Any discussion of ministry as education in Unity must start with Charles Fillmore’s well-known assertion about Unity:

Unity is a link in the great educational movement inaugurated by Jesus Christ; our objective is to discern the truth in Christianity and prove it. The truth that we teach is not new, neither do we claim special revelations or discovery of new religious principles. Our purpose is to help and teach mankind to use and prove the eternal Truth taught by the Master.

This quotation from our co-founder brings up two things we need to remember about education in a metaphysical Christian setting: (1) Unity is an educational movement, and (2) what we teach is not based on revelation but instead on demonstration.

An example of ministry as an educational movement.

An example of a very successful Unity ministry that relied almost exclusively on educational consciousness and skills is Eric Butterworth’s Unity of New York (Manhattan). Eric Butterworth is arguably Unity’s most celebrated minister. He had no Sunday school or any social justice ministry. His ministry was fundamentally an education program, held weekly, with a 45-minute lesson sandwiched between Olga’s meditation and a celebrated song performed by a nearby Broadway singer.[1] His Sunday education ministry was augmented by the summer programs he led. These were not cruises or interesting excursions but week-long retreats held at a college campus in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where people met in a gymnasium and slept in dorms.

Education was, for Butterworth, the mission of the ministry. It is true that the ministry he established in New York has not had the same attendance since his passing, but the number of people he has helped (and continues to help) over time has been enormous.

This may explain why Unity World Headquarters has been known for nearly all its existence as “Unity school.” I will discuss that in the next insight, Confidence Rests on Understanding.

Examples of ministries based on demonstration.

TruthUnity has many resources, but the ones that inspire me most are the profiles of those who taught classes in their kitchens, held services in their living rooms, and ventured forth to visit the sick and troubled with words of healing and prosperity. These people are my “cloud of witnesses.”[2] They did not worship Jesus; they followed Jesus. They are what Charles Fillmore looked for as collaborators in the great educational movement inaugurated by Jesus Christ.

Look over the list of Unity founders,[3] particularly at the significant number of women,[4] and African Americans[5], and spend some time with those who carry on the work of education in Unity today.[6] These people do not teach; they demonstrate.

Before you proceed to read Ministry as Education Consciousness and Skills, I encourage you to allow the work of these great metaphysical educators to enter your imagination with gratitude and faith.

[1] Eric Butterworth Unity Podcast. https://www.truthunity.net/ebup See the “long tail” of his ministry in the Podcast and in his new book, Practical Metaphysics. By the way, I have audio tapes of several of his summer retreats. Let me know if there is interest in recreating an Eric Butterworth summer retreat with five days of Zoom gatherings with audio replays followed by interactive discussion.
[2] Cloud of Witnesses. Hebrews 12:1. See: https://www.truthunity.net/cloud-of-witnesses
[3] https://www.truthunity.net/unity-founders
[4] https://www.truthunity.net/people/joyce-kramer
[5] https://www.truthunity.net/african-americans-in-unity/gallery
[6] https://www.truthunity.net/unity-ministers-and-teachers