Searching for a Winner: Church Unity: Diversity Demands Use of Problem-Solving Devices; Examples: Greek Phalanx & an Orchestra
	14)	A local church that operates on a grace policy is made up of people who come from different backgrounds.  This diversity may include different cultures, nationalities, races, economic status, educational achievement, and social level.  The only sure areas of agreement are the gospel of salvation and positive volition to the teachings of the Word of God.
	15)	It is impossible for such a diverse group of people to speak the same thing since they do not possess the same inventory of ideas.  There will inevitably be conflict because of differing personal opinions and preferences.
	16)	The advanced believer must be willing to be flexible with the baby believer.  He must not take things too seriously and he must avoid Operation Over-Think.   
	17)	In addition, he must use his wisdom to identify the areas of spiritual blindness that are the cause of misunderstandings, the source of Fundy comments, and the reason for certain attitudes and opinions expressed by the baby believer.
	18)	Grace orientation, unconditional love, and sensitivity toward others result in overlooking faults and shortcomings and when sin, human good, and evil are involved to defer the case to the Supreme Court of Heaven under the Royal Law.
	19)	When advanced believers provide the spiritual leadership within the local body then eventually doctrine brings the others up to speed.
	20)	Such leadership restores unity and is the source of the membership’s ability to develop the mutual mental attitude of exoterike harmonia: group harmony.
	21)	Group harmony puts a majority of the church into the double column phalanx where through reciprocity there is a collective motivation to achieve the same objective: the same purpose or intention which is to glorify God and serve Him.
	22)	That objective is fulfilled by individual execution of the sophisticated spiritual life and the collective accomplishment of invisible historical impact.
	23)	Along the way there will be problems, disagreements, and differences of opinion, but these may be handled quickly by those involved utilizing rebound, then getting their shields up, and continuing the advance.
	24)	 When members of the phalanx get out of fellowship the result may be compared to the hoplite who fails to maintain his place in his rank and file.
	25)	If he breaks the line because of anger, fear, jealousy, gossip, bitterness, hatred, envy, perversity, lying, malice, revenge motivation, revenge tactics, vituperations, or violence then he is like the hoplite who veers to the right to seek the protection of his rankmate to the right thus exposing to danger his rankmate to the left.
	26)	Believers must support each other.  However, the rules are that you can’t choose who your rankmates may be.  The phalanx is open to anyone who wishes to enter the column.
	27)	The Holy Spirit is the recruiting Officer and God decides into which phalanx to assign new believers.  Therefore, veteran believers must understand that there will be a constant flow of New Recruits.
	28)	As Alexandros’s mentor Dienekes counseled him, so also veteran believers must demonstrate the system of thinking that doctrine has provided them by articulating divine viewpoint in the things they say to rookie believers.
	29)	I am not suggesting that members in the church pair off: mentor and protégé.  Absolutely not!  I am suggesting that those who know doctrine use their doctrine so that those who don’t know very much can learn by their example.
	30)	Another example of exoterike harmonia is the orchestra.  Each musician has an instrument assigned and notes to play.  The trombonist does not play the score assigned to the violinist.  Rather he plays the notes assigned to him at the appointed time and in the right order.  Even this may be distorted by playing off key: sharp or flat; applying the wrong dynamic: fortissimo when it should be pianissimo; or the wrong tempo: presto when it should be largo.
	31)	The notes assigned to each individual consist basically of seven, the exact number of extent spiritual gifts assigned to the body of Christ.  A coincidence, I’m sure, but it makes a great illustration.
	32)	Each of you has a spiritual gift.  If you have been assigned the duty to play the notes of a trombone do not criticize others for not playing when you play.  Their score requires them to pick the banjo and they do a great job of the Earl Scruggs three-finger roll when it’s time for them to play.