I came across a little anecdote about our founder, D.L. Moody, in my doctoral research that I thought you’d appreciate. As you probably know, Moody was particularly disturbed by the disunity he saw in Christian churches and denominations in the mid-eighteen hundreds. He reached across dividing lines and built friendships with all kinds of people for the sake of the Gospel.
In his hometown of Northfield, Massachusetts, a dispute arose between a traveling evangelist and a Bible scholar learned in higher criticism. The animosity flew both ways. The evangelist thought the Bible scholar arrogant and disengaged from God’s work. The scholar thought the evangelist simple and dull. Moody was distressed by this acrimony, and got them both together in his office hoping for peace. After a long and heated discussion that went nowhere, Moody, growing tired of listening and realizing they were getting nowhere, started praying out loud to bring things to a close: “God bless our brother higher biblical critic and qualify him for his great work. God bless our brother listener and strengthen him for the load that has been laid upon him. God bless our brother accuser and give him more love. Amen.”*
And that was the end of the matter. I love how Moody’s simple prayer cut straight through all the noise to the heart of the matter. Moody had little patience for the kinds of divisiveness that often rips Christian brothers and sisters apart. He kept the main thing the main thing. The Gospel was the blazing center, and everything else diminished in its light. I think our world today needs more people like D.L. Moody. May God unite us in His truth and fill us with His grace!
For we are loved, more than we know!
*Washington Gladden, “Clear-Headed, BroadMinded, Great-Hearted,” The Congregationalist and Christian World (November 12, 1914), 234.
How would we respond if DL Moody asked us what direction is Moody Church going for the sake of the Gospel?