Dear Parents,
Ephesians 4:4-6 (NIV) says "There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
One of the most prominent churches in the "church age" was at Ephesus. It was established in 53AD on Paul's homeward journey to Jerusalem. The book of Ephesians was written by Paul as a letter of encouragement to the church where he describes the nature and appearance of the church and challenges believers to function as the living body of Christ on earth. Paul says "There is one body." So what does that look like? Churches come in all styles and shapes, along with differing practices and rituals. Unity does not just happen, we have to work at it. Differences among denominations, practices and rituals can lead to division, but this should not be true in the church. Instead of concentrating on what divides us, we should remember what unites us: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God.
Have you ever visited a church that had different practices or rituals that were unfamiliar to you? We may have family or friends who belong to different denominations. As we claim our faith we can respectfully disagree with family/friends about certain practices, even as we try to understand the importance of these practices to their faith. What truly matters when it comes to differing denominations is that we believe that God is at the center. The ways we practice our faith are less important that each of us choosing to live for God.
Ask your teen...
Write or think about a time you visited a new church. What rituals or practices were unfamiliar to you? What did you learn about God and about your own church traditions from this experience?
Challenge your teen...
Choose a scripture verse or prayer to begin each day. This time with God will help you stay true to your beliefs when temptations or challenges arise.
Prayer...
Creator God, guide me in learning about other religions while I am learning about my own. Give me the words to tell people about my faith and ears to listen to my peers speak about theirs. Amen.
Ephesians 4:4-6 (NIV) says "There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
One of the most prominent churches in the "church age" was at Ephesus. It was established in 53AD on Paul's homeward journey to Jerusalem. The book of Ephesians was written by Paul as a letter of encouragement to the church where he describes the nature and appearance of the church and challenges believers to function as the living body of Christ on earth. Paul says "There is one body." So what does that look like? Churches come in all styles and shapes, along with differing practices and rituals. Unity does not just happen, we have to work at it. Differences among denominations, practices and rituals can lead to division, but this should not be true in the church. Instead of concentrating on what divides us, we should remember what unites us: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God.
Have you ever visited a church that had different practices or rituals that were unfamiliar to you? We may have family or friends who belong to different denominations. As we claim our faith we can respectfully disagree with family/friends about certain practices, even as we try to understand the importance of these practices to their faith. What truly matters when it comes to differing denominations is that we believe that God is at the center. The ways we practice our faith are less important that each of us choosing to live for God.
Ask your teen...
Write or think about a time you visited a new church. What rituals or practices were unfamiliar to you? What did you learn about God and about your own church traditions from this experience?
Challenge your teen...
Choose a scripture verse or prayer to begin each day. This time with God will help you stay true to your beliefs when temptations or challenges arise.
Prayer...
Creator God, guide me in learning about other religions while I am learning about my own. Give me the words to tell people about my faith and ears to listen to my peers speak about theirs. Amen.
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