I spent last week at the Appalachian regional family camp for
my denomination, which I’ve been attending for a dozen years or so. I was struck
by how this particular camp reflected what the body of Christ is supposed to
be. Aside from the usual hugs and laughter, we united in prayer for a couple
people facing serious medical issues and others who have lost loved ones. There
was a lot of encouragement, remembering, worship, and pointing one another to
the truths of Scripture and who God is. The week ended with the regional
delegate meeting where there was the potential for divisiveness, but that was
averted through a lot of prayer and remembering that we are in this work
together.
Whether it is among denominations, regions, churches, or our
individual lives, we can be quick to forget that we are one body. We often feel
isolated, and we think we have to take matters into our own hands to get
anything done. In Ephesians 4, Paul is emphatic:
“Walk in a manner worthy of the
calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with
patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body… [gifted by God] to equip the
saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we
all attain to the unity of the faith…” (1-4, 12-13).
When we truly believe that we are one in Christ, we are more
likely to pursue His will through prayer, rather than setting our own agendas.
We will be more concerned to “look not only to [our] own interest, but also to
the interests of others” (Phil. 24). We can seek to understand where others are
coming from, rather than making assumptions.
On the individual level, being part of the body of Christ is
a reminder that we are not meant to live in isolation or to keep all our
problems and worries secret. Henri Nouwen wrote in The Inner Voice of Love:
“Your journey is made not just for
yourself but for all who belong to the body… The journey you are choosing is
Jesus’ journey, and whether or not you are fully aware of it, you are also
asking your brothers and sisters to follow you… Your choices also call your
friends to make new choices” (50).
As members of one body, we come together to share our heartaches,
joys, struggles, and join in the work set before us all. We encourage one
another (1 Thess. 4:18), pray for one another (James 5:16), equip one another
(Eph. 4:12), and spur one another on to love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24). Family
camp happens to be a good example of extended quality time together, but these things
should also be occurring on a regular basis through local churches and small
groups. We were never meant to go through this life alone.
“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one
member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and
individually members of it” (1 Cor. 12:26-27).
© 2025 Dawn Rutan text and photo from AACA campground in 2020. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.
