The Rev. Dr. John Hatcher

Religion Columnist

It was a summer Saturday afternoon in south Florida. A twin engine plane took off from a nearby airport. Engine problems developed and the plane crashed into our Baptist church's preschool building. One passenger killed, but thankfully, because it was a Saturday, the school was closed.

A week later, the Church of God, located just four blocks away, felt led to send us a letter of comfort and encouragement, enclosing a love check for $100.

That was the first point of contact between our two churches. Up until that time, we acted as if the other didn't exist. That's something like many of us churches act. We act out our religion within four closed walls almost unaware that others also are hitting licks for Christ. It takes an airplane crash or a fire from hell to get our attention that there are others much more like us than unlike us.

The plane crash and their love gift of $100 started a relationship which resulted in yearly inter-church worship services. One year I preached and our choir sang in their building; the next year their pastor preached and their choir sang in our building. It was a glorious tiny taste of the kind of unity which the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have been enjoying for aeons and aeons.

Even though some pastors and congregations resist it like a plague, unity is the coming thing. Yes, the truth is that some pastors and some congregations have yet to discover the sublime and serendipitous joy of coming together. But when they do, they'll never want to go back to the days of the lone ranger.

Two very important days offer us the opportunity to get our acts together: The National Day of Prayer, Thursday, May 6 and the March for Jesus, Saturday, May 22. These are days when we can rally around our uncommon common Savior. These are days we can come out of the four walls and into the town square and city streets, going public with our faith. Thankfully, this newspaper provides thorough and interested news about the religious front. You'll find details about the two events here.

But let me encourage you to take action that so you, your pastor, and your church are involved in The National Day of Prayer and The Jesus March. Else, object when your preacher laments the loss of prayer in public school. If he's not willing to join others in praying in the town square, I personally question his right to wail at the loss of prayer in school.

Then, make sure you join the March for Jesus. You'll experienced the unbridled joy of joining other Christians of other denominations in celebrative praise and worship of Jesus Christ. Again, a Christian who is not willing to set aside a Saturday morning to walk a mile for Jesus, well I just don't know!

Bottom line: unity is coming because the end is near. Don't you want to be hand in hand as we cross the finish line?

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