I am of...

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? – 1 Corinthians 3.1-4

I have quite a bit of experience with churches and pastors who were very concerned about what 'camp' people are in. I rang a church in Louisiana one time and the pastor's first question was 'what camp are you in?' I honestly did not understand so I asked what he meant. 'You know. Are you in Hyle's camp? Are you in Bob Jones' camp? Are you in the Pensacola camp? Are you in the Temple camp? What camp on you in? Who do you follow?'

One of the nice things about leaving the States and coming to a place where there is not an evangelical 'church on every corner' is that this 'camp' concept is not nearly so strong. but, i have learned, it is still there. 

Sometimes I feel like Christianity is kind of like sports. Who you follow identifies you. I like sports, and for most sports there is a team I follow. I am.huge fan of Irleland in rugby and football. I follow Chelsea in the Premiership. In American college football I support Alabama. In baseball I like the Braves. If I check in on the NFL I follow the Philadelphia Eagles. Alas, I am not much of a basketball fan. 

All that is fine, unless we obsess over it. But is it 'fine' if we identify with certain Christian circles as our Christian identity? 

It is simple enough. Disunity is carnality. Envy, strife, and divisions are of men, not of God. 

We must not let the carnality of disunity control our lives. There is no room for fandom of men or organisations in the work of God.