There are different ways to distinguish a church from a cult. Churches hold to a broad consensus of orthodox beliefs while cults invariably elevate a small number of uniquely unorthodox beliefs. Churches tend to foster a context in which leaders are accountable to their congregations while cults tend to foster a context in which leaders demand mindless obedience. Churches expect loyalty to the word of God while cults expect loyalty to the words of a charismatic leader. And then there is this: Churches tend to reflect unity amid diversity while cults tend to display unity premised upon uniformity.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is meant to transform those who believe it to such a degree that communities structured around it are markedly different from those that are not. When the gospel is honored and valued, it fosters love and unity among people who would otherwise be cold and distant. And in that way gospel communities should reflect a kind of gospel diversity—a community in which a diverse group of people honor, enjoy, and serve one another.
As we look around a church we ought to see people with a wide range of differences experiencing the deepest kind of unity—different races and ethnicities, different ages and socioeconomics, different convictions on politics, different convictions on education, different convictions on vaccinations, and so on. The gospel that was sufficient to bind Jew to Gentile and Gentile to Jew is sufficient to bind any two—or any two hundred—Christians together. The gospel that fostered unity between vegetarians and meat-eaters is plenty strong enough to foster unity between maskers and non-maskers.
Yet a little honest self-examination will probably reveal that we all have a cultist lurking within ourselves. We may pay lip service to diversity, but when it comes down to it we find that our natural instinct is toward uniformity—a uniformity to our own emphases, our own convictions, our own preferences.
We acknowledge that Christians have freedom to disagree when it comes to the ways we educate our children, yet find we look with a disparaging eye at those who have strong convictions that are the exact opposite of our own. We say that we want our church to reflect the ethnic diversity of the surrounding community, but then find that the traditions and ideals of another culture grate against our own. We distinguish between essential and non-essential beliefs—we may even say something like “in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity”—yet still find ourselves thinking how much better this church would be if we did not have to love people who believed this or acted like that. Like the strong toward the weak in Romans 14, we can despise people who live by different convictions, and like the weak toward the strong, we can so easily pass judgment on them.
The inner cultist tries to convince us that life would be better, relationships would be easier, the church would be safer, if only everyone was the same—the same as me. Yet such a community would display little of the gospel because it would require little divine grace. It takes no divine power to foster community amid uniformity. But it takes great divine power to bind together those who are in so many ways so very different—those who continue to live by conscience, who continue to value their culture, who continue to hold to their convictions.
So when you look out at your church and see a person whose convictions are opposite yours on a key issue, be grateful that you are part of the same church. When you see a person who places great value on what is so uninspiring to you and places little value on what is so close to your heart, be thankful that God has bound you together. When you look out and see diversity, don’t let your heart long for uniformity. For that would be a longing to be part of a cult rather than a church.

This week the blog is sponsored by The Master’s Academy International (TMAI).

As you come into God’s presence each day, may you be reminded that He’s at work among the nations.
To help you with that, Declaring His Glory Among the Nations is yours to enjoy for free from The Master’s Academy International—a global training ministry that began at the request of local pastors around the world.
Request your free copy today. Available to U.S. address only.
The Origins of TMAI
When the Soviet Union finally collapsed 30 years ago, a group of Christians in Ukraine used their freedom to contact John MacArthur. 
Many of these men were pastors, and several of them had spent time in Soviet prison. But now that they were free, they wanted to pursue what was only until that point a dream—formal training in Bible exposition.
They were asking if perhaps John and other trained men could visit Ukraine and teach a conference.
In God’s providence, the conference came together and went off with success. 
But afterwards, Ukraine’s pastors knew they still needed more training, so they asked John MacArthur to help send them full-time teachers. Through this and more providences, what began as a conference eventually became a seminary—and in time, a model for an international training ministry.
The Model of TMAI’s Ministry
Today, Ukraine’s story isn’t so unique anymore. Similar requests for pastoral training have poured in from every major region of the world. And as missionaries began to answer these calls and head to the field in greater numbers, The Master’s Academy International (TMAI) was formed to unite these training efforts. 
To date, God has blessed TMAI with 17 training centers across the globe—and that number is expected to double in the next 5 years. But as a testimony to the world’s ongoing need for trained pastors, it’s crucial to note that TMAI’s students and alumni represent 86 different countries. Clearly the harvest is plentiful and the workers are few—and that’s exactly why our work must remain focused for maximum impact.
In line with our Lord’s Great Commission, TMAI’s target mission is to make disciples who declare His glory among the nations. But unlike many modern missionary efforts, TMAI strategically invests in local church leadership. The reason is simple: Training one pastor strengthens an entire congregation. By investing in the maturity of these men, TMAI helps to ensure that they’ll be equipped to go forward and raise another generation of biblically sound disciples. And in this spirit of discipleship, TMAI’s long-term goal is to see each and every training center entrusted into the hands of a 100% indigenous faculty who will continue this work for years to come. By God’s grace, this goal has already been realized in over half of our current schools.
Enjoy Our FREE Gift to You
John MacArthur has said of TMAI, “I believe the history and impact of these schools is the greatest missions story of our time.” 
To help you see more of what God is doing through this global network of training centers, we’d like you to hear for yourself how Scripture rings in the hearts of these men on the field. Over 200 church leaders from TMAI’s faculty and graduate bodies have come together to create a year-round devotional titled Declaring His Glory Among the Nations that we’re shipping to you for free while supplies last.
“As you read each devotional, you’ll see and be reminded that no matter the need or issue—whether it’s witchcraft in Malawi, gang violence in Honduras, or persecution in the Middle East—God’s word has the answers. Scripture alone is supreme and sufficient—its truth transcends location, language, culture, and worldview” (back cover). 
Please enjoy this free resource as a reminder of the global nature of gospel ministry and the unchanging glory of God. Reminder for U.S. addresses only. 
Request your free copy today at www.tmai.org/challies.
Learn more how to support TMAI at www.tmai.org.

The Lord bless and keep you today.

(Yesterday on the blog: What Can God Do With Broken Hearts?)
Turning Toward Light
Andrea Sanborn: “Pessimism is my soul’s default setting. Even when life is filled with blessing, melancholy has always been my temperament’s natural course. As a result, it has been the work of my Christian life to turn away from the darkness and look up, look away, notice beauty and give thanks. ”
Pray for Jennifer
I frequently link to Jennifer Myhre’s blog. (You may know her from her excellent books for kids where she is credited as J.A. Myhre). Her husband recently posted on it that she was in a terrible accident and is in need of prayer.
Kanye the Pious
I found this an interesting look at Kanye, his new album, and his critics. “If you were to read half-a-dozen reviews of Kanye West’s latest album, Donda — and I recommend that you don’t —you would learn chiefly that West is a bad person. He’s a bad person for associating with social undesirables; he’s a bad person for supporting Donald Trump; he’s a bad person for hosting album release parties; he’s a bad person because he’s a navel-gazing egomaniac with suspect spirituality; he’s even a bad person for learning how to value women from his experience of having daughters.”
The Roman Catholic Call to Confusion
Keith Mathison: “What Protestants should understand is that once a person accepts the philosophical principles of skepticism, there is no certainty anywhere, and the choice to convert to Roman Catholicism can no longer possibly be a rational choice. At best it can only be an irrational leap of faith, but that leap has no more rational grounds than any other leap – be it into Mormonism or the cult of Jim Jones. The Kool-Aid is the same.”
A Critical Theorist Worth Reading
I benefitted from reading Carl Trueman’s review of a book by a critical theorist.
God Cares for Every Christian More than You Know
I expect that many of us could use this reminder. “When we think of others in the Christian community, we are to realise that we are like little children. We are all dependant on God for our salvation. Even the most capable and respected among us are forgiven sinners, so we need to view others in the church as our brothers and sisters, our equals in God’s sight.”
Flashback: What’s the Purpose of … Marriage?
The highest purpose of marriage is to display to the world the sacrificial love of Christ for his bride, the church.

…the battle for our Sundays is usually won or lost on the foregoing Saturday night, when time should be set aside for self-examination, confession and prayer for the coming day. —J.I. Packer