This lesson defines the growing trend of "Ecumencialism" and describes what the Bible says about striving for unity at the expense of all else.

1. Ecumenical
by
Brian Birdow
Sermon text:John 17 & 2 John 6-11
www.cmcoc.org

2. Objective of Lesson
1. Define Ecumenical
2. Why is it a growing trend
3. Unity through compromise…Is it biblical?
4. A challenge.

3. Ecumenical
• Representing a number of different Christian churches.
• Promoting or relating to unity among the world’s
“Christian churches”. Catholic
• Promoting or tending toward worldwide Christian unity
or cooperation. Inter-religious or interdenominational
unity.
• Ecumenism and ecumenical (oikomene)—the whole
inhabited world. Historically ref. Roman Empire.

4. Ecumenical
• Catholic
• Lutheran
• Wesleyan
• Methodist
• Episcopalian
• Baptist
• 7th day
• Islam
• Buddha
• Cogic
• Holiness
• Hindu
• Cowboy
• Mormon

5. Ecumenicalism
Why a growing trend?
• Family relationships—the desire to have us all
worship together. Co-sign or ignore the error.
• Luke 14:26 If anyone comes to me Me, and does
not hate his own father and mother and wife and
children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his
own life, he cannot be MY disciple.

6. Ecumenicalism
Why a growing trend?
• Friendship—-Don’t want to hurt others feelings; the
desire to be well liked among peers and friends.
• James 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not now
that friendship with the world is enmity with God?
Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world
makes himself an enemy of God.
• Enmity-enemy of someone, a deep and biter hatred.

7. Unity through comprise?
• John 17:17-24 …turn with me please….
• 2 John 5-11 …turn with me please…
Unity comes by abiding in the doctrine of Christ.
• Acts 2:42—And they continued steadfastly (devoted)
in the apostles doctrine (teaching) and fellowship,
and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
• John 14:16, 26—the apostles were guided by H.S.

8. The seed
• Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth sprout
vegetation, plants yielding seed according to
their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is
their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw
that it was good.
Every seed will bring forth after its kind!
• Watermelon seeds bring forth only watermelon.
• Cantaloupe seeds bring forth only cantaloupe.

9. The seed
• John 17:17—Sanctify (set apart, to make holy)
them in the truth, your word is truth.
• 1 Corinthians 4:17— Therefore I exhort you, be
followers (imitators) of me. For this reason I have
sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful
child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my
ways which are in Christ, just as I teach
everywhere in every church.
• 1 Cor. 11:1—Be followers of me, as I am of Christ.

10. The seed
• Luke 8:11 …the seed is the word of GOD…
• Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God is not
mocked, for whatever a man sows, this he will also
reap.
• For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the
flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the
Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

11. The Challenge
• “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in
sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that
your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt,
and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to
serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will
serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the
region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites
in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my
house we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:14-15