Spreading a message of hope at Nicholls, the Baptist Collegiate Ministry hosted Spiritual Directions Week last week. The theme was “Religion or Relationship?” The BCM stressed that a true Christian walk is not about doing specific “religious” things such as pray, go to church on Sunday, or read your Bible to look good in the eyes of peers. How many of us just say “I go to ‘so and so’ church” just to look good for others.

The message was that a true Christian walk is about a real relationship with God Himself through Jesus Christ. John 14:6 states, “Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'”

The part of the week that impressed me the most was the ‘One Accord’ worship service on Thursday night when the BCM invited another active Christian student organization, Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, to join them. On a side note, Chi Alpha invited the BCM to join them last spring in a similar event called Jesus Week.

Just a routine worship service, right?

Throughout church history, though, Baptists and charismatics have not gotten along because of minor doctrinal differences. Not even on LSU’s campus does the BCM and Chi Alpha come together like they have here at Nicholls.

Even within Christianity, there have been denominational barriers, and I feel it’s time to get past it.

Think about this example for a minute: Imagine a mom and two kids walking around Wal-Mart and the two kids started fighting. Both may be right or both may even be wrong. Other people in store will start saying things like, “Look at that woman, she’s a bad mom, she can’t even control her own kids, they are animals!” Yet, the mom may have done nothing wrong.

I think it’s that way with unbelievers, they see that we can’t even get along and they blame God when it should be us. They’ll say, “Look, His children can’t even get along so why should we trust His people or God Himself.” Yet just like the mom, God has done nothing wrong.

I totally confess that it is our fault as believers that it happens. We get too caught up in what church we go to and not the person who gave us the opportunity to be able to go to church and worship Him in the first place.

On the flip side, imagine the kids getting along and sharing. They are two totally different kids, but the are unified. People will look at the mom and say, “Wow, she’s a great mom, her kids get along so well and share. I want to be like that!”

What kind of message does that send to unbelievers? They’ll know that God will accept them the way they are. The Bible is filled with a diversity of people, but are unified with the same purpose – salvation through Jesus Christ and sharing it with others.

Unity is not the same thing as unison. Unity means aiming after one goal or one purpose, while unison means doing the same thing at the same time.

In 1 Corinthians:12-14, the Bible stresses unity. It says, paraphrasing, “In the body of Christ there are many parts and they each have a different function, but they are all part of the same purpose and aim at the same goal because they are of the same Spirit.”

That purpose is to believe Christ as our savior, have a personal relationship with Him and share it with others.

I know for some of us that is a difficult concept to accept the fact that the God of the universe will actually take the time to know us personally. That is understandable.

But as a devout Christian myself, I want to share with you that it is very real. I gave my life to Christ when I was seven years old, and since then, my life has been amazing. Nearly 14 years later, I have no regrets about my decision and never will. I would not trade my life in Christ for anything.

I have gone through many difficult times and have also slipped up many times – we all do. It is through those times I never stopped trusting God to pull me through, and He has every time. On top of that, there is not a time I can think of where He did not give me more than what I was expecting.

This may surprise most of you, but I welcome trying and difficult times because I see them as a time to mature and grow in Christ. We can never mature if we don’t have trials or tests. I have always come out stronger because of them.

After a personal relationship with God is established through Christ, those things that are “religious” become part of us. We no longer see them as “religious,” but as another part of our life that we need just like food, water and shelter. That’s because true food, water and shelter are Christ himself.

In fact, I dislike the word religion, I just love Jesus.

We are not doing anyone any favors by refusing unity with other Christians. In fact, it is not biblical to reject others believers on the account of their denomination.

It’s not about what our differences are, it’s about our common goal.

I encourage all of us to pursue unity. Not just in our walk with God, but with everything we do.

If this has made you think about things and you aren’t involved with a church, I recommend that you visit the BCM or Chi Alpha and give Jesus a chance to work in your life through the fellowship of other Christians.

I seldom make promises I cannot keep. I promise you will not regret your decision to give Jesus a chance.

I hope I’m not coming off as arrogant or forceful because I’m not trying to, that’s completely not me. God has just done so much for me since I have given my life to him and lived it for him that I take joy in sharing it. God wants to work in everyone’s life, and that is why I’m sharing it. If there’s one sole purpose in my life, that is what it is.

All it takes is willingness on the person’s part and God will take care of the rest.

There are always believers in the BCM building waiting to talk to you. Chi Alpha meets on Thursday nights at 7 p.m. in LeBijou Theater, and a contact table will be in the Student Union from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Mar. 19.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. God bless you!