Growing up, I was inspired by the great global workers of the faith such as Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, Jim Elliot, and others. I was stirred to reach the lost and came to value only the work of reaching those outside of the body of Christ. I did not see much use for teaching or preaching to those who had already made a commitment to Christ. The work was in the fields, I thought. While the great commission of Jesus does command us to go into all nations, baptizing and making disciples, the New Testament is also filled with charges to edify and build up the body of Christ. 

In Ephesians 4, Paul makes one of the strongest cases for unity in the body of Christ. He gives a beautiful illustration of what it looks like for an infant to grow into maturity. As believers, we are called to “grow up” into Christ. This is a process that happens together. Where one part of the body may be weak and immature, the other part of the body is called to be “humble and gentle and patient, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:2-3). 

I remember a game show that once was popular called, “The Weakest Link.” It made me realize, that as the body of Christ, we are only as strong as our weakest member. This is why Paul makes the charge over and over again in his letters to “be like-minded, have the same love, being one in spirit and purpose” (Philippians 2:2), and to “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16).  

Unity in the body of Christ is something I have come to value because I see the importance of it as the body of Christ, we are to reflect the head of the body, which is Christ. We reflect Christ as we grow toward maturity through edification, encouragement, and service, and in doing so, we ultimately then fulfill the great commission and call of God for His Church.