But when that meeting is over, the fact is that all of these groups are basically in COMPETITION with one another (especially the Charismatic and Pentecostal ones). They all meet at the same time each week - hoping for more members to join "THEIR" group. And they all have their own hierarchies, their own 'label', their own "stream" that they are a part of (-even the so-called "Non-denominational" churches very often). Some have likened this situation to "fast-food" chains, because the set-up is quite similar. Let us suppose that Burger King sets up a restaurant just down the street from a McDonalds. Now, the two managers may be quite friendly on the surface. They may even attend local meetings of the "Fast-Food Togetherness" club. But the fact is, they are SELLING THE SAME PRODUCT just down the street from one another. They need more customers and they are in TOTAL COMPETITION with each other. Can anybody conceive of true "unity" between Burger King and McDonalds? Not in a million years! (-Not unless they buy each other out). There is NO UNITY to be had in that scenario. It is designed for COMPETITION. And the structure of the church today is virtually identical. We are all 'down the street' from our main competition EACH OTHER. The system itself does not allow for unity. It was built out of competing 'streams', denominations and divisions. While we keep this system, there is about as much chance for TRUE unity as McDonalds becoming "one" with Burger King tomorrow. Jesus prayed concerning His followers "that they all may be ONE... that the world may BELIEVE." This disunity and division that is so obvious to all, is one of the huge reasons why the world does not BELIEVE what we say today. They point to our divisions and (quite rightly) disdain our words. As we have discussed before, in the Book of Acts there was ONE church - united under the leadership of the apostles. They had huge citywide gatherings and smaller housefellowships, but they were all ONE BODY. When they met together "from house to house" it was basically ALL the local Christians from that neighborhood. They lived and fellowshipped with one another within their own local area. THAT is what "local church" really means! But today we cannot just be part of the "whole Body", can we? We have to choose a 'division' to belong to - otherwise we are seen as 'heretics'. I believe the original apostles would be rolling in their graves if they could see the way the church is set up today. If only we could see ourselves through their eyes. Every Sunday we dress up and go to our Division's "cathedral", where we sit down, stand up, sing our "five fast songs and five slow songs", listen to the sermon, place our money in the offering bag, hear the
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