In Lagrange, Ohio there was a wedding.  Weddings are pivotal moments in the lives of all families but for a blended family it is often filled with joy, pain and at times even tension.  Todd Cendrosky the stepfather of the bride found himself filled with mixed emotions wondering why after investing 14 years in raising his stepdaughter, he had to sit in the crowd and not walk her down 
the aisle.

Then the processional music began and the crowd was stunned to see Todd Bachman the biological father of the bride walking down the aisle alone without the bride. They watched him walk straight towards the bride’s stepfather grabbing him and saying, 'Hey, come with me. You've had just as big of a part in raising this child. It's time for you and I to walk OUR daughter
down the aisle together.'

Brittany Peck the bride said, "It meant the world to me. I've dreamed of this, ever since I knew that my stepdad was going to be my second dad. But I always knew in the back of my head that it wouldn't happen because …no one ever got along."

Todd Bachman said, "It's a shame more parents can't set aside their egos for an event like this.”  

What a statement to the church today.  Gene Wood in his book Leading Turnaround Churches states, “…that 95 percent of all serious problems in the church stem from a power struggle”. 

It is a shame that more pastors, lay leaders and parishioners can’t set aside their egos for the families, teenagers and children who are within reach of their ministry.

It’s a shame that more people can’t set aside their agendas, their personal comfort and their preferences for the mission of the church.

Paul prayed for the church to be unified and that God would be glorified. “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Romans 15:5-6 

Knowing that it will take both grit and grace to unify a church, Paul prayed for a supernatural endowment of God’s unifying power to fall on the church in Rome.

For a diverse network of churches to be better together it is going to take the God of endurance and God of encouragement to unify us together as we start and strengthen churches throughout our region.

The bride Britney Peck said this about her biological father Todd Bachman, "It amazed me how he could be such a strong man and give me away with my stepdad."

It took the Grit and Grace of one man to bring unity to his family, to heal relationships and to bless his daughter.

Pastor, may the God who gives grit and the God who gives grace empower you to unify your church, to achieve God’s mission and bring glory to His name.

Converge cannot do this mission without you…your heart, your attitude, your grit and your grace set the tone and direction for your church.

Pastor, just as Todd Bachman courageously unified his blended family, we need you to lead your church into a deeper partnership with Converge because Converge is Better Together with You.

BRIDE

“It is not the strength of the body that counts, but the strength of the spirit.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien