks and pens or have them memorise certain methods, techniques or anything else. To prepare them for the enormous task ahead, He simply left this powerful statement: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (St John 13:35, NIV, emphasis mine).

What is disunity except the lack of love? When we recognise the importance that Jesus placed upon loving one another above all else, and we begin to walk in obedience to His command, nothing will be able to hinder us from seeing the kingdom of God come in our generation!

CHAPTER TWO

Vital Differences

Look at your body and you will see a left leg and a right leg, a nose and two eyes. We were all given two feet and two hands. Both hands are complete with five fingers—nothing is missing. And because nothing is missing, you are able to write with your hand and feed yourself as well. You can see with your eyes and walk with your feet, doing all the things your brain tells you to do.

Imagine now if some parts of your body were missing or were sick and not working. Have you ever seen someone try to walk without their big toe? We typically consider a missing leg or missing arm a big deal—and it is. Yet how many times have you considered the importance of your big toe? This one little body part may seem insignificant and not all that impressive or important, but it establishes the balance for the entire body, keeping you steady and able to walk. You wouldn’t even be able to stand without it! How crucial this small, seemingly insignificant member really is.

Just like the toe or the leg, the arm or the nose, each one of us represents a different, unique and valuable part of the Body of Christ. Each part is needed so that the Body is complete, able to do whatever is required.

The Bible speaks of the importance of each member, big or small, known or unknown, honoured or not, in 2 Corinthians. In writing to the believers there, St Paul reminds them how each individual is vital and contributes to the health of the whole:

Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am only an ear and not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? Suppose the whole body were an eye—then how would you hear? Or if your whole body were just one big ear, how could you smell anything? But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each part just where he wants it. What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you. . . . “ This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other equally. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it (1 Corinthians 12:14–21, 25–27, NLT).

Just as the Lord has caused everything in our physical bodies to function so perfectly, so He also has done with us, His spiritual Body. I have traveled to numerous places and have seen many different groups of believers. There are differences in each fellowship, and the meshing of these differences is what makes the Body of Christ so beautiful.

The first place that comes to mind is our international headquarters and the group of people the Lord has brought together to serve there. He brings the young and the old, the strong and the weak, the slow and the eager. There are people from different places, backgrounds and experiences, yet each one is greatly needed and fits together in the service of the Lord. No one is perfect alone, but each person’s skills, abilities, talents, giftings and temperaments make the ministry whole and complete.

A Blessing in the Difference

In the illustration of the parts of the body all being important, unity seems to be an obvious element, easily attained. But as you and I both know, it’s not always as easy as it sounds. Differences are just that—they separate and distinguish one from another. And unless we put forth an effort to live in unity, our differences can be used to divide us, causing great chasms and hurts.

I have had many personal experiences with both knowing the pain and the beautiful purpose of differences. Back in the early days of the ministry, a brother named Fred came to work with us. I had the hardest time working with this man. He was just so different from me. We were complete opposites—I was night; he was day. His skin is clean white; mine is dark brown. That is what you’d see on the surface, but the differences ran much deeper than that. We had different personalities and different ways of doing things; we were different in every way you could possibly imagine. We just couldn’t seem to get along. It was absolutely awful.

There were many times when I went through such agony working with Fred. Being the leader, I thought I could just ask him to leave. “I cannot live with him anymore. He just does not understand!” We obviously could not get along and because this was causing so much added tension to my days, I decided Fred must go.

The day before I was going to call it quits with him, God, in His mercy and grace, intervened. In the evening when I was all alone, God began to speak to me about the struggles I had with Fred. Surely He knew of my agony with this man and would agree with me about the pain this situation was causing me. Or so I thought. I didn’t expect to hear God say, “The problem is not Fred. It’s you.” This shocked me! “What?” I said, “Me, the problem? God, You know how I’ve been living with all these issues with this man!” He said, “Yes, I know, but it’s you that is the problem.”

Later the next day, God continued to speak to me and said, “I have a plan and you never understood it. You only looked at the work. You only looked at what you could get out of Fred. You only looked at how fast he could run. You only looked at how well he spoke and what he did to see if it met your qualifications. You only looked at how he could perform from your perspective, with you as his judge. You never understood Me.”

I broke down and cried. God was right. The problem was with me.

This incident was a major turning point in my life. I never did fire Fred; instead, I asked him to forgive me. Although Fred’s temperament never changed and neither did mine, my heart changed inside that day.

I can honestly tell you, since that day I have never had anger, unforgiveness or an unloving heart toward my brother Fred. As a matter of fact, I cannot imagine life without him. One of my greatest joys is that Fred and I—two entirely different people—work in the same kingdom’s work, fighting side by side, both taking orders from Him who is our head. He has faithfully laboured right alongside me for 22 years now. This is the kind of perfect and beautiful work God does to unify His Body.

In hindsight, I see how wonderful this situation was. God puts us with other people to show us how we need them and they need us, and together we grow and mature and do the part God created each of us to do.

As long as we human beings live together on this earth, there will be differences. We come from so many different backgrounds—family backgrounds, Christian backgrounds, educational backgrounds and cultural backgrounds. We differ in age, race, income and marital status. We must not concentrate on the differences as “negatives” but rather see them as good, bringing balance and fullness to our lives and to the rest of the Body. Yet it is only as we look to Christ that we can have the perspective of seeing our differences as blessings.

Recognise the Value

The Body of Christ is complete only because of differences.

Think about that statement for a moment. Consider how many different people, ministries, churches and mission organisations there are. Each has been given a particular assignment from God and carries with it different strengths and weaknesses. Whether we realise it or not, we all need each other. We cannot stand alone.

Our approach to ministry focuses on preaching the Gospel first and foremost. But recently, a doctor who heads up a large medical mission organisation came to talk to us about the importance of hospital ministry—how Jesus healed people, and through that healing He brought them to eternal salvation.

For a long time I sat with this man and listened to what he was sharing. He had many good things to say. By the time the meeting drew to a close, I saw the enormous potential God has given their ministry. The opportunities are endless, especially in Asian nations where illness and disease are so widespread. They could minister in places like Orissa, where the medical needs were so overwhelming after the devastating cyclone hit in 1999. Millions of people would turn to Christ through the compassion shown them in treating their sicknesses and in healing their diseases.

When he had finished talking, I said, “You are absolutely right. What you are saying works beautifully if the preaching of the Gospel is not compromised.”

Ten years ago, I never would have responded so well; in fact, I would not have even considered this kind of ministry. If someone had come and talked to me like that doctor did, I would have said, “Yeah, okay. That is all very nice, but I will see you later. Here we preach the Gospel. I don’t have room for anything that is less important.”

Of course preaching the Gospel must always be the priority. But at the same time, Jesus still fed the hungry and healed the sick. If we, Christ’s Body, are to function like He did, we have to accept the value of each and every individual part. If we didn’t accept the ministry of this medical mission, valuing the role it plays, then the work of both groups would be compromised.

Wherever you are and with whomever the Lord has joined you together, remember that you and your brother or sister have each been given a particular part to play. As we recognise our part, our gifts and our lack, we can complement each others’ lives and experience the harmony of the fullness of Christ. Every individual that the Lord has brought into your life, especially in the service of the Lord, is uniquely placed to somehow complement your lack in the Body and you, theirs. In accepting and valuing each person and who they are, the whole Body functions smoothly.

Unseen Yet Needed

Just as there are different organs in your human body that you have never seen yet are vital to your existence, so there are members in the Body of Christ. Perhaps you or someone around you is rarely noticed, always working behind the scenes, not given much honour or fame. Remember that “the last will be first, and the first last” (St Matthew 20:16). And “he who is greatest among you shall be your servant” (St Matthew 23:11).

Although you can’t see your heart, your kidneys or your stomach, if one of these hidden members stops functioning properly, you would certainly know. You would be very sick and possibly in the hospital.

The same is true concerning the Body of Christ. The healthy functioning of every part is critical. When each member is healthy and rightly connected to the rest of the Body, all is well. But when one member of the Body is no longer connected to the whole, that member is in danger of dying. And it is not just that part that suffers, but the whole Body is also affected.

United like this, we realise we are linked to each other, walking side by side, feeling each other’s victories as well as each other’s hurts. It is like when I stub my toe—ouch!—my whole body feels it! I hop around on the other foot and hold my toe with my hand. Maybe a little tear runs down my cheek because it hurts so badly. Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Romans 12:15–16 (NIV) says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another.” That means if my brother is sad, I am sad too. If my sister is sick, I feel her sickness.

In 1994 a terrible butchering happened in the African nation of Rwanda. In the span of just a few months, more than 700,000 people were killed in a conflict between neighboring tribes, the Hutus and the Tutsis. After hearing reports of this tragedy, can you remember what happened in your parish service the following Sunday? In the parish I attended, absolutely nothing was different. Everything continued as normal, as if this slaughtering of thousands never even happened. There were no tears, no hurt, no pain, no sharing—nothing.

This concerns me. Much of Christendom has come to focus its effort on sustaining its own emotional health, strength and comfort. Lukewarm Christianity watches those who share in the pain of the suffering and says, “That is fanaticism! That is flesh! It’s all emotion!” Lukewarm Christianity won’t let its heart be broken for the hurt and dying. But biblical Christianity sees the tragedy and is moved by the pain and suffering, weeping just as Jesus wept over Jerusalem (see St Luke 19:41).

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the proper religious people left the wounded man to die on the road. Only the man from Samaria had compassion and shared the pain, helping his brother who was in need (see St Luke 10).

We cannot generate Christlike compassion or godly emotions any more than we can save ourselves. But we can be obedient to pray for and receive His burden, even if it means processing painful things. I am not saying this to make you feel like you’re not praying enough or not doing enough or not feeling enough of the burden. All I want is for us to take His yoke and share with Him in “the fellowship of His sufferings” (see Philippians 3:10).

And just as we share in the sufferings, we also share in the victories and joys. If there is rejoicing in heaven when one sinner repents, then there should be rejoicing on earth too! In St Luke 10, we find the story of Jesus sending out the disciples two by two to heal the sick. St Luke 10:17 says, “Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.’ ” Seeing how excited His disciples were at the power of God, Jesus rejoiced with them. St Luke 10:21 says, “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, ‘I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes.’”

Let us then imitate Jesus, rejoice in our differences and make the effort to see the value and gifts each of us brings to the whole. In this appreciation of each other and how the Lord has made us, He will be glorified.

CHAPTER THREE

The Bond of Perfection

Have you ever seen a boxing match between a left arm and a right arm of the same person? Does your little finger purposely scratch and hurt your ring finger? If you are cold, does one of your feet try to block out the other foot to get closer to the heater? No, of course not. To even speak of such things seems absolutely ridiculous. But, I tell you, this sort of ridiculous fighting goes on in the Body of Christ all too often.

One of the things I fear most in ministry of any kind is the disunity that the devil is able to create. When disunity prevails, the work of the Lord is destroyed. Satan knows very well that “any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall” (St Luke 11:17, NIV).

And seeing how Satan cringes at the thought of the kingdom of God advancing, he does not want the house of the Lord to stand. So he takes the very differences that were meant to complete us and uses them to divide us. Whether it is differences in theology and doctrine or styles of worship and prayer—any difference you can imagine—Satan will use them to sow seeds of strife and disunity.

This is the reason why God so justly and immediately dealt with anything that hindered the unity of the children of Israel throughout the Old Testament. Whenever God asked His people to go forward, He would first weed out whatever held them back from moving ahead united in heart and mind. In Numbers 16, we read the story of Korah, the man whom the ground opened up and swallowed after he refused to acknowledge Moses as God’s appointed leader. In Numbers 12, God punished the fractionating spirit of Miriam and Aaron. When the 12 spies came back with divided reports about the prospects of taking over the Promised Land, God punished the dissenting 10 spies who had not trusted Him (see Numbers 14).

What (or Who) is the Problem?

When I was 18, I traveled throughout India as part of an Operation Mobilization evangelistic team. We would share the Gospel with people in different towns and villages, selling tracts and other Christian literature at a very low price. With the money we made selling the literature, we bought food to eat and keep us alive.

Our team was made up of all Indian brothers except for our team leader, Brother William. He was a tall Englishman, 6 foot 2 inches or so, who previously studied as a medical student but walked away from it all so that he could reach the lost in Asia. He was always a very nice and gentle man. As our team leader, Brother William was responsible for making decisions in the group. I served alongside him as the assistant team leader, and was expected to take care of the problems of the Indians on the team.

After working with Brother William for a couple of weeks, it was obvious to me that everything he did was simply done in the wrong way. He didn’t understand the culture or do things the Indian way. It got so bad that I was afraid the team wouldn’t survive with him in charge. He was never very concerned about washing his clothes or keeping clean. When he would get ready for bed at night, his trousers were so stiff with dirt and grime that they almost stood up on their own. And he smelled too. On top of all that, we could never sell enough books, and so we were half-starving. He would take us from one street vendor to the next, asking, “Chapati, how much it cost?” (Chapati is similar to a tortilla.) Then he would ask, “Dal free?” (Dal is like a lentil soup.) In some places, if you buy enough chapatis, the dal is free. Wherever the dal was free, we would buy the chapati and eat. But not very many places gave free dal. So in the horrible heat we would follow this white man, going from one vendor to the next, trying to find a place to eat for as little money as possible. We were half-starving, dirty, sick and selling very few books.

I must honestly confess, although Brother William was from England and was older than I was, I knew I could manage the team better than he. Many of the decisions he made seemed totally off the wall. Our ministry was ineffective. There was no unity on the team at all. Nothing was working.

One day I just couldn’t take it anymore. When the team gathered for our prayer meeting in the morning, I declared a boycott. I said, “Brother William, you cannot be the leader! You just are not able. You are an English man. You don’t understand Indian ways. You take us like beggars looking for food. You stink. The literature is not being sold. You are not a good example for us, and you don’t care about us. Whoever made you our leader made a big mistake. We cannot cooperate with you anymore.” Everyone was on my side.

I still remember that day. I can see Brother William’s face so clearly. He didn’t say one word. He simply sat there and cried. That’s all he did. Tears poured down his face, and all of us Indians on the team, including me, sat there and didn’t know what to do. All of a sudden, it was like the Lord walked right into my heart and convicted me, “You are sinning against Me. You are rebelling.”

I broke down weeping, realising the magnitude of what I had just done. I cried, “Brother William, please forgive me. Look, I touch your feet. I will be your servant. Even if you starve me to death, even if you want me to work all day and all night long, I will obey you as long as you are my leader. I will never fight with you or against you again.” I turned to my Indian brothers as well and said, “I have done wrong. Please forgive me.”

That day I saw the hand of God holding Brother William. I saw the man’s weaknesses and his struggles. When he first came to India, he was tall and well-built, with his muscles bulging out. In a few months’ time, he was all skin and bones because he lived just like us. He lived on the streets, ate simple food, suffered from diarrhea and had all the other problems we had. For the first time I saw Brother William’s sacrifice. And I saw God using him to take me from where I was to a much higher place—to a place of humility and genuine love for my brother.

After this incident, things went along so smoothly. Our team life was wonderful. I loved Brother William like my own life. I have wonderful memories of those times. He never changed. He didn’t start washing his trousers or getting us more food. But I changed. We never had disunity or problems after that because God had dealt with the problem—with me. I, the one who “knew” how things should run, had been the cause of the disunity all along.

Put on Love

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection” (Colossians 3:12–14).

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4–8).

All disunity begins with a lack of genuine, godly love for one another. That’s where it all starts. When Satan gets in and stirs up strife and hurt, love dries up and things go downhill from there. This is also when the work we are doing for God comes to a standstill. As long as disunity abounds, all ministry will be tainted and ineffective. But when our hearts are cleansed and changed, softened and broken, ministry becomes a simple overflow of a heart filled with love from Christ for all men.

CHAPTER FOUR

Choose the Low Road

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfil my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind. Let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:1–4).

The essence of this Scripture is that unity and humility work hand in hand. Unity comes from love, love comes from humility, and humility comes by submitting to one another. When there is no humility, there is no unity. St Teresa once said, “Humility is the mother of all virtues. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.”[1] She also said, “To love and to be loved, we must know our brothers and sisters. For knowledge always leads to love and love in action is service. Our work is only the expression of the love we have for God.”[2] Romans 12:10 pleads with us to “be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another.”

I used to be a fighter. I fought for my doctrines. I fought for my way of ministry. I must have been one of the most difficult human beings to live or work with. I won every argument and always got things to go the way I wanted them to. But in reality, every argument I won I really lost because I lost the people—I alienated the Body of Christ around me. Every time I won, I hurt my brothers and sisters, as well as God, because I would not choose to do things His way—the way of love and humility. But praise God that He didn’t give up on me. Slowly I began to understand the importance of submitting to my brothers and to my sisters, truly loving them.

Willing to Bend

I used to be absolutely radical about my theological doctrines. Even now, there is a whole theological world that fights over so many different points of view on a variety of subjects. Volumes are written containing thousands of pages debating these different opinions. Yet the root of all these arguments and debates is really hardness of heart and a lack of love. Any doctrine or form of “Christianity” that is not spoken and upheld in love, that induces people to continually fight for their side, creates disunity and rips the Body of Christ apart.

When we handle our pain, our rights, our gifts or our talents without love, we are walking on dangerous ground. It does not matter how right we may be in standing for truth—if what we say is not done in the love and humility of Christ, disunity will result. But there is joy and life in giving in to the ways of God and being broken and humbled.

A few years ago I attended a missionaries conference in California. I was scheduled to share on missions along with a couple other speakers from across the United States. To be honest, I didn’t like one of the other plenary speakers at this missions conference. This man had written some articles that I thought were really destructive to the work of God.

As I remembered the things he wrote, I began to get very upset over the whole situation. I couldn’t believe he was invited to the conference to speak on missions. As I started to speak before the assembly full of people, I made an unkind, unloving comment about him. I considered myself justified in what I said because I thought the damage he did to the kingdom’s work was great.

Directly from this missions conference, I flew to India. While I was there, the Lord began to speak to my heart and show me how I had spoken wrongly. As soon as I came back to our office, I knew what I needed to do. I had to call and ask forgiveness from the man who invited me to speak at that conference. But what I said was not just a private thing—it was public, involving many people. So when I called him, I said, “Would you please do me a favor? Next time you write to all of the missionaries who attended that conference, would you please tell them I ask their forgiveness for having made that statement? It was not in the Spirit of love or the Spirit of Christ that I spoke it, and I am sorry.”

Do you think this was easy for me to do? Not at all! Each one of us has our pride, our knowledge and our own way we think is right. But what we know will never justify us saying anything rude or unkind. Remember the famous chapter in 1 Corinthians that says,

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1–3).

The beauty of this whole incident is that when I humbled myself and sought forgiveness, this man that I had spoken against responded back to me. He had received the letter that was sent to all who attended the conference and read of my asking forgiveness. He called me and thanked me for my humility, saying, “Metropolitan, no wonder God is using you so much. No wonder God’s grace is upon your life.” And I said, “Thank you for saying that to me.” God knows how hard it was for me to humble myself and ask for forgiveness. But He is faithful to give us the grace and strength to submit to others and admit when we are wrong.

But this doesn’t mean we must always say, “Yes, yes” to everything. Maybe we know that someone’s actions or beliefs are wrong or the way we’ve been treated is not right. We don’t just pretend these things are okay for the sake of keeping the peace. Instead, what we need to do is commit these situations to God and let it go into His hands, praying for our brother or sister, asking God to give us wisdom and to work things out His way. William Barclay once said, “In our dealings with men, however unkind and hurting they are, we must exercise the same patience as God exercises with us. It is simple truth that such patience is not the sign of weakness but the sign of strength; it is not defeatism, but rather the only way to victory.”[3]

In 1 Corinthians 5, St Paul describes a situation of a man living in blatant, unconfessed sin. It took great love for St Paul to put this man out of the church. Maybe it sounds horrible and unkind, but St Paul did it with a firm, tough love. And look at the result. In 2 Corinthians 2, that man was restored to fellowship again. This kind of love—God’s kind of love—always brings unity to the Body of Christ. It is a tough yet humble love that gives in but doesn’t give up.

Unity in Action

If we really desire to be like Jesus and to walk in love and power as He did, we must humble ourselves.

We cannot just underline Scriptures on humility in our Bibles and never implement them into our lives. Scripture is practical, and we must live it out to experience its transforming power in our lives and relationships. We have to be willing to bend and break, to live a life not thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. We have to honour and give preference to one another in real ways, everyday (see Romans 12:3, 10).

Because Scripture tells us to humble ourselves (see St James 4:10), let us look for ways to do just that. Let us seize the opportunities God puts before us to love our neighbors as ourselves and to consider them better than ourselves. Be sensitive to other’s needs, and when you are wrong, say so. “I am sorry for saying that. I didn’t know it would hurt you. I didn’t mean it that way.” Often I am not sensitive enough to even know when I am being insensitive! Let us all pray, “Lord, make me more sensitive to my brothers and sisters.”

This is what I believe the Lord desires for each and every person who confesses His name, whether in full-time ministry or not. God is looking for lowly hearts that are ready to be filled with His love and power. He is looking for a Body ready to be broken for the millions who are spiritually starving because they do not know Jesus. Only to the measure in which we are willing to bend and submit to one another will we experience Christ’s unity and love that can bind us together. And it is the people who dwell in unity who will receive His blessing (see Psalm 133).

CHAPTER FIVE

Watch the Lamb

Philippians 2:5–9 says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name.”

When Jesus humbled Himself in the last unequaled step of humility and love by dying on the cross, Scripture says that, “Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him.” Love and humility is the road that leads us to unity and oneness, and it is the same road Christ walked while on this earth. When we see Him and the extent of His love and humility, choosing the low road, we begin to understand the power of humbling ourselves before our brothers and sisters, just as Jesus did. Consider the words written by the prophet Isaiah about our Lord, the Lamb of God:

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth (Isaiah 53:3, 6–7, NIV, emphasis mine).

Think about the magnitude of these verses. The Son of God, who was there when the heavens and earth were first formed, chose to come to this earth not as an esteemed and highly respected man, but as a helpless baby born in a dirty stable to a poor, unwed mother. To take it further, He died the death of a lawbreaker. The only perfect man ever to live without sin on this earth died on a cross between two thieves. Even with 12 legions of angels at His disposal (see St Matthew 26:53)

ready and able to stop this great injustice from happening, Jesus chose to remain there—to be broken and humbled and to die. If ever there were a man with the right to fight for himself and against the wrong done to him, it would have been Jesus. But He did not. He never opened His mouth against His accusers or in His own defense, but only said, “Father, forgive them . . . ” (St Luke 23:34).

Only when I compare myself with Christ am I able to humble myself with all of my heart. What breaks relationships and sows disunity is my thinking I am better than somebody else, that my way is right or that my conviction is better than another’s. But when I compare myself with Christ, who am I? Who am I to say, “I am right”? Who am I to stand up for the way I think things should be? Scripture says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant” (Philippians 2:5–7).

It is when we choose to have “this mind in us,” to see Jesus and follow Him in our relationships, that He will be exalted in our lives, in our brother’s life, in the church and throughout the nations. Is this not our ultimate goal, to exalt and bring honour to the name of Christ? When we choose to walk in love and humility toward one another as He did—even to the very ones who crucified Him—we will see Him exalted. The world will know we are His disciples by our love for each other, and they will come to bow before Him because of this love.

Recently a brother who serves with our movement came to me upset about a particular situation involving some of the people he works with. When he came to talk to me about it, I knew from the moment he entered the room how upset he was.

“Please! I did not come to argue with you, Metropolitan,” he said. “You are my leader. I will do anything you tell me to do. Just let me tell you the facts.” And so—one, two, three, four, five—he laid out for me the whole story, explaining all that had happened and how he was right. Then he raised his voice a little, and I could hear the pain in it as he said, “Metropolitan, tell me, am I wrong?”

I had to calm down because I didn’t want to raise my voice as well. I said, “You know, you are absolutely right.” I think he was expecting that I would argue with him or point out something wrong. But I said, “You are perfectly right.” And he was. But my question to him was this: “Was your attitude in the situation Christlike? Was your response Christlike? Did they hear the mercy and love of Jesus in your voice? Did they see in you His grace and forgiveness?”

There was silence, and then the conversation continued. I said, “Even though you are correct, would you still ask others to forgive you for your lack of love in handling the situation? Would you bend and break even when you are right?” Jesus did. He could have come down from the cross and proven He was God. But Jesus didn’t do it this way. And by the grace of God, neither did this brother. The next day, even though he was right and the facts were in his favor, he went and asked the others involved in the situation to forgive him.

It is this kind of submission and humility that binds us together and through which Christ is exalted in our lives and on the earth. What I am finding out about myself in dealing with people is that the problem is not outside. It is not the people who keep coming to me, pestering me, beating me, calling me names and telling me how to do things. The problem is that my own heart doesn’t want to bend and break and respond as Christ would, in genuine love and humility.

Let us strive toward this end. “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:1–2).

Conclusion

Please let us not get stuck on the problems, doctrines, or differences that are bound to occur in living and serving with people. Instead, choose to get stuck on love, extending grace and compassion to your brother or sister, praying for them and loving them with the love of Christ. Remember St Matthew 25:40: “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

You are part of the family of God—not fragmented, not divided—but with one heart, one soul and one mind. You are called to live together, strive together, pray together, suffer together, agonise together—and if need be die together—with your brothers and sisters for the sake of a world that has never heard the name of the Lord Jesus. This is our privilege and this is our calling.

Let us all then love and live in unity as one Body, one in Him.

Prayer

We pray, O Lord, that You would continue to bind us together with love—love that covers a multitude of sins, love that is so patient, gentle, forgiving and caring. Love that does not go around finding people’s faults and criticising others but love that always gives in. Help us to be humble and broken and to consider others as better than ourselves. Make us more like You, Jesus.

If this book has been a blessing to you, I would really like to hear from you. You may write to: Believers Eastern Church Publications Synod Secretariat, St Thomas Community, Kuttapuzha P.O., Thiruvalla-689103, Kerala India. Please send an email to publications@bec.org.

Notes

Introduction

1. Roy Hession, The Calvary Road (London: Christian Literature Crusade, 1950), pp. 8–9.

Chapter 4

1. St Teresa of Calcutta, Jaya Chalika and Edward Le Joly The Joy in Loving: A Guide to Daily Living, (New York, NY: Penguin Group USA, Inc., 2000), p. 363.

2. Ibid, p. 359.

3. Vernon McLellan, 20th Century Thoughts That Shaped the Church (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2000), p. 208.

Copyright

That they all may be one

© 2003 by Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189, USA. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NIV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. The “NIV” and “New International Version” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires permission of the International Bible Society.

Published by Believers Eastern Church Synod Secretariat, St Thomas Community, Thiruvalla - 689 103, Kerala, India.

Printed in India

For information about other materials, visit our website: www.bec.org.

H.H. Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I is Metropolitan of the Believers Eastern Church. He has authoured more than 250 books and is an internationally known speaker.

You can follow him on social media at facebook.com/AthanasiusYohan

Believers Eastern Church

Believers Eastern Church has its faith and practices rooted in God's Word, the apostolic doctrines, the Nicene Creed, and holy traditions of the ancient church. We are thoroughly evangelical in nature, eastern in worship, democratic in function and episcopal in governance.

Our church represents more than three-hundred languages, ministering inter-culturally, near-culturally and cross-culturally. We represent the orthodox faith in a relevant way, never compromising with the culture, but actively bringing Christ's love to all of humanity in word and deed, regardless of caste, creed or religion.

We follow the liturgical tradition of worship established by the church fathers, with Holy Communion as the central rite of regular worship. Worship should be Spiritfilled and personal. Simultaneously, the Spirit breathes life into the rites of community worship and unites us to worship Jesus as one Body. Believers Eastern Church believes that the sacraments are a means to receiving grace and are essential to the spiritual growth of God's people.

We are episcopal in governance, which means we affirm the ancient and traditional form of church leadership of episcopas, priests (presbyters) and deacons as demonstrated in the Book of Acts and brought to maturity by the church fathers.

For more information, visit www.bec.org

BELIEVERS EASTERN CHURCH

Faith And Tradition Series

A Journey with Jesus to the Cross

Season of Lent is a journey to spiritual growth, renewal and an opportunity to know the Lord Jesus more intimately and closely. We must hear the Lord speaking to us all along the way as the journey continues so that our heart-attitude will become more like His. The way to attain this is by deliberately choosing an attitude of confession, denying of self, fasting, meditation, prayer and supplication. And, the life is enriched with humility of Christ and service to others. This daily devotional will do just that: bringing the focus upon Jesus and enabling spiritual renewal in our walk with the Lord.

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Believers Eastern Church

We live in a synthetic world of make believe and pretense. We long for reality, but lack of authentic information often leaves us confused. With tens of thousands of christian denominations, one wonders which one is authentic and represents the truth that we all seek. Is there a plumb line, a touchstone that will help us find what is real? The authour of this booklet believes that there is an answer to our dilemma. He explains where we may find guidance, and why that guidance is sure and true.

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Bible Reading Calendar

Reading and meditating on God’s Word is like oxygen for our spiritual life. Accordingly, this must become a daily habit for each individual and family. This Bible reading calendar will help you read through the entire Bible in a year, and be your guide on your journey through the seasons of the church year.

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Celibacy and Church Leadership

Why some eastern churches mandate celibacy for their bishops? It is a reasonable question to ask since ‘Believers Eastern Church’ adheres to the Eastern ‘lineage of the church’, and in most of these churches, bishops are required to be celibate (that is, they don’t marry). Another question is regarding the official ceremonial outfit that bishops were, specifically the skull cap or masanapsa. Is it connected to this mandate of celibacy? What does the Bible say about bishops’ celibacy? Is there a holy tradition of the church to support this view?

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Censing in Worship

Why do some churches use incense during their worship service? Are we just copying what other religions do or are we just following the Old Testament pattern? If we are following the Old Testament pattern, is it still relevant today? Do we have any proof that the historical church used it? I’m sure when you read the title Censing in Worship, some if not all of these questions came up in your mind. Maybe you’ve asked these questions and received no answers or never been satisfied with the answers you received. In this book, not only will you get answers to these questions, but you will be taken on a journey; one in which you will come to appreciate the deep meaning of the use of incense, the relevance of it in our lives today and get a glimpse of what the orthodox fathers called “beautiful worship.”

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Core Values

This booklet outlines the Core Values of Believers Eastern Church worldwide. Included with each core value is an explanation and practical application for godly transformation. In the measure in which each member of our church becomes devoted to Christ, they become godly in their life. And as they change more and more in the image of Christ, they will become more effective as living witness to the Lord Jesus. For this reason, we have developed the ten core values that are based on the Word of God and the teaching of the holy traditions of the ancient church.

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Death of God

“Death of God” is a phrase coined by German atheistic philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. He used this phrase to express his belief that the enlightenment era had made man smart enough that there was no need for any God to govern human affairs. The truth is, God did die. Some 2,000 years ago, God who became a man, the Lord Jesus Christ, was crucified by Roman soldiers on the hill of Golgotha in Jerusalem. We can say for sure God died. He was buried, but on the third day He rose again. The question is, can God die? We believe that God became man for the purpose of being sacrificed and to shed His sinless, pure holy blood for the healing of mans’ sin. But why did this almighty creator God have to become a man? Why did God have to offer Himself as a sacrifice to save mankind? Since Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, who like us, was part of the sinful human race, how could He have remained without sin? Jesus was born without a human father and the Scripture says He was born of God. How is that possible? I’m sure questions like these have often come to our minds. In this booklet, the authour answers these tough questions while addressing the all-important question of how we, as humans, can live a life of freedom over sin and death.

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Don’t Call Any Man Father

Is it wrong to use titles like Father, Priest, Vicar, Episcopa etc. who are leaders of the Holy Church? Some people are vehemently against using titles for church leaders such as Father, Priest, Reverend, Clergy, Metropolitan, Catholicos, Pope, Holy Father, Vicar General, Archbishop and so on. They insist that using these terms to refer to people is the same as taking God’s name for them. They have an argument against each title. Even calling somebody a priest, they say, is to live under the Old Covenant. But we read in St Matthew 23:9 that Jesus said “Do not call any man your Father” (NIV). What does it mean? Is it wrong to call our biological parents ‘father’ or our instructors in school and college 'teacher?' In this booklet we discuss the background and the meaning of Christ’s statement.

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Eucharist

Eucharist is one of the sacraments of the Holy Church that the Lord Jesus told us to do. The sacrament of Eucharist is the most important sacrament. Known as the crown of sacraments, Holy Communion is one of the holy mysteries of the apostolic church, which was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ. In this booklet, we will explain this unexplainable and awesome mystery to the extent that we can understand it.

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Guiding Principles

Two harsh realities we must recon with. One - western Christians must come to grips with the harsh reality that they are living in the post-christian era. “Today” as Rod Dreher, the authour of the book ‘The Benedict Option’ says, “a new post-christian barbarism reigns. Many believers are blind to it and their churches are too weak to resist.” Is there any hope for recovery? Two – eastern nations are in the pre-christian era. The Himalaya size challenge is, how are we going to fulfil the Great Commission among these nations? Yet, the timeless, unchanging promise of Christ remains firm – “I will build my church” – not by human methods or strategy, but by the Holy Spirit and the suffering of His people. This is the true orthodox faith of the ancient church and the Fathers who taught us…if only we will obey. In this book, the authour explains timeless principles that will help us to find our way out of this maze we are in and become part of the 'one, holy, catholic (universal), and apostolic church.'

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Head Coverings

This book is for every sister who has ever been asked, “why do you wear that thing on your head?” and for everyone who has ever asked this question. In this simple yet informative booklet, Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan addresses the topic of head covering for the church today. In an era in which we are encouraged to question everything, he provides compelling answers from the Scriptures, showing how this long-standing symbol means much more than it seems.

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Holy Unction

There are times in our life when we need God’s help desperately. The Holy Unction is one of the sacraments meant to meet our needs during times of sickness, to bring hope and healing for body, soul and spirit through prayer and through anointing with holy oil.

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Hours of Prayer

The faith and holy traditions of the Believers Eastern Church go back to the directions and rituals that the apostles handed down to the church fathers, and the church fathers to us. The hours of prayer is one of the most significant aspects of the personal and co-operative spiritual lives of the people of God. This booklet explains the significance of the Hours of Prayer and how we can become part of this beautiful journey year after year.

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Thablitha

The symbols and godly traditions of our holy faith help us to retain our identity, which is based on the One Holy Church. The Thablitha is an important symbol and component of the celebration of the Eucharist, which speaks of the Cross of Christ and His eternal sacrifice for our redemption.

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Theosis

TIf I ask you, “Do you want to become godly,” I’m sure your answer will be a resounding “yes!” But how do you become someone who understands God’s ways and experiences Him in your life? Is there a road map for it? What should you do or which way should you go? How does God desire for us to know Him and what is your role in it? If you look through the teachings of the early Church Fathers, they taught that we can “partake of the divine nature” and that by one choice, our very nature and behavior can be fully controlled by the eternal life of God which is placed in us by the Holy Spirit. They called this ‘theosis’ and in this book, let me seek to explain the road map to experience it in your life.

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The Plumb Line

Our faith is based solely on the Word of God. While the Nicene Creed is not part of the Holy Bible. Its importance is second only to that of the Holy Bible itself. Every believer should endeavour to be able to recite it from memory. The Nicene Creed is a short and condensed one-page version of the Holy Scriptures. This creed contains the non-negotiable fundamental truths and doctrines of the bible, and it covers God’s revelation from eternity past to eternity future. This book gives a brief explanation of the importance of the Nicene Creed and the meaning behind each its statements. It is important to understand the background and uniqueness of this creed for the sake of our faith, both individually and as a body of believers.

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The Seasons of Lent

What is Lent? Why does the church observe Lent? How do we benefit by adhering to the Lenten faith? Are there practical guidelines for observing Lent? Questions like these and many more, find their answers in this booklet.

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The Sign of the Cross

In the history of the world, there is one event that stands above all others. That event is the crucifixion of Christ. He gave His life for our salvation. From the beginning of the church, the sign of the cross has been the symbol of Christian faith and hope. Making the sign of the cross is a ritual that binds us together as people of God. In this booklet, you learn the depth of meaning behind this symbol, and how this ritual can bring you blessing and hope.

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The Worship of the Church

The break-up of the church is one of the darker aspects of the Protestant Reformation during 1500 under Martin Luther of Germany. Now there are fourty-two thousand denominations, each of which claims to be the true and authentic church in their faith and practice! In this brief booklet, the authour tries to help the reader travel back in time to the first five-hundred years of the early orthodox faith of the church, to help us answer questions about a crisis of the modern-day church. The booklet explores how man has become the centre of worship instead of God, who should be the audience in our worship, and the follies of this new way..

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BELIEVERS EASTERN CHURCH

More Books by Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan

Crisis in Leadership

No one is completely immune to insecurity. Everyone faces it, regardless of education, family background, age or godliness. But it is in leadership that insecurity has the greatest potential to cause harm. Left unchecked, it can damage our lives and hinder the work of the Lord. This crisis is only compounded by the fact that many suffering from insecurity do not even realise it. But there is hope in Christ. Join Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan as he explores this present crisis in leadership and unearths the reasons why it manifests itself. This booklet is a beacon of light in the midst of the storm.

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Dependence Upon the Lord

Do you see yourself in light of all your qualifications and certifications and talents? Are all these clouding the God of impossibilities, of great wonders, who seeks to manifest Himself through your life and ministry? In order for your life and ministry to make a lasting impact, it must be maintained, kept and motivated by dependence upon the Lord Himself.

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Discouragement: Reasons and Answers

When faced with discouragement, these are the questions we ask ourselves. In these times, it’s difficult to see the road ahead of us, much less know the next step. However, it is absolutely possible for us to go beyond our self-focused world and leave discouragement behind us. We can be set free. In this honest and engaging booklet, Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan offers us clear and practical steps to defeat discouragement and move on. One by one, he resolves the issues that balloon in front of us. You will find renewed courage and the inner strength to experience an overcoming life. There is a clear highway to victory. The choice is yours!

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Hell in Your Mouth

It can break up the strongest of relationships; its poison can hurt you more than a scorpions sting; it can cut deeper than the sharpest sword; it can cause you to give up hope and drive you to desperation and taking your own life. I’m talking about gossip, talebearing, malicious talk—the horrible destructive power of our words. What the Japanese proverb says is true. “The tongue is only three inches long but it can kill a man who is six feet tall.” In this book, I take a deeper look at gossip—the reasons behind why someone gossips, how the enemy of our soul uses it to cause destruction, how to detect and evil report before it defiles you and in case you are already defiled, how to be cleansed. Kill gossip and you will live.

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Journey With Jesus

Peter, Andrew, James, John, Matthew, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Thaddeus, Simon and Judas. These names sound familiar? They are the disciples that walked, literally, with Jesus. From the day He called them from their fishing boats and tax collections, to the closing days of His life on this earth, these men lived with the Son of God. Hang around someone long enough and you’re bound to pick up their habits. And what were the “habits” of Christ, the characteristics that have changed your life and mine? In this book, Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan Metropolitan encourages you to accept the divine invitation and follow Jesus of Nazareth. Just as He called the twelve disciples, our Savior is welcoming us to walk the roads of this life with Him. You will never be the same again.

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Living By Faith Not By Sight

We are all familiar with the startling, faith-filled stories found in the lives of Biblical characters. Daniel in the lion’s den, Moses and the children of Israel, Paul’s amazing rescue from prison. On and on, pages full of blind eyes being opened and the deaf ears hearing, but how often do our lives really reflect all that we so often read about? The promises of God are still true today: “Anything is possible to him who believes!” So toss aside all the biblical head knowledge that so easily accumulates, and exchange it for simple child-like trust, mixed with faith in an all-powerful God. As you walk down this journey with Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan Metropolitan, learning from his own struggles and lessons, you too will grow to believe God despite what the eyes may see.

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Principles in Maintaining a Godly Organisation

Perhaps you recall your enthusiasm to serve one another. It might have been the love and family atmosphere you enjoyed, or your unity amidst great diversity. Whatever blessings you one had, they all seem to have vanished lately; and you are in danger of becoming “just another organization.” But it doesn’t have to happen! In this booklet, Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan takes you back to the Scriptures and shows you how God called people and empowered them. You will learn valuable lessons from their lives through both their successes and their failures. And you will gain insights on keeping the original vision the Lord gave you and maintaining vibrancy, life and joy within your ministry.

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Seeing Him

Jesus. A name that evokes thoughts of peace, mercy and love that can compare to no other. In Him are life and hope. He is the reason for everything. Yet how easily, even in the midst of Christian service, we can lose sight of the Lord. As a result, our lives become one daily struggle of striving to live on our own. But there is hope. Just as Jesus restored the blind man’s eyes in St John 9:6, so too can He restore your sight. In Seeing Him, Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan tenderly shows the signs of living apart from seeing Christ and takes you down the road of restoration, where Jesus becomes your everything.

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Stay Encouraged

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The Lord’s Work Done in the Lord’s Way

Do your life and ministry flow out of love and simple obedience to your King? Or are you motivated deep within by the needs around you, the expectations of others, or by what seems good in your own eyes? Do you find yourself continually running dry, even in the midst of the ministry? It doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, God intended for His streams of living water to flow unhindered out of your life, no matter what He has called you to do. Yet it is only when we do the Lord’s work in the Lord’s way that this can happen. Come and be refreshed as Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan teaches from the lessons he has learned in over thirty-five years of ministry. Allow the Lord to renew your love for Him and your role in the kingdom. Then you will know the freedom and simplicity of serving your first love, the Lord Jesus.

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The Missing Link in Contemporary Relationships

It is the glue that holds a family, a community or a church together. It is the missing jewel in contemporary society. It is the secret of the extraordinary bond between Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan and St Paul and Timothy: loyalty. Using inspirational examples of those who have demonstrated a life of loyalty—biblical characters and contemporary individuals such as St Teresa of Kolkata, the author helps us to understand the practical implications of loyalty, without which ‘love’ will remain, in essence, a non-word, a word not recognized and without meaning.

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