Unity in ChristSample

Everyone gets a lanyard

Where were you on 2 October 2005? I know where I was. Anyone remember the sadly now defunct but forever legendary Black Stump Festival? Held over a few days in Appin, it was a genuine soupy melting pot of music, art, worship, teaching, curiosity, colour, community and dirt. Missiologist Mike Frost reflected on his own experience: “So many Christian bands and speakers got profiled there. It was dirty, tiring, messy, challenging, and really great fun. I’m sad we don’t have a raucous, rabble-rousing, boundary-stretching event like this in Australia anymore.”

It was a grainy polaroid picture, a heart-on-sleeve mix tape, a chaotic gluey collage of the body of Christ in action – with all its gifts, doubts, hopes, stumbles and fervour. One body (unity), many parts (diversity); we need each other and serve each other because we need and serve the same King. We’re one in Christ because we’ve won in Christ (come on, surely there’s a tapestry or coffee mug in that!).

Back to 2005. As the sun set on Black Stump, it was epic; it had it all, lives changed, Jesus praised. Well, that’s what I’m told. I wasn’t there. I had another body with many parts to take care of… another family of believers to believe with… another melting pot to dive into… another… ok I’ll stop. Black Stump lanyard around my neck, I snuck up the road to unite with my family of strangers at the Appin Hotel to watch my Tigers claim a Grand Final victory over the Cowboys. Hallelujah?

Written by JUSTIN KENDALL