Our world is divided by race, politics, athletics, religion, etc., and it causes a breakdown in our ability to work and generally associate with one another. The last place we need division is in our faith. Yes, there are different beliefs concerning spiritual matters, but that should not keep us from being able to get a long and have relationships with one another.

God is love (the way I see it) and love includes compassion, concern, trust and the ability to coexist in community. The book, I hope, will help us to see that division can be healed if we want it to. There are some who simply don’t want to get along–they are happy with feeling elite and right. These people can still be changed through the work of the Holy Spirit.

We do not live in a world that sees itself as one. We live in a world that is in competition with itself to be ‘better’ than our neighbor, thus creating division. As Christians, we are one. We are the body of Christ. Isn’t it about time we started trying to mend relationships–especially in our churches?

Denominationalism separates us into smaller groups that tend to think of themselves as ‘right’ or ‘better’ than other groups. Ecumenicalism seeks to see past our differences and recognize that even with our differences, we are still a family–the Family of God!

Faithville tells a story of a community that was ready for change even though they didn’t recognize it. Trauma ensued when the desire for church growth began to affect each church financially, relationally and spiritually. They began working together to strengthen each other and the other churches in the community. The outcome, while somewhat miraculous, is a possibility when the Holy Spirit is allowed to work through the church leadership and the people.