Despite Jesus' prayer that all Christians "be one," divisions have been epidemic in the body of Christ from the beginning to the present. We cluster in theological groups, gender groups, age groups, ethnic groups, educational and economic groups. We criticize freely those who disagree with us, don't look like us, don't act like us and don't even like what we like. Though we may think we know why this happens, Christena Cleveland says we probably don't. In this eye-opening book, learn the hidden reasons behind conflict and divisions. Learn: • Why I think all my friends are unique but those in other groups are all the same • Why little differences often become big sources of conflict • Why categorizing others is often automatic and helpful but can also have sinister side effects • Why we are so often victims of groupthink and how we can avoid it • Why women think men are judging them more negatively than men actually are, and vice versa • Why choices of language can actually affect unity. With a personal touch and the trained eye of a social psychologist, Cleveland brings to bear the latest studies and research on the unseen dynamics at work that tend to separate us from others. Learn why Christians who have a heart for unity have such a hard time actually uniting. The author provides real insight for ministry leaders who have attempted to build bridges across boundaries. Here are the tools we need to understand how we can overcome the hidden forces that divide us.
"Cleveland wants us to engage in building bridges and dismantling the existing divisions as soon as we put the book down. In the closing chapters she equips the reader with tools for the work of reconciliation. She provides us with a biblical foundation for cross-cultural unity and explains how to overcome our cognitive and emotional biases. . . . Disunity in Christ is not only a source of education, but is also a source of hope that the work of reconciliation is possible, necessaryand not done in vain."
Ryan Herring, Sojourners, July 2014
"Cleveland tackles a thorny topic by sharing pieces of her own story. She is appropriately vulnerable and honest about the ways she has sought to grow in her view of other Christians with whom she disagrees. This is a great resource for the pastor or lay leader serious about bridge building in a Christian culture that can sometimes be obsessed with fortifying boundaries and walls."
Andrew E. Stoddard, Leadership Journal, Winter 2014
"A well-researched and readable book on the issue of disunity that all of us pastors face but are able to do little about once the wheels are set in motion. Helped to remind me of the importance of dealing with potential problems before they blossom into something more sinister."
Dave McDowell, "The 2014 Leadership Book Awards," Leadership Journal, Winter 2014
