A word of caution about denominationalism
Our Lord commands in Mark 9:50 to “ be at peace with one another.” We must beware becoming too enamored with our particular corner on Christianity. Note one commentator ’ s understanding: Bill Leonard takes the title of his book God’s Last and Only Hope from a convention sermon delivered in 1948. The preacher had no doubt that God could work only through his group: ‘I am more tremendously Convinced than ever before that the last hope, the fairest hope, the only hope for evangelizing the world on New Testament principles is the Southern Baptist people represented in that convention.’ Those who are not Southern Baptists may demur. Mark’s text should cause us to reflect on our role and other’ role in God’s plan with greater humility. We must recognize that God’s mission in the world is bigger than we are. We need to recognize who the real enemy is who must be exorcised from our midst and from others. [1] I can appreciate this—after I entered my first Southern Baptist Church