The Heart of Disunity
Unity Insights | Posted on April 24, 2024 at 10:11 AM by Jeff Bennett
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. – James 4:1-2, NKJV – The reason we fight and quarrel is not very mysterious. Neither is the reason for disunity in our relationships and the [...]
The Profit of All
Unity Insights | Posted on April 4, 2024 at 8:02 AM by Jeff Bennett
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. – 1 Corinthians 12:4–7 – [...]
If Possible, Live at Peace with All People
Unity Insights | Posted on February 8, 2024 at 8:08 AM by Jeff Bennett
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:18) Some people like to fight. No matter what we do, they won’t live at peace with us. They hate our convictions. They are alienated by our love for God. They hate our gospel and our devotion to Jesus [...]
Unity with Christ Is Essential
Unity Insights | Posted on January 25, 2024 at 9:00 AM by Jeff Bennett
[That we] may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ (Ephesians 4:15). Unity with Christ is essential to the life of His church. People sometimes lose a foot or a leg or an arm or an eye or an ear. It is remarkable how a person can continue to exist after [...]
All Things in Common
Unity Insights | Posted on April 20, 2023 at 7:54 AM by Jeff Bennett
The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. – Acts 4:32 – In the early church there was a pattern of voluntary generosity among the disciples of Jesus Christ [...]
Be Joined to Some Visible Church
Impacting the World with Christian Unity | Posted on April 13, 2023 at 8:12 AM by Jeff Bennett
The whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies – Ephesians 4:16 – You by yourselves are not the church, and you must not keep on saying “we” if you are not doing anything in connection with your church. You must consider yourself as a distinct individual, and your first concern in [...]
Walking in the Daylight
Unity Insights | Posted on February 9, 2023 at 7:50 AM by Jeff Bennett
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. – Romans 13:13 – When the Lord redeemed us from sin and death, He called us out of the darkness into the light (1 Peter 2:9). God shined on our hearts and [...]
Our Citizenship is Not of this World
Unity Insights | Posted on February 2, 2023 at 8:17 AM by Jeff Bennett
Our citizenship is in Heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. – Philippians 3:20 – Citizens from the same country have a passport and an allegiance in common, especially when competing against rival nations. During the Olympic games we witness the enthusiasm and joy of people united under [...]
The Hope of Our Unity
Unity Insights | Posted on January 5, 2023 at 8:17 AM by Jeff Bennett
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God." (Revelation 21:3, NKJV) It’s difficult to find motivation for a cause that is doomed to fail. [...]
Spurgeon on our Union with Christ at Christmas
Unity Insights | Posted on December 21, 2022 at 7:55 AM by Jeff Bennett
That they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me. – John 17:22-23 – We have nearly arrived at the great merry-making [...]
Christian Unity Glorifies God
Unity Insights | Posted on December 1, 2022 at 9:42 AM by Jeff Bennett
The ultimate aim of our unity as Christians is the glory of God. That is, to worship, honor, and exalt Him with one voice. Listen to how Paul closes his letter to the Romans: May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ [...]
One Mediator
Unity Insights | Posted on November 10, 2022 at 8:20 AM by Jeff Bennett
There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. – 1 Timothy 2:5 – There is only one way to God and that is through Jesus Christ. All other roads are false. All other means of approaching God and satisfying His justice will only provoke Him to wrath. No [...]
Are We in a Battle?
Unity Insights | Posted on October 27, 2022 at 7:50 AM by Jeff Bennett
Among the divisions of Reuben there were great resolves of heart … Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan, and why did Dan remain on ships? Asher continued at the seashore, and stayed by his inlets. – Judges 5:15–17 – When the Lord called His people to fight against the king of Canaan, several tribes refused to come. [...]
The Profit of All
Unity Insights | Posted on October 20, 2022 at 7:54 AM by Jeff Bennett
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. – 1 Corinthians 12:4–7 – [...]
Blessed Are the Peacemakers
Unity Insights | Posted on October 6, 2022 at 8:00 AM by Jeff Bennett
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. – Matthew 5:9 – The Lord Jesus Christ begins His Sermon on the Mount by outlining the anatomy of a truly blessed soul. He defines real spiritual health. He does not speak as the world speaks, because the blessedness He offers does not [...]
Stirring up Love, Good Works, and Unity
Unity Insights | Posted on September 29, 2022 at 8:10 AM by Jeff Bennett
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:24–25 Our Lord’s return often feels distant, but in reality [...]
One in Christ
Unity Insights | Posted on September 22, 2022 at 7:54 AM by Jeff Bennett
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:28 Throughout church history we have struggled to embrace the truth of this verse. All of us are one in Christ Jesus, which means ethnicity, socioeconomic status, [...]
The Pursuit of Peace
Unity Insights | Posted on September 15, 2022 at 7:49 AM by Jeff Bennett
Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. – Romans 14:19 – Peace does not happen by accident. We must pursue the things that make for peace. Human beings naturally quarrel and manipulate to get what they want. However, it takes effort to resist our [...]
The Toll of Conflict
Unity Insights | Posted on September 8, 2022 at 8:21 AM by Jeff Bennett
But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. – Galatians 5:15 NLT Conflict takes a heavy toll on our relationships and on our churches. Every careless sentence spoken for the sake of winning an argument disrupts our fellowship with one another. Harsh words are like piranha [...]
Called to Something Better
Unity Insights | Posted on September 1, 2022 at 8:15 AM by Jeff Bennett
You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? – 1 Corinthians 3:3 NLT Followers of Jesus Christ are not to live like people of the world. We are not to live in envy, strife, [...]
Bear with the Weak
Unity Insights | Posted on August 25, 2022 at 8:02 AM by Jeff Bennett
We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. (Romans 15:1 NLT) The strength Paul refers to is a strength of faith, the firm conviction that Jesus Christ paid for sin, fulfilled the Law, and set us free to enjoy the gifts [...]
Love Is a Duty
Unity Insights | Posted on August 18, 2022 at 7:55 AM by Jeff Bennett
“Believers have a duty of affectionate, sincere, genuine love in all things towards one another; a love compared to that of Christ for the church.” ~ John Owen* The modern mind finds these kinds of statements quite offensive. Christians tend to find them offensive as well. How dare anyone tell them who to love, and [...]
The Lamb is Worthy
Unity Insights | Posted on August 11, 2022 at 8:01 AM by Jeff Bennett
“You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10, NKJV) [...]
Spurgeon Answers, “What Is the Unity of the Spirit?”
Unity Insights | Posted on July 28, 2022 at 7:31 AM by Jeff Bennett
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3) Let us ask ourselves, “Do we have the unity of the Spirit?” No one can have it except those who have the Spirit, and the Spirit only dwells in born again, believing souls. By virtue of having the Spirit, every [...]
If Possible, Live at Peace with All People
Unity Insights | Posted on July 7, 2022 at 8:16 AM by Jeff Bennett
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:18) Some people like to fight. No matter what we do, they won’t live at peace with us. They hate our convictions. They are alienated by our love for God. They hate our gospel and our devotion to Jesus [...]
The Heart of Disunity
Unity Insights | Posted on May 19, 2022 at 8:05 AM by Jeff Bennett
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. – James 4:1-2, NKJV – The reason we fight and quarrel is not very mysterious. Neither is the reason for disunity in our relationships and the [...]
If Possible, Live at Peace with All People
Unity Insights | Posted on January 20, 2022 at 7:49 AM by Jeff Bennett
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:18) Some people like to fight. No matter what we do, they won’t live at peace with us. They hate our convictions. They are alienated by our love for God. They hate our gospel and our devotion to Jesus [...]
Don’t Divide over Minor Differences
Unity Insights | Posted on December 16, 2021 at 7:31 AM by Jeff Bennett
“One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.” – Romans 14:5 – Christians have a terrible tendency to exaggerate minor differences, as though every difference in religion were a differing religion. This all-or-nothing attitude is divisive and rejects the legitimate distinctions [...]
Stirring up Love, Good Works, and Unity
Unity Insights | Posted on December 2, 2021 at 7:11 AM by Jeff Bennett
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:24–25 Our Lord’s return often feels distant, but in reality [...]
Christian Unity Does Not Come Naturally
Unity Insights | Posted on May 20, 2021 at 7:11 AM by Jeff Bennett
Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. – Jeremiah 13:23, NKJV – As fallen human beings, Christian unity only comes to us through the grace of God in Christ and diligent effort on our part. True Christian unity is [...]
All Things in Common
Unity Insights | Posted on April 8, 2021 at 7:22 AM by Jeff Bennett
The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. – Acts 4:32 – In the early church there was a pattern of voluntary generosity among the disciples of Jesus Christ [...]
A Prayer for Unity
Unity Insights | Posted on April 1, 2021 at 7:13 AM by Jeff Bennett
That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You. – John 17:21 – The night that He was betrayed, Jesus prayed for His disciples. He also prayed for all those who would become His disciples through their preaching. Of all the things Jesus could have petitioned the Father [...]
Be Joined to Some Visible Church
Impacting the World with Christian Unity | Posted on March 25, 2021 at 7:25 AM by Jeff Bennett
The whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies – Ephesians 4:16 – You by yourselves are not the church, and you must not keep on saying “we” if you are not doing anything in connection with your church. You must consider yourself as a distinct individual, and your first concern in [...]
What is the Be United in Christ Outreach Ministry?
Learn about Be United in Christ | Posted on March 4, 2021 at 7:19 AM by Jeff Bennett
What is the Be United in Christ Outreach Ministry? The Be United in Christ Outreach Ministry is a non-denominational, non-profit organization committed to teaching and promoting Christian unity in accordance with God’s Word in order to bring about real change in the body of Christ. Through carefully researching, writing, publishing, and promoting a library of [...]
Sharing Our Books With Believers in Australia
Impacting the World with Christian Unity | Posted on January 26, 2021 at 7:10 AM by Jeff Bennett
A member of a church in Ringwood, Australia, was selected to receive a copy of the Be United in Christ Outreach Ministry’s Premium Collection book, Essentials of Unity. She expressed her thanks and excitement to learn what the Bible really says about Christian unity and how she can apply this in her relationships with other [...]
Walking in the Daylight
Unity Insights | Posted on January 21, 2021 at 7:12 AM by Jeff Bennett
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. – Romans 13:13 – When the Lord redeemed us from sin and death, He called us out of the darkness into the light (1 Peter 2:9). God shined on our hearts and [...]
Our Citizenship is Not of this World
Unity Insights | Posted on December 31, 2020 at 8:30 AM by Jeff Bennett
Our citizenship is in Heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. – Philippians 3:20 – Citizens from the same country have a passport and an allegiance in common, especially when competing against rival nations. During the Olympic games we witness the enthusiasm and joy of people united under [...]
Spurgeon on our Union with Christ at Christmas
Unity Insights | Posted on December 23, 2020 at 7:17 AM by Jeff Bennett
That they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me. – John 17:22-23 – We have nearly arrived at the great merry-making [...]
Do Not Be Bound with Unbelievers
Unity Insights | Posted on December 17, 2020 at 7:15 AM by Jeff Bennett
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? … Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? – 2 Corinthians 6:14–15 – The unity of the church depends upon the purity of the church. It cannot be a mix of [...]
Love Like Christ
Unity Insights | Posted on December 10, 2020 at 7:15 AM by Jeff Bennett
“Love one another; as I have loved you.” – John 13:34 – Christians, you also are to love one another not because of the gain that you get from one another but because of the good you can do for one another. I once heard a minister grumble about the Baptist denomination. He said, “I [...]
Receiving Fresh Drinking Water in Meru, Kenya
Impacting the World with Christian Unity | Posted on November 10, 2020 at 8:56 AM by Jeff Bennett
The Be United in Christ Outreach Ministry is pleased, by God's grace, to have sponsored the establishment of a well in Meru, Kenya, in partnership with a local ministry. This is another example of Christians uniting to impact the world! As up to 10,000 locals come each day to receive fresh drinking water, free of [...]
Christian Unity Glorifies God
Unity Insights | Posted on November 5, 2020 at 8:19 AM by Jeff Bennett
The ultimate aim of our unity as Christians is the glory of God. That is, to worship, honor, and exalt Him with one voice. Listen to how Paul closes his letter to the Romans: May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ [...]
One Mediator
Unity Insights | Posted on October 15, 2020 at 1:15 PM by Andrew Mackay
There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. – 1 Timothy 2:5 – There is only one way to God and that is through Jesus Christ. All other roads are false. All other means of approaching God and satisfying His justice will only provoke Him to wrath. No [...]
Are We in a Battle?
Unity Insights | Posted on October 1, 2020 at 10:10 AM by Andrew Mackay
Among the divisions of Reuben there were great resolves of heart … Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan, and why did Dan remain on ships? Asher continued at the seashore, and stayed by his inlets. – Judges 5:15–17 – When the Lord called His people to fight against the king of Canaan, several tribes refused to come. [...]
The Profit of All
Unity Insights | Posted on September 24, 2020 at 3:53 PM by Andrew Mackay
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. – 1 Corinthians 12:4–7 – [...]
Blessed Are the Peacemakers
Unity Insights | Posted on September 10, 2020 at 12:22 PM by Andrew Mackay
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. – Matthew 5:9 – The Lord Jesus Christ begins His Sermon on the Mount by outlining the anatomy of a truly blessed soul. He defines real spiritual health. He does not speak as the world speaks, because the blessedness He offers does not [...]
The Pursuit of Peace
Unity Insights | Posted on August 27, 2020 at 7:49 AM by Andrew Mackay
Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. – Romans 14:19 – Peace does not happen by accident. We must pursue the things that make for peace. Human beings naturally quarrel and manipulate to get what they want. However, it takes effort to resist our [...]
One in Christ
Unity Insights | Posted on August 20, 2020 at 12:25 PM by Andrew Mackay
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:28 Throughout church history we have struggled to embrace the truth of this verse. All of us are one in Christ Jesus, which means ethnicity, socioeconomic status, [...]
The Toll of Conflict
Unity Insights | Posted on August 13, 2020 at 10:59 AM by Andrew Mackay
But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. – Galatians 5:15 NLT Conflict takes a heavy toll on our relationships and on our churches. Every careless sentence spoken for the sake of winning an argument disrupts our fellowship with one another. Harsh words are like piranha [...]
Digging a Well in Uganda
Impacting the World with Christian Unity | Posted on August 11, 2020 at 7:00 AM by Andrew Mackay
The Be United in Christ Outreach Ministry sponsored the building of this hand-dug well in Kampala, Uganda. Now, more than 50,000 people throughout the region are able to have daily access to clean drinking water. This is an example of how Christian unity impacts the world! "When the poor and needy search for water and [...]
Called to Something Better
Unity Insights | Posted on August 6, 2020 at 9:45 AM by Andrew Mackay
You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? – 1 Corinthians 3:3 NLT Followers of Jesus Christ are not to live like people of the world. We are not to live in envy, strife, [...]
Providing Hands on Help in Rural Mexico
Impacting the World with Christian Unity | Posted on August 4, 2020 at 10:11 AM by Andrew Mackay
A church worker sponsored by the Be United in Christ Outreach Ministry paints the school compound of a tiny village in rural Mexico. Later on, she and other workers assisted a local pastor who has been struggling to acquire a piece of land upon which to build a permanent location for their church. "The greatest [...]
Bear with the Weak
Unity Insights | Posted on July 30, 2020 at 9:52 AM by Andrew Mackay
We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. (Romans 15:1 NLT) The strength Paul refers to is a strength of faith, the firm conviction that Jesus Christ paid for sin, fulfilled the Law, and set us free to enjoy the gifts [...]
The Lamb is Worthy
Unity Insights | Posted on July 23, 2020 at 3:29 PM by Andrew Mackay
“You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10, NKJV) [...]
Love Is a Duty
Unity Insights | Posted on July 16, 2020 at 7:41 AM by Andrew Mackay
“Believers have a duty of affectionate, sincere, genuine love in all things towards one another; a love compared to that of Christ for the church.” ~ John Owen* The modern mind finds these kinds of statements quite offensive. Christians tend to find them offensive as well. How dare anyone tell them who to love, and [...]
Supporting a Christian School in Meru, Kenya
Impacting the World with Christian Unity | Posted on July 14, 2020 at 9:00 AM by Andrew Mackay
It is shocking to think that more than one million children do not attend school in Kenya. For those that do, many walk several miles each way to class and do not eat until they return home each evening. Getting an education takes sacrifice, both personal and familial. This is why the Be United in [...]
Spurgeon Answers, “What Is the Unity of the Spirit?”
Unity Insights | Posted on July 9, 2020 at 7:42 AM by Andrew Mackay
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3) Let us ask ourselves, “Do we have the unity of the Spirit?” No one can have it except those who have the Spirit, and the Spirit only dwells in born again, believing souls. By virtue of having the Spirit, every [...]
Reintroducing the Be United in Christ Outreach Ministry
Unity Insights | Posted on June 25, 2020 at 11:09 AM by Andrew Mackay
In case you’ve missed it, with all the hubbub of the last few months, we want to invite you to explore our website! And, since you’re here, we thought we’d take this opportunity to reintroduce ourselves to you. The Be United in Christ Outreach Ministry was created by more than fifty individuals in ten states, [...]
What Is Our Problem?
Unity Insights | Posted on June 11, 2020 at 9:11 AM by Andrew Mackay
Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2) The sin that separates us from God is our deepest and most fundamental problem. Government is not the problem. Our spouse and children are not the problem. Our physical bodies [...]
Truth and Unity
Unity Insights | Posted on June 4, 2020 at 10:58 AM by Andrew Mackay
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17). Soon after Solomon died, Israel divided into a northern kingdom ruled by Jeroboam and a southern kingdom ruled by Rehoboam. Fearing he would lose his people’s allegiance if they kept returning to the temple in Jerusalem, Jeroboam made two gold idols for his subjects [...]
The Last Word
Unity Insights | Posted on May 28, 2020 at 12:40 PM by Andrew Mackay
Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out. (Proverbs 17:14 NLT) It takes courage and humility to let someone else have the last word in the midst of a disagreement. We want to get the last word in—to have the final say. We should exercise self-control and refrain [...]
The Hope of Our Unity
Unity Insights | Posted on May 21, 2020 at 11:26 AM by Andrew Mackay
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God." (Revelation 21:3, NKJV) It’s difficult to find motivation for a cause that is doomed to fail. [...]
The Important Distinction Between Unselfishness and Love
Unity Insights | Posted on May 14, 2020 at 10:58 AM by Andrew Mackay
But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13 In his sermon titled the Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis observes the significant shift in the understanding of virtue during modern times. “If you asked twenty good men today what they thought the highest of the [...]
With One Voice: Living in Unity to Glorify God
Unity Insights | Posted on May 7, 2020 at 1:23 PM by Andrew Mackay
The ultimate aim of our unity as Christians is the glory of God. That is, to worship, honor, and exalt Him with one voice. Listen to how Paul closes his letter to the Romans: May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ [...]