I love sandwiches.

I realize that isn't the most unique thing about me. After all, sandwiches are far from unique in and of themselves, and eating them is something that roughly 10/10 Americans do on a regular basis. But what I think IS different about me is that I love sandwiches (particular sub sandwiches) more than I love just about any other food. If given a choice to go just about anywhere to eat, I will choose, almost every time a place with subs. And, if my life ever takes a u-turn and I am given the chance to choose a 'last meal' before my execution, I'm probably going to choose a sub over every other food.

So, like I said, I love sandwiches.

More specifically than that, I love Italian sub sandwiches, and every sub shop I go to, if possible, I order the Italian sub. But even though each one is called an 'Italian Sub,' each one is different:

- Subway's isn't the best, but I've eaten it for so long (including four years of employment as a Sandwich Artist) that even though I know it isn't very good, I still love eating them.

- Penn Station's is outstanding, especially for a hot sub (I prefer them cold), despite it's high price.

- Fire House's is as good as Penn Station's (and very similar), though it has more meat on it (and the more meat the better).

- Goodcents' is my go-to - it has the best combination of quality and price, and their bread is as soft as a pillow. Anytime you can compare your bread to a pillow, that's a good thing.

- Jimmy John's is the one I love the most, even if they always put too much lettuce on it.

On and on I could go. The point, though, is this: an Italian Sub is an Italian Sub, no matter where you go. They all have pepperoni and salami and provolone cheese and spicy mustard and some type of ham and some type of peppers. And while each one brings something different to the table, they're all pretty much the same.

Why do I bring this up? Simple - the church is just like an Italian Sub.

And, by 'the church,' I mean the church at large, not just the church I'm affiliated with. Sure, there are differences between denominations and traditions, but just like every Italian Sub has the same main ingredients, each church that centers itself on Jesus Christ has enough in common with every other that the details shouldn't matter. A church should just be a church.

'But Drew!', you may be interjecting. 'What about all the differences between churches? What about sound doctrine and practice? WHAT ABOUT BEING BIBLICAL!?'

To which I reply, good questions, all of them (though there's no reason to shout). 

The truth is, while Jesus undoubtedly called for unity, among His earliest followers, unity did NOT mean conformity. In fact, during the first generation of believers, there was a major disagreement about how Jews and non-Jews could possibly co-exist in the same church. That was an understandable concern; after all, the Jews held tightly to their past (divinely given) traditions, and non-Jews didn't. How could they possibly be united?

The answer, as it turned out, was fairly simple: they compromised.

I know - that's radical thinking. But it's really what happened. Instead of fighting about what made them different, they celebrated that what Jesus did, He did for everyone, and the new way of life they led was one that transcended cultures and social constructs and traditions. They were able to co-exist, not because they all thought alike or acted alike, but instead, because they recognized that while there were a great many differences between them, that in Christ, those differences simply didn't matter.

Diversity, then, was okay. It was even celebrated and encouraged.

There's a lot we can learn from them, and we can start by recognizing there's a lot that we can learn from the various 'types' of Christians that are out there.

We can learn a lot about self-discipline and perseverance from liturgical churches.
We can learn a lot about passion and excitement from charismatic churches.
We can learn a lot about biblical accuracy from conservative churches.
We can learn a lot about unconditional, scandalous love from progressive churches.
We can learn a lot about living out our faith in outside of the four walls of the church from our brothers and sisters who don't attend any church at all.

In the end, then, we need to realize that while each Italian Sub is different, every Italian Sub has something to bring to the table. And while each Christian is different, every community of Christians has something to bring to the table as well. Sometimes, the grace we need to offer the most isn't just to those who are separated from God and in desperate need of salvation, but instead, is to the Christian brother or sister that we've ignored for so long because, in our mind, they're 'wrong' or 'heretical' or just 'different.' We need to realize that Christ never demanded conformity to anyone other than Him, and that conformity has always been possible in a welcoming, diverse environment of honest faith.

I realize these thoughts aren't that unique. In fact, they're precisely what so many have said over the last two thousand years of an ever-changing, ever-evolving faith in the never-changing, completely transcendent Christ. So, why do I bring them up?

Jesus wants the church to be well; He wants His bride to be one of grace, compassion, and understanding. He wants that because loves the church. He loves her desperately, unconditionally, and in a way that none of us can truly put into words.

He even loves her more than I love sandwiches.