Rarely will one find a sharper contrast in the Christian community than the one between the keynote preacher for this year's Fayette unity service and the congregation that worships in the place where he will be speaking.

But those who are planning the service don't see it that way.

Carter Shultz, minister at the Southern Crescent Church of Christ, will speak on the topic “The Kingdom of God” in a 6 p.m. service Sunday, March 5 at the Atlanta City Church. Everyone of all denominations, or no denomination, is invited.

A committee of several local ministers promotes the yearly unity service as a way to celebrate the common bond of all Christians as children of God and brothers of Christ, and to diminish the differences in practice and doctrine that often divide Christians.

Churches of Christ are known for their austere services, devoid of musical instruments because the New Testament does not mention them. Following a literal interpretation of the New Testament, its ministers take no title such as “Reverend,” and emotionalism in religious life is frowned upon in many congregations.

Atlanta City Church, on the other hand, is known for its full praise band and a spirited, celebratory service.

Those differences will be put aside for the unity service, said the Rev. Dr. John Hatcher, senior pastor of River's Edge Community Church and a member of the organizing committee.

“The emphasis is not on our practices, which are different,” said Hatcher, “but on a person, Jesus Christ.”

Unity is not free, Hatcher said. There's a cost. “It's the cost of diminishing our differences rather than exalting our differences,” he said. “It's about swallowing our denominational pride and saying who is important, rather than what is important.”

Shultz is “the first Church of Christ minister who has chosen to come under the umbrella of unity,” said Hatcher.

A Church of Christ minister preaching in a facility where instruments are center stage may be a bit incongruous, Shultz admitted, but pointed out that everyone at the service will be there for the same reason.

“The Church of Christ actually started as a unity movement,” Shultz said. “I would love to see us as a heritage reach out to other denominations to look at the common heritage of being washed in the blood of Jesus.

“I preached on the theme of unity in my church a couple of weeks ago,” he added, “and I emphasized that it's not just reaching out to other denominations, but reaching into our own. I've been trying to contact other Church of Christ ministers in hopes of developing more unity along those lines too,” he said.

Christ came to establish God's Kingdom on the earth, and all denominations can be a part of that, said Hatcher.

“It's not about the church... it's about the Kingdom of God,” he said.

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