It may seem paradoxical but there is a tremendous value in focusing on our differences in order to  build our unity.  Often when people are looking to build unity they rush quickly to points of agreement, overlooking or minimizing differences, and never really exploring the significance of divergent values.  If we really want to build a unity that is strong, can literally withstand the test of time and the test of difficulties, we need to build a unity that is fully cognizant of the diversity and divergent within it. Without that awareness there will exist a hundred cracks and potential points of failure that we have never examined, fully explored, or understood.  The Apostle Paul recognized the strength of unity in diversity when he described the church in 1 Corinthians 12 as a body of many parts.

 1 Corinthians 12:14–18 (ESV)
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.

The goal of unity is not to eliminate differences, or even divergent values. We do not need, nor do we want to come to a perfect agreement on every value, and the weight that every value should hold in our church.  If there is perfect alignment of every value and its priority, then the church would sing one song, pray one prayer, preach one message, have only one ministry, and focus on only one thing.  We need diversity within our unity, and we are able to accomplish diversity while mainting unity only when we have taken the time to identify and explore where our individual values and priorities are dissimilar.

Here are just a few values that may explain what I am getting at:

a) Is the emphasis of the church primarily on reaching and caring for the lost, or is it the care and health of the community of believers?
b) In the area of the great commission, are we primarily called to a ministry of proclamation... to come and see Jesus, or of justice... to go and be Jesus.
c) In the area of evangelism is the method to be apologetic... declaring truth, or to be missional, displaying truth lived out.

d) What should we be measuring? - Bodies or maturity? New ministries or newly equipped ministers?

The answers are not defined as right and wrong, they are defined by the gifts and passions of the body of Christ.  By focussing on and recognizing our diversity in answering these questions, we are then able to build a powerful unity around our common value of Jesus Christ, and His transformational ministry in the world.