For this tribe the regalia will display a combination of colors which will, in most cases, include the color maroon... maroon being the dominant color for the tribe. Thus in recent years a call has emerged, which is designed to announce an individual's allegiance to this tribe or to bring this tribe together in support of some Aggie activity (e.g., a football game). This tribal pronouncement is made up of two words, "Maroon Up!".

Thus with the above explanation the reader of this narrative will perhaps understand the term I use to describe the the subject of this writing... "Church Up!". Like the Aggies, this tribe has a name. However, unlike the Aggies, this tribe doesn't seem to have clear-cut definitive characteristics.

As a whole they are termed Christians, but it seems that under this inclusive term lies a myriad of subsets called denominations. And as it seems with other examples of subsets that are bracketed under an all inclusive banner (e.g., Moslems, Native Americans) these Christian tribal subsets often are at war with each other. It seems they too will come into conflict over seemingly obscure interpretations of various elements of what many of them call "God's Instruction Manual" thus causing a division of the whole.

Perhaps these divisions are caused by the reader of the instruction manual. As it is with many instruction manuals they are often difficult to understand by the reader. Sometimes the manual is written using terminology that is unfamiliar to the reader. Or sometimes due to the readers lack of knowledge about the end result, the reader is not able to conceptualize what the writer is attempting to convey. And then there is the possibility that the reader does not have the ability to approach the instructions included in the manual from the same perspective as the author.

For whatever the reason it seems that these divisive elements permeate the overall tribe known as Christians. In addition, it seems that these interpretations, which appear to have been made hundreds or even thousands of years prior are still endorsed by current day tribal members with no attempts to establish the validity of these possibly antiquated interpretations. The truth or lack of truth of what these individual tribe members believe with regard to their subset is very seldom questioned and tends to invoke an intense loyalty to that subset.

Perhaps Paul wrote of a cause of this division in the third chapter of 1 Corinthians when he stated, "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly... mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, 'I follow Paul', and another, 'I follow Apollos', are you not mere men?"

It seems what Paul is attempting to say is that it is not all about subsets, which is of man/the world; it is about spiritual growth built upon the truth of Jesus. He goes on to write of the foundation on which this tribe of Christians is to be built and it is not on the beliefs or doctrines of subsets, it's on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Jesus tells Peter in Matthew 16:18 that the foundation on which the church will be built is not on a potpourri of subset dogmas based upon man's interpretations. It's upon the revelation/truth that is Jesus. And that He is the son of God... and that He has come to set men free from the law; the legalistic church. Jesus is the foundation (or Rock) upon which He will build His true church... not misinterpretations made by man whom Paul refers to as unspiritual, infantile, and worldly.

Thus unlike the unifying call, "Maroon Up!", of the Aggies, the call of the Christian tribe to "Church Up!" may not be as unifying. However, it seems as though this call is echoed in most every conversation among "Christian" individual's. Like most tribes these "Christian" individuals also have tribal characteristics that enable other members of "Christian" subsets (no matter to what subset they are joined) to recognize each other. Thus when these tribal individuals encounter each other, one of the first questions that is interjected into the conversation by either party is, "What church (subset) do you attend?", which, depending on the other's response, will immediately cause an acceptance or rejection of the other party. And whether verbal or mental, the conflict begins. In addition, if given an opportunity this conflict will ignite a flurry of verbal attempts by each party to sway the other toward the dogma of their subset. Now remember this attempt is based mainly on the belief that their subset is the only one of the two subsets represented at this chance meeting that embodies all Biblical truth. And also remember that the basis for each individual's belief in the legitimacy of their subset is based upon what Paul refers to as the unspiritual, infantile, and worldly views of mere man.

In Ephesians 4:13-16 Paul writes that the Christian tribe should focus on the attainment of " the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ; from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love." (ASV)

Fortunately studies have indicated that man must attach himself to tribal units. It is therapeutic. Man is tribal thus he can flourish in tribal situations. And the "assembling of ourselves together" appears, in its truest sense, to be healthy. Thus the coming together of people under the name of Jesus/truth is beneficial. It's only when we adhere to man's untruths and religious dogmas that we begin to have conflicts.

Since "Church Up!" may be in opposition to unity due to denominational dogmas, perhaps another the phrase would be better. The Aggie tribe's "Maroon Up!" represents unity and allegiance to one common entity. Could the call of Christians also indicate unity and allegiance to one entity... Jesus?

"JESUS UP!"

Selah.