If you scroll through TikTok, Reels, or YouTube, it won’t take long to see Christians arguing with each other. Sometimes it feels like believers spend more time debating one another than showing the love of Jesus to the world.
And if you’re like a lot of people in Metro Detroit, you might see the proliferation of different church campuses and wonder: If Christians all read the same Bible, why are there so many different churches?
It’s a fair question. And the truth is, Christians have disagreed for centuries—about worship, traditions, even little things like the color of the carpet. In fact, some estimates suggest there are over 33,000 denominations worldwide. That can leave outsiders (and even insiders) feeling confused.
But here’s the good news: disagreements don’t erase the central truth of Christianity. Church division doesn’t negate our ultimate need for truth and salvation. At the heart of it all is Jesus.
Disagreements Aren’t New
Even the first Christians struggled with division. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth urging them to stop fighting over which teacher they followed. He reminded them with a simple but powerful question:
“Is Christ divided?”
The point was clear—faith isn’t about which pastor you listen to or which denomination you belong to. It’s about who Jesus is and what He’s done.
Jesus Himself even prayed for His followers’ unity in John 17—“that they may all be one… so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
Unity isn’t about uniformity, that is, all churches or church practices looking the same. It’s about keeping Christ at the center.
Why Do Christians Disagree?
So why do these disagreements keep happening? A few reasons:
• Human nature (sin): We’re wired to argue, sometimes about small things that don’t even matter.
• Different interpretations: Not everyone reads the Bible the same way.
• Tradition vs. Scripture: Some churches add layers of tradition alongside the Bible, while others hold tightly to “Scripture alone.”
• Secondary issues (Adiaphora): Things like worship styles, what day to meet, or how churches are structured. These aren’t essential to salvation but often cause division.
The challenge? Sometimes Christians treat non-essentials as essentials—and that’s when conflict gets ugly.
The Essentials We Can Agree On
Here’s where Christians can find unity:
✔️ God created us.
✔️ Jesus is fully God and fully man.
✔️ He lived, died, and rose again to save us.
✔️ Salvation is by grace through faith—not by being “good enough.”
These are the closed-hand truths—the essentials that define Christianity.
Other issues? They belong in the open hand—we can discuss, debate, and even disagree while still being brothers and sisters in Christ.
What This Means for You
If you’ve looked at Christianity and thought, “It’s just a bunch of people fighting with each other”—you’re not wrong. Christians don’t always get it right.
But here’s the bigger truth: Jesus prayed for unity, not perfection. The heart of Christianity isn’t about winning arguments—it’s about a Savior who laid down His life for you.
At Shepherd’s Gate, we know people come from all kinds of church backgrounds, or none at all. You’re welcome here no matter where you’re starting from.
At the end of the day, it’s not about labels or denominations. It’s about Jesus.
Want to explore faith without pressure? Come sit with us one Sunday in Shelby Township. No matter your background, you’ll find a community learning (and sometimes disagreeing!) together—but always centered on Jesus.
