Esther raised a great question concerning the post on red-letter words. She asked specifically about the “agree” passage.

agree — “I also tell you this: If two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.” (Matthew 18:19 NLT)

Here are my thoughts. The more I study the Word, the more I find this connection between unity among believers and our fulfillment of God’s will. Check out John 17:20-26–specifically verse 23. It says, “I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” This suggests our efforts in ministry will fail unless believers are united in God’s love and grace.

That’s why I believe agreement–being spiritually united with Christ–in marriage, on staff teams, within a church, and in the big “C” Church impacts what God can accomplish through us. And, if you consider instances where you’ve seen division or brokenness in any of those relationships, you know that it dramatically impacts the fruit of ministry and our witness to the world. That’s why it makes me so sad when I hear Christ-followers attacking other churches and leaders. Not only is that contrary to God’s will for believers (some people call that “sin”), it’s negatively influencing the Church’s witness to the world.

That’s why I believe we, as leaders, need to…

  • Pursue God’s will for our lives and our ministries. (Hint: See red-letter words.)
  • Deal with our own shortcomings. (Matthew 7:1-5)
  • Embrace humility. (Philippians 2:1-11)
  • Encourage others. (Ephesians 4:29)
  • Value reconciliation (Mt. 5:22-24) over division (Mt. 12:25).

It’s God’s will for us to agree.

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