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Steven Fry has recorded four Christian worship albums, including the Dove Award-nominated We Are Called. He authored the key prayer song for the Promise Keepers "Stand in the Gap" assembly in Washington, D.C. Steve is also a conference speaker and author. He's the president of Messenger Fellowship, a network of churches and leaders seeking to model ministry that is spiritually fresh while maintaining biblical integrity. He lives in Brentwood, Tennessee, with his wife, Nancy, and their three children.

The linkage between unity (practically expressed in forgiving, encouraging, and being patient with each other) and the Lord's presence is critical. At a conference for pastors, I witnessed how unity prepares the way for worship. For a couple of days, I'd sensed an undercurrent of tension. I eventually realized that rifts had surfaced between the planning team and the two worship leaders.

On the second night, one worship leader deferred to the other—in the middle of the set—by inviting her to lead worship for the rest of the evening. The atmosphere of the gathering promptly changed. I sensed a dramatic easing of tension. The rest of the conference was marked by a sense of holy exhilaration—the stuff that defines the kind of life God desires to give. Worshiping God had tenderized that worship leader to his need for humility. By humbling himself, he created a context in which the Holy Spirit could unify hearts and impart life.

Adapted from Discipleship Journal (Tyndale, 2001) by permission.

Copyright © 2005 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine. Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.

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Prayer for the Week

Give me the love it takes, Lord Jesus, to live in harmony with the people You died for.

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