- Pursues unity in ministry with other expressions of the body of Christ and serves alongside all through whom God is at work.
Maintaining and promoting unity is among the most important pillars of ILF ministry. We aim to work alongside all through whom God is at work. To do that, we are to seek unity through attracting the presence of God. As we draw near to God, He draws near to us. We are to follow Jesus as the model and power of Christian unity, because Imitating Jesus’ unparalleled humility will bring unparalleled unity in our ministry.
Jesus shared the supreme position with God the Father and God the Spirit, yet He did not exploit it for His own personal interest. Instead he embraced the mission of the incarnation and accepted the humble mission of the cross.
The principal every ILF member must follow is to not consider our advantages, position, or gifts as something for our glory but as assets to serve others. We don’t demand respect; we don’t refuse tedious tasks as ‘beneath us.’ When we think in terms of spiritual gifts, we should remember that “the purpose of all spiritual gifts is not selfish enjoyment but the profit of other members of God’s family.”
As the apostle Paul says in Philippians 2:8 “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross”.
Jesus’ incarnation, life, death, and resurrection was to save us from self-glory and deliver us from sinful idolatry. Christ’s work on our behalf gives us the power to live for the good of others and the glory of God.
Question:
Think about your personal spiritual gift and calling, think about Jesus’ model of unity discussed above. What is one specific sacrificial task/service that you (individually) can or are willing to perform in order to strengthen unity in ILF ministry, organization and community?
