"To Become a Church!"

Prayer brings people together to accomplish what would be impossible without God!

I love the high priestly prayer of Christ in John chapters 15-17. “When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.” (John 15:10-13)

At Washington Cathedral we have been very intentional about reaching out to the whole body of Christ and letting them know that this is a place of love, forgiveness and acceptance: Calvinist and Wesley Armenian (those whobelieve that human choices can really mess up a life and those who believe that God is sovereign and anythingelse sounds like blasphemy), Lutheran and Catholic, Charismatic and Bible Baptist, Liberal Methodist andFundamentalist Independents, Post-Modern and Modernist, Salvation Army and Assembly of God, Seventh DayAdventists and Quakers, those who would study the Bible twenty-four-seven and those who work twenty-four-seven to help the poor in Jesus’ name. We need them all using their gifts and working together as a team for us to be the church God wants us to be.

This may surprise you, but we do not all agree with each other at Washington Cathedral- - - but, as followers of Christ we agree to respect people of all age, races, and cultures in the name of Jesus. We even respect those with whom we have very strong disagreements. I think this is one of the reasons that we are very good at reaching people who are very far from God with an authentic personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Make no mistake about it - this was why we were called together in the first place- - - to become a church- - - and it is why the majority of people love this church and its dream to fulfill the great commission by going into every ethnic group to make disciples.Disciples means “learners” - those who learn and do what Jesus did. We call this, “Building the greatest caringnetwork that the world has ever seen! Caring for the people we find and finding people to care.” Actually loving people in the name of Jesus and watching them in turn learn to grow close to Jesus and love others (it has had an amazing ripple effect if you have eyes to see). We have come a very long way, from nothing to where we are today, and we are just getting started. I have at least 20 more years in the ministry and I plan on handing off the helm of this church to a leader who believes in the collaborative method - empowering gifted people who will simply respect and walk with the leadership to innovate amazing ministries to reach and touch the world for Jesus Christ. That brings me back to the high priestly prayer of Christ.

"I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 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. Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the worldbegan! O righteous Father, the world doesn't know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I haverevealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them. (John 17:21-26)

For those who stick it out with Washington Cathedral, you can expect to kneel next to someone with whom you do not totally agree. You can expect to learn to love them and respect them because Christ's love, humility, and respect flows through your heart. Arrogant Christians will just not be comfortable in this church and I am sure there are plenty of fine churches to choose from if that is the kind of church you feel called to. How can so many peopledisagree and still learn patiently and miraculously to get along? They must have a feeling of humility and reject the feeling of spiritual superiority. Remember, the last shall be first and the first shall be last. Sure, every one of us feels like we are right or we would be less than sincere. But hopefully we know we are not God and our love for Jesus takes over so we are patient with one another - better yet, we flat out learn to love and enjoy one another and people know that we are Christians by our love. That is what will draw them and that is what will minister to our families as we enjoy the great adventure that we have been called and appointed for.

I will never be able to tell you enough times how much I love my friends who have joined in this great adventure andthose who are called to another part of the kingdom church too. I pray that we at Washington Cathedral learn tobecome a happy church living out the high priestly prayer of Christ.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White