The local media in Huntington and Fort Wayne have said it, and now the Associated Press has relayed the word around the country: the United Brethren church has said it won’t unite with the Missionary Church. I just saw the AP story in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Our groups seemed like a near-perfect match–in doctrinal and behavioral standards, geographic location, mindset, types of churches, etc. The MCs, with much more happening in their midst than is happening in the UB church, were nonetheless willing to view us as equals. But the UBs, rather resoundingly, turned down the idea. Sorry, but no. We’re not interested.

Did this bring applause in heaven? Did the angels rejoice that the UBs decided to remain a separate entity? Did God breathe a sigh of relief, saying, “Now I can accomplish my special purpose for those 25,000 UB people”?

I wish the AP story could have told about this denomination, the one with the rich heritage in the 1700s and 1800s, that gave itself up for something better. It would have been a great example to the larger body of Christ. Other denominations would have looked at what the United Brethren did, found it admirable, and pondered issues of unity and partnership and self-sacrifice and Kingdom-building. “If the UBs could give themselves up in the interests of Christian unity and greater effectiveness, why can’t we?” In that way, we would have made a distinctive contribution to the larger Church.

But we rejected that in favor of…well, we don’t know what. But apparently, from what some people are saying, God has something special in mind for us. My view is that we said “No!” to the “special” thing, and he’s frustrated that we now expect him to provide an alternative. But I don’t really know. What I do know, or feel confident about, is that saying “No!” didn’t prompt any partying in heaven, and it’s not drawing the admiration of anyone who reads the AP story. And that continues to sadden me.