The lone survivor of a shipwreck was stranded on a deserted island for years. Finally a ship came into view, and the lonely man frantically waved until he got someone’s attention. The ship stopped, and several people got into a smaller boat and came to shore to rescue the stranded man.

“What is this hut behind you?” asked one of the rescuers.

“That’s the house I built to live in”, came the reply.

“And what about that hut up the beach? What is it for?”

“I built that hut to be my church.”

“Oh, I see. Well, what about that hut farther up the beach?”

“Hmmmph!” the man snorted. “That’s where I used to go to church!”

Harmony can indeed be difficult to maintain in the local church. However, the Bible urges us to strive for it. Ephesians 4:3 says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

What can you do to promote unity and peace in your church?