Why Are There So Many Christian Denominations If Jesus Prayed We’d Be One?

Not long before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus prayed a prayer that was so intimate, so profound, that it's often referred to as His “High Priestly Prayer.”

Found in John 17, this moment reveals the very heart of God as Jesus lifts His eyes to heaven and prays—not just for His disciples, but for all who would come to believe in Him. That means us. You and me.

And what did He pray for?

“That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us… I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one.” (John 17:21, 23 ESV)

Perfectly one.

Not just vaguely unified. Not just getting along. But perfectly one—a unity that reflects the oneness between the Father and the Son.

That is staggering.

And yet, fast forward two thousand years, and estimates suggest there are now over 45,000 different Christian denominations in the world. That’s not a typo. Forty-five thousand.

Sometimes, when you meet another believer, the second thing you learn—right after their name—is their denomination. “Hi, I’m Jennifer. I’m Baptist.” “Nice to meet you, John. I’m Anglican.” “I’m Reformed.” “I’m Pentecostal.” “I’m non-denominational, but really, we lean charismatic.”

It’s not wrong to have identity or theology. But the fact that those distinctions are often introduced before we even get to know someone’s story, their love for Jesus, or how they came to faith—it reveals something deeper.

Somewhere along the way, we’ve drifted from the very thing Jesus pleaded for on our behalf.

What happened to "perfectly one"?

The Heart of Jesus for Unity

Jesus’s prayer wasn’t just wishful thinking. He prayed that we would be one so that the world might believe (John 17:21). There’s an evangelistic power in unity. When we love each other across divides, we reflect the love of the Trinity. When we refuse to let secondary doctrines become primary barriers, we show a different kind of kingdom to the world.

Jesus didn’t pray that we would all become the same. He didn’t pray away our cultures, expressions, or even theological wrestling.

He prayed for a unity that transcends our differences. A relational unity that reveals the God who is three-in-one.

So how do we get back to that?

1. Re-center Around Christ, Not Camp

So many church divisions have come from elevating a preference or practice to the level of a boundary line. But Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 3 not to say, “I follow Paul” or “I follow Apollos,” but rather to remember we are Christ’s. He is the foundation.

Let’s not be more loyal to a movement than to the Messiah.

Denominations can serve a purpose—providing structure, theological clarity, accountability—but they must never become idols. When we cling to our camp more than our Christ, we’ve missed the point.

Ask yourself: Am I more passionate about defending my denomination than about displaying the love of Jesus?

2. Move From Labels to Love

It's easy to hear someone's denomination and make assumptions. “Oh, she’s Pentecostal—she probably thinks I don’t have the Spirit.” “Oh, he’s Anglican—he must be all liturgy and no fire.”

But behind every label is a person. A story. A soul made in God’s image.

Let’s slow down and listen. Let’s ask, “How did you come to know Jesus?” before “What church do you go to?” Let’s cultivate genuine friendships that aren’t bound by theological uniformity but by shared faith in the risen Christ.

Jesus said the world would know we are His disciples by our love for one another—not our perfectly aligned doctrines (John 13:35).

3. Celebrate the Body’s Diversity

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul paints a picture of the Church as a body made up of many parts. Different roles, different gifts, different expressions—all unified under one Head: Christ.

We need each other.

We need the deep reverence of the Orthodox. The Scripture-saturated sermons of the Reformed. The spontaneous worship of the Charismatic. The social justice focus of the Methodists. The global mission vision of the Baptists. The beauty of ancient liturgy. The fire of revivalists. The structure of tradition. The hunger of new believers.

Imagine what could happen if we stopped competing and started collaborating. If we prayed for each other’s churches instead of critiquing them. If we borrowed the best from one another instead of believing we’ve already got it all right.

4. Remember the Real Enemy

Sometimes we act like other denominations are the opposition. But Paul says our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12).

Satan loves division. He knows that a fractured Church is a weak Church. He knows that when we fight each other, we stop fighting for the lost.

Unity doesn’t mean uniformity. But it does mean we link arms against the darkness instead of pointing fingers at each other.

Let’s not let the enemy win by dividing us from the inside.

So, What Can We Do?

We can’t fix 45,000 denominations overnight. But we can start in our own hearts. We can live out Jesus’s prayer for unity in our friendships, our churches, and our communities.

Here are a few ways:

• Pray Jesus’s prayer regularly—make John 17 your blueprint.

• Build bridges, not walls—invite someone from a different background to coffee.

• Speak well of other churches—even if they do things differently.

• Serve together across denominational lines—missions, youth events, worship nights.

• Focus on the core—Jesus crucified, risen, and returning. That’s the foundation.

A Final Thought

One day, all of us—Baptist, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Catholic, and every tribe and tongue who calls on the name of Jesus—will gather around the throne. And in that moment, no one will be asking about denominations. We’ll all be singing the same song: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain..."

Let’s not wait until heaven to start living like one family.

Let’s answer Jesus’s prayer—today.

Perfectly one. It’s possible. And it starts with us.

Blessings,