When Broken Churches Find Their Way Back Together

Faith Facts

• The Christian Chronicle has launched a special series profiling Churches of Christ that split apart but later reunited
• The first installment features two Pennsylvania congregations that merged decades after their original division
• The series will explore both negative and positive reasons behind church splits and the path to reconciliation

In a nation where division seems to be the order of the day, some Churches of Christ are proving that reconciliation and unity are still possible — even after decades of separation.

The Christian Chronicle has launched a special project called “Reunited,” profiling congregations that split apart but later came back together. The series offers hope and practical lessons for churches navigating conflict and division in an increasingly fractured culture.

The first installment of the series chronicles the remarkable story of two Pennsylvania congregations that merged to become one body, decades after their original split. The article, titled “Together again — decades after split,” shows how the pieces fit as God worked to restore what had been broken.

At the newly unified Cornerstone Church of Christ in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, the evidence of God’s reconciling power is visible in every gathering. Elders Josh Dove, Jeff Custer, and Rick Elam, along with member Pedro Delgado, recently prayed for Ariana Boyd after her baptism — a beautiful picture of unity in Christ that transcends past divisions.

The “Reunited” series will explore both negative and occasionally positive reasons that led to church splits, examining what caused the divisions and, more importantly, what brought these congregations back together. In doing so, the project aims to provide valuable insights for churches facing their own challenges to unity.

For Christians who hold to traditional biblical values of reconciliation, forgiveness, and unity in the body of Christ, these stories serve as powerful reminders that what God has joined together can be restored, even when human conflict has torn it apart. The series underscores the importance of humility, prayer, and a commitment to biblical principles over personal preferences.

As our culture becomes increasingly polarized and our institutions more divided, the witness of churches choosing unity over division carries profound significance. These congregations demonstrate that the gospel’s power to reconcile is greater than any human disagreement.

Additional articles in the “Reunited” series will be published in the coming weeks, offering more examples of churches that have overcome division to stand together once again.

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