We’re excited to have Chuck Klein as one of our NYWC speakers for the YS Explores session on partnering with schools. This blog post is a great start to the conversations he’ll be navigating at NYWC. Check out more information HERE.

Sometimes we’re too busy to take the time unity requires.

We want to go fast, get there quickly, and hopefully look good when we arrive. But there is a saying…

“If you want to go fast, go alone: if you want go far, go together.”

Sometimes fast is good, but more often far is much better.

Far is what we need if we are going to touch this generation of teens at their deepest level, where they’re really tender, where only Christ can heal. That means working together, connecting often, so that every student at every school has someone who is reaching out to them with the love and truth of Christ. The enormous number of high school and middle school students in our communities is much greater than the reach of any one church or organization. Alone we may move fast. Together our range will be much wider and our impact will be considerably deeper.

David, one of the great independent warriors in all of history, learned this lesson well. He and his band of brothers, described as “mighty men,” accomplished more together than they could have ever done individually. No doubt that experience contributed to what David wrote later in life…

How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down upon the collar of his robes.
It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.

Psalm 133

David believed that unity is priceless.

Unfortunately, unity does not always abound in the Church, as it should. People compete and squabble over turf or other unimportant issues. Some delight in causing tension by discrediting others. Some are too busy to care. Some want all the glory. The odor of disunity is not pleasing.

But on the other hand, David says the aroma of unity is pleasant and precious, much like the expensive oil used by Moses when he anointed Aaron as the first high priest of Israel (Exodus 29:7) and again when he dedicate all the priests to God’s service. Brotherly unity, like the anointing oil, shows our dedication to serving God wholeheartedly.

And just as the dew from Mt Hermon in Israel would spread over the valley below, nurturing the crops and assuring a great harvest, so unity spreads like a blessing through a whole community. The result is the priceless blessing of new life in Christ that lasts forever.

The good news is that across the nation and world, unity among Christians is growing.

It is changing school campuses, revitalizing communities and renewing churches. People are leaving their egos and logos at the door, enabling us to cooperate as God meant for us to do, giving us a taste of heaven. Unity is like a magnet that draws others to Jesus.

Living in unity does not mean that we will agree on everything, there will be many opinions just as there are many notes in a song. But as we agree on our purpose, our outward expression of unity will reflect an inward quality that will encourage students and their families to follow Christ.

Here are some ways to pursue unity:

• Ask God who you should connect with today.
• Reach out to other youth leaders, pastors, students and parents from other churches and organizations in your school and community. Don’t steal, bless.
• Pursue them, get to know them, share your heart and discuss ways you can reach out to more students… together.
• Pray together.
• Help the other person succeed.
• If you’re a mother, join a Moms In Prayer group.
• If you have a network of youth leaders in your area, join them. If not start one. For help go to the National Network of Youth Ministries.

[bctt tweet=”Don’t compete, but instead complete the work of God in your community.” username=”ys_scoop”]

Chuck Klein gives national leadership to the Campus Alliance, a coalition of 60 organizations and church denominations that share the vision of seeing a ministry to every middle school and high school student and campus in America. The Campus Alliance sponsors everyschool.com, where students and adult leaders can adopt their schools and connect with resources for campus ministry. Chuck is also an author and video producer. He and his wife, Clare, make their home in San Diego, California.