Grace Chapel Fellowship

Click here to read the entire chapter I wrote describing how this unity works. Here is the summary of that chapter:


A Listening People

I wonder if there isn’t widespread denial of human misunderstandings and power plays and just plain complexities regarding whatever is teamwork and unity. I have described what I believe is the common, practical, and most often unconscious view of unity extant today. Then I described an alternative kind of unity based on a different way of being with people, called Listening-as-a-Gift. It is a listening of respect and joy in being intensely and intentionally present together with each other and with God.

With this kind of unity there are only two groups of people excluded, those who withdraw and those who violate the rules of respectful listening. No one is excluded for any other reason.

In my work with Listening-as-a-Gift toward team building and unity, I have come to the following conclusions. First, this kind of unity fits the most life situations and makes the best sense of the most human relationship data. Second, this kind of unity demonstrates best how differences can be respected and empowered within the unity. Third, this kind of unity with its exclusion only of destructive elements demonstrates how I believe God dealt with evil. Fourth, this kind of unity demonstrates how God apparently operates toward humans, a silent Presence giving just enough encouragement to keep them talking.
 
I think American government, churches,  and businesses want to find ways to multiply, not restrict, the numbers and varieties of activities/forms, beliefs/languages, and mission/motives acceptable among them. I believe the practice of the Listening-as-a-Gift kind of unity will help us find creative ways not to let diverse forms or beliefs clash while keeping them vibrant. I believe Listening-as-a-Gift can help American people to find the win-win in every situation. Then we will be known as the “listening people”—together affirming, celebrating, and empowering our diversities, the United States of America!