The word tribe is defined by Webster's Dictionary as "A group of persons, families, or clans believed to be descended from a common ancestor and forming a close community under a leader. Any group of people having the same occupation, habits, ideas, etc." Based on this definition, many of us are classified into many 'tribes' based on our life and the circumstances in which we are thrusted into. From birth, we are automatically based in at least three or more 'tribes' based on your skin color, nationality, and family name. In one realm of thought, you can think of this as being in the 'Caucasian' tribe. Or you can be in the "American" tribe. Or you can look at yourself as in the 'Smith' tribe. As we progress through life, we will join other tribes and we will leave other tribes. In adulthood, we will join the tribe of adults while leaving the tribe of adolescents. We may join the tribe of carpenters as a career profession. We may join the middle-class tribe in reference to socio-economic status. We may even join the tribe of being an Oakland Raider's fan. Spiritually, we may worship Jesus, the Lion from the tribe of Judah within the 'tribe' of "Presbyterianism". No matter where you are in life, you are viewed as a member of multiple tribes and our society will view you by the tribes you keep as well as the tribes you distance yourself from.

In fact, within a 'tribe', there can be groups within the main tribe. There is a tribe of Native Americans that consists of the sub-tribes of Navahos, Cherokee, etc. There is a 'tribe' of Christianity that consist of the Pentecostal, Methodist, etc. denominations. Within every group there is a faction that goes out to explore a common interest above and beyond the common theme of the group. The same can apply to the individual church where there is a sub-group of musicians, teachers, prophets, helps, administrators, etc. They are still a member and contribute to the big picture. However, within the big picture, they have discovered a little facet of the picture that they like to learn about and explore.

We see in Genesis chapter 49 where Jacob, lying on his death bed, calls his sons together to prophecy over them what will happen to them in the last days. Each of the twelve sons receives a prophecy detailing their eternal destiny. In verses 16 and 28 (and in numerous places in the Old Testament thereafter), we see that these sons of Jacob are referred to as the twelve tribes of Israel. If one looks throughout the Old Testament, one will see some men listed as sons of men who descended from certain tribes.

However in the New Testament, we see the focus and shift go from tribes to the one and collective body of Christ preparing itself to be the spotless bride of Christ. Instead of twelve tribes that descended from the father of many nations in Jacob, we see twelve apostles that spiritually descended from Jesus. Where the twelve tribes of Israel divided the land and blessings of Jacob and went their separate ways, the twelve apostles went out together to separate lands to perform one mission called the Great Commission to create the one Body of Christ with it's many parts. Each part of the body has separate functions and separate needs but the individual parts of the body was the summation of the whole body. In fact, the translation of the word 'tribes' in the Genesis 49 text is the Hebrew word 'shebet' which means literally 'a branch'. These branches of the twelve sons came from the 'vine' called Jacob. In John 15, we see that Jesus calls himself the 'vine', God the Father the 'vinedresser' and the twelve disciples the branches. The pruning of three of Jacob's sons as unhealthy and evil 'branches' can be easily correlated to the pruning of branches from the vine as described in John 15. Where the Genesis 49 prophetic account referred more to a physical people, the John 15 account refers to more a spiritual people. We saw in the Genesis 49 account twelve nations being formed and going from a gathering to a scattering state of separation while the words in John 15 were spoken to bring forth one body of Christ consisting of scattered peoples now gathered together in Biblical unity for one purpose.

It is easy to see today that we have many 'tribes' within Christianity that we refer to as 'denominations'. Where the Biblical model shows us as one body with many parts, why do we via our denominations unfurl ourselves as many parts thinking we are different bodies? When the different denominations unveil their flags and their cheap shots at other denominations calling themselves the God's chosen denomination, we have a problem. As our unity disguised as unanimity becomes the driving force of our actions instead of coming together as one body with many parts for one purpose, we see a sick, unhealthy, and dysfunctional body of Christ because these denominations of different parts have told the other denominations of differing parts that they can function without the other parts contrary to the words in 1 Corinthians 12. It is unfortunate that on earth, we as Christians will have to function as different Christian beliefs until we get to heaven and realize that in heaven there is only one body of believers.

Since we have 'tribes' that we call denominations here on planet earth today, we are now as Christians identified by our denominations. Well I am (the tribe of) Pentecostal. Well I am (the tribe of) Baptist. Well I am (the tribe of) non-denominational and so forth. We may have our different tribes of different denominations but we need to remember that they are still one part of the body of Christ. We may see ourselves as different tribes and different branches of the vine, but God sees us as one body and he sees us as one organic and living vineyard. However, the things that we do that distinguishes ourselves as different tribes of Christ must be done in the name of Jesus to bring glory to God and edify the church. However, there are some today who have taken their pride of tribes and have crossed the line into the area of being 'tribal'. Where God has called us to be separate from the world even though we have distinguished ourselves as tribes called denominations, some have crossed the line of tribes by acting 'tribal' to where their actions they call God is so close and even copies the rituals and cultures of tribal pagans and try to Christianize them to sanitize them.

Click here for part three of this article.