Unity: The Key to Our Faith Journey

1) "You see, unity isn't just strength, but unity is actually a witness to the world. Unity according to God is oneness. And in that oneness, it's actually not just strength, but a witness to the world around us. That Jesus is real. Jesus prays in John, I can't remember what it was, but He says, He says to His disciples, the world will know that you're my disciples by the way you love one another. There's something in unity. There's something in oneness. There's something in together. That's actually a testament. That's actually a testimony and a witness to the world where the world will look upon us and say, my goodness, look at that church. Look at that bunch of people in Malimi Street that just raised a million dollars, but look at the love they have for one another. God must be real. It actually preaches the gospel. It's phenomenal." [02:45] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2) "You see, God, He's the author and creator of unity. That's why He's so dear to Him. Think about it. He's a united God. He's one, but not singular. But plural. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Yet He is one. Am I making sense? Yeah? He calls us to be one in the one body. True? Yeah? When He made Adam and Eve, He said, Adam and Eve, they're supposed to come together. Man and woman are supposed to come together to be? That's right. Our God is a united God, and that's what He expects from us. You might be surprised that there's over 100 Bible verses that refer to unity and over 100 Bible verses that refer to oneness. Whichever way we look through Scripture." [05:31] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3) "The same word used to describe the oneness of God is the same word used to describe the oneness that we are to have with one another. The word used in Hebrew is echad, and in the Greek it's hen. Yeah? Echad, that's it. I've got a better response than this. It's 9am, so that's okay. I speak Hebrew. No, I'm joking. Okay. So what does this say? The same word that's used in the Hebrew and the Greek to describe the oneness of God is used to describe the oneness we are to have with one another. What does that mean? That means there's an expectation, right? And that we are supposed to have a oneness with each other that represents the oneness that God has with Himself. Again, John 17, Jesus prays four times, Father, make them one as we are one. Let that sink in. We are to have a oneness with one another like Jesus had with the Father. It's almost unbelievable. In the physical, of course, it's impossible." [07:31] (62 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4) "You know, Francis Chan came here, it was during the Ascent, and he toured all of New Zealand, but he said it was here in Tauranga that he felt like there was a unity and a togetherness. He said, what would it look like if the church was known for their love for one another? And hallelujah, again, man, we have people coming far and wide, coming not just to be in here, but actually to join this church, but they come far and wide to encounter, to experience the very presence of God. How humbling, how honouring is it? That people, believers far and wide all over the nation would come into this house, yes, here in the back streets of Malimi Street, Greta, to encounter the very presence of God. How incredible is that? We are known for His presence, and let that never change. We are known for miracles, and let that never change. We're known to be a church of the Spirit, and that will never change. But what if we were also known as a church that had love for one another? What if we were a church that people looked on and said, man, man, they are one. I'm telling you, it preaches the gospel for you. Hallelujah." [08:44] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5) "You see, there's a strength in unity, but again, it's not just a strength, but it's a witness, hallelujah. Proverbs is very clear on unity and strength, and the strength of unity, sorry. Two are better than one, and one cord of three is hard to break. As iron sharpens iron, so does one person sharpen another. The psalmist says, It's like precious oil poured out. Then again, where brethren dwell together in unity, the Lord commands a blessing. There's a blessing, man, in unity, and I'm telling you, if you look through Scripture over and over, you'll see it. You'll see the finger of God all throughout Scripture linking it, talking about our oneness, talking about unity, talking about His heart towards His people and how we should live with one another. Yeah, and I'm telling you, the way of, like, God's way is bulletproof. And what if we were to catch that? What if we were to be a church that was united as one? Again, time and time again, we see the power of unity." [11:53] (59 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


6) "Our responsibility to hold unity, which means, guess what? Some practical steps and tips. We don't gossip. Yeah? We don't pull each other down. We lift each other up. We build each other up. We don't pull each other down. We don't tear each other down. We build each other up. Amen? We pray for one another. We fight for each other, not against each other. Hey, one of the core values of this house is family is our function. Let's say it together. Family is our function. Hey, that's not just... That's just some nice phrase. Yeah. We're dead serious about it. Family is our function. And what does family do? Family fights for each other. Family loves each other. Family supports each other. Family provides for one another. Family can have real conversations with one another and not get offended and leave forever." [23:27] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


7) "Again, especially as we grow, we're moving fast. We're taking ground. All those lies can creep in. And the quickest way to get discouraged and disappointed is to make it about you. Make it about your gift, about your opportunity, about your calling. Make it about positions. Make it about the pulpit. That's the quickest way to get discouraged. And it's so difficult. Yuck. It really is so yuck because it's opposite the scripture. You know, 1 Corinthians 12 says, now to each one, it's that beautiful chapter on the spirit, on the giftings and the callings of God, the manifestations of the spirit. Yeah. We all know it. Right. But it says in verse seven, now to each one, the manifestation of the spirit is given for the common good. You see, we've made it about us when the reality is the gifting, the manifestation of the spirit is given for the common good. The manifestation of God through me, all that great stuff, all that wonderful stuff is not for me. It's actually for you and vice versa. But we've made it about me, about my calling, about my gifting. No, no, no, no. It's not for you." [26:44] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


8) "You see, faith without works is dead. Absolutely. But works without love is hypocrisy. Let me say that again. Faith without works is dead. But works without love is hypocrisy. You see, I have a question for you when it's what sound does your life make? Because Corinthians 13, 1 Corinthians 13 says, you could give a million dollars away. You could have faith as to move mountains. You could talk with the language of angels. You could be burnt at the very stake. You could give it all away to the poor. You could give it all. You could do it all. But if you have not loved, you're like a clanging cymbal. You're an instrument of hypocrisy. Yeah. The question is, what sound does my life make?" [29:27] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


9) "You see, when it's the other way, it's hypocrisy, it's religion and people understand it. They pick it up in the spirit and they're repelled by it because our life produces a sound, a frequency. Hey, why don't we stand up? Come on. John 17, again, I've repeated myself a few times, but I feel it's necessary. He first prays, make them one like we are one. And then he says, make them one in us. And then he says, make them one, make them all one like we are one, just as the Father is in Jesus and Jesus is in the Father, so that the world will believe that you sent me. He then says that they may be perfect in oneness and that the world may know that you sent me and have loved them as you have loved me. You see, there's something in unity, but there's something about oneness." [34:20] (68 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)