BUILDINGS, children's work and style of worship.

Any idea what these three things have in common - apart from having an I' in each phrase?

Well, they all have the potential to divide a church.

When there was recently some Christian bickering' in your group or at your place of worship, no doubt one of the aforementioned was a likely candidate to be at the centre of it - but why?

Aren't we supposed to be characterised by being people of peace and didn't the Jesus we follow encourage us to love one another?

The answer may go back to the I' mentioned a moment ago.

That is the selfish I', better suited to the I want' of the toddler, pressing for certain things to be done in certain ways.

One minister once said to a colleague from a different denomination: "Well, of course we all do the Lord's work - you in your way and I in His!"

Whether he was joking, being provocative or just deliberately arrogant, I don't know - but what I do know is that we can get too tied up with making theologies out of our various opinions.

If we spend fruitless hours fighting silly little battles, would God really want to come to our Church?

Some might argue He hasn't been for years - a disturbing thought.

If God wouldn't want to come to our church, no wonder the majority in our community do not.

Fewer and fewer people engage in a Christian community, so this should be the focus of our energies and our discussions.

We recently asked the community about their views on faith.

Of 250 local people questioned, 87 per cent said they believed in a God of some description - not exactly the percentage we witness pouring into our churches.

Moreover, 22 per cent stated they prayed every day.

People are expressing their spiritual beliefs positively but are voting with their feet when it comes to the issue of church.

We need to re-examine what we do on Sundays and maybe why we do what we do.

There are no easy answers but I'd rather be a part of the solution than part of the problem.