...be perfectly joined together...

To: Those appointed by the Holy Spirit as elders and pastors in the city of Starkville and the surrounding area.

We are a group of lay men that are seeking to please our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by being obedient to His commands. We each have been burdened/convicted in our hearts about Jesus' final prayer before being betrayed and arrested. Namely,

"that they all may be one...
that the world may believe that You sent Me."
John 17:21

As we look at the present state of the church today, and we compare it with what the Word of God teaches, we are grieved over the division mindedness that we find. Not as much in the denominational labels that we have assigned ourselves; but in the attitude of division of our hearts toward our other brothers and sisters in Christ who do not go by our denominational labels. How much has our division mindedness hindered people believing in Christ? As Ravi Zacharias has said .... "I believe that we will find that divisions within the church have caused the greatest damage to the kingdom of God." And we are reminded again of the words that Paul wrote to the church at Corinth:

"Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."
1 Corinthians 1:10

That word division is the same Greek word "schisma" that is used in

"...But God composed the body... that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another."
1 Corinthians 12:25

Today we believe that God is grieved at the division mindedness found in the Church. We are divided over many minor issues, but we are all one body. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. And throughout the Scriptures we are taught that the antidote for division mindedness is love for one another. We believe this division mindedness grieves God greatly. Again Jesus prays

"And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me..."
John 17:22

And as Paul beseeched the Corinthians, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we beseech you also, that we put away the division mindedness among us, that we be diligent to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of denominational labels/differences. And once again, we remember an important command:

"And above all things have fervent love for one another..."
1 Peter 4:8

"A new commandment I give unto you that you love one another;
as I have loved you, that you also love one another."
John 13:34

As we are diligent to obey God�s command to love one another, we may be a Body of one accord, having the same mind and the same Spirit. And the Lord may add to our numbers daily those that are being saved.

We see clearly from the Word of God, that unity must be brought about by the elders in the city of Starkville Ezekiel 20:3 "...speak to the elders of Israel...",

"...Gather the elders..."
Joel 2:14

"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood".
Acts 20:17-28

"He himself gave ... pastors ... for the edifying of the body of Christ, ... till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man..."
Ephesians 4:11-13.

We believe that God has called each you as the instruments of unifying the body.

We believe that the Holy Spirit has already began this process in the Starkville area through services like the �Loading Zone ,� �Team Impact ,� joint church services, interdenominational prayer groups and Bible studies.

Our desire is to see all the brothers and sisters in Christ, located in Starkville and the surrounding area, come together for a time of prayer, praise and fellowship.

We believe this can only happen through the moving of the Holy Spirit through the Pastors/Elders that God has called in the Starkville area.

We ask that you earnestly pray seeking Gods heart concerning the coming together of His Body.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:34,35

If you see this �coming together� to be God�s will, we ask for your support by:

Writing us a letter of support and commitment to this gathering.
Calling at least one other pastor in our area whom you are close with and asking them to allow us to meet with them to share our hearts on this matter.
And praying that God will work in the hearts of His children/ The Body of Christ --

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5:27

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.