CHAPTER HEALTH
“ Similarly , a
family splintered by feuding will fall apart ” ( Mark 3:25 , NLT ).
So many times , we try to come up with a new way of talking about chapter health , but if we looked at Scripture , we would have the answers . In Mark , Jesus was making the point that not even satan can survive if he is divided .
The most important part of a healthy chapter is unity . If we are divided against each other , we will destroy the chapter . I look at so many chapters that are growing , and I see one thing that stands out . They are unified in what they do . No , they may not all do the same activities or minister the same , but they are behind each other and supportive of each other .
“ I am in them and you are in me . May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me ” ( John 17:23 , NLT ). Jesus said it best that we need perfect unity so that the world will see that Jesus is in us and we are in Him and that He loves them .
I have seen old newsletters from the early years of CMA , and there was unity in chapters . They went and ministered several times a month , and when you read what they said , they all said the same thing . They are unified in their mission .
Now I know back in the eighties and nineties ; maybe life was not so busy , and we had more people joining CMA than now . But when you look back , it was not about the numbers ; it was about being unified in the mission of sharing Jesus with motorcyclists .
So how do we create unity in our chapters ? It ’ s easy to start with the foundation of what we do , that ’ s sharing the Good News with bikers . Then gather and look at areas in your community to go and minister . The second thing is understanding that each of your members has different gifts . Instead of trying to make everyone fit the same mold , use the unique gifts as strength .
One Body with Many Parts
“ The human body has many parts , but the many parts make up one whole body . So it is with the body of Christ ” ( 1 Corinthians 12:12 , NLT ). And so is it with a chapter . A healthy chapter understands to be unified in Christ ; you have to see the value of each member .
In closing , each of us should strive in our chapters to live up to this motto .
“ This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God ’ s Son that we will be mature in the Lord , measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ ” ( Ephesians 4:13 , NLT ). CMA
09⎪October 2021⎪www . cmausa . org