When my father was a boy growing up in Nashville, TN, he witnessed a particularly destructive church split. When the simmering feud broke into open conflict one Sunday morning the local sheriff was called in to seperate the parties and maintain order. Ultimately the church split with a sizable number of people leaving to worship elsewhere.
If my dad knew the reason for the division he never told me. In my own life and ministry, however, I've witnessed enough church conflict to understand something of the dynamics which lead to open division.
At one time I was convinced that most division within churches was personality based rather than doctrinally based. I am no longer sure of that assertion. From what I have seen and heard in various parts of the country it seems that much of the division going on in churches today does have a doctrinal flare to it. Among the restoration movement our situation is not unlike the division that occurred during the split among Churches of Christ and Christian Churches in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With increasing frequency it seems that fundamenal matters dealing with our view of God, the Bible, salvation and worship are becoming "ground zero" for much of the conflict I read and hear about today.
Every congregation is comprised of people who offer a variety of viewpoints on these and many other "issues." The larger the church the more varied and pronounced those differences tend to be. We need not wonder if conflict will arise in such settings. It will. The question is "how do we handle it?"
Conflict is neither right nor wrong in itself. It means that the beliefs, preferences and views of some are different than the beliefs, preferences and views of others. Sometimes those differences may concern matters of opinion or personal preference. At other times they deal with fundamental issues of faith and practice. The crucial matter concerning conflict - all conflict - is how we approach it.
As Paul wrote to his "sweetheart" church at Philippi he sought to address the conflict between two sisters, Euodia and Synteche. In Philippians 4:2 he urges these women to "agree with each other in the Lord." He further instructs his "loyal yokefellow" to help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel" Philippians 4:3. Paul's answer to the question of divisiveness is quite evident, Agreement is to be found, "in the Lord."
Given the context of the letter Paul's admonition for these two women must mean that they are to possess the mind of Christ he refers to earlier in Philippians 2:3-4, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
We do not know what the matter of dispute was between these two Christian sisiters. Whatever it was the only solution for it was to be found, "in the Lord." Is not the same true today?
Whether the matter at hand is doctinal or preferential in nature much of the division that exists within the brotherhood could be eleminated if we practiced the spirit of unselfishness Paul sets forth. If more of us had the hearts of servants as demonstrated by the "mind of Christ" - Philippians 2:5-8 and fewer of us insisted on "our way or the highway," we could often keep conflict from becoming the deadly divisive demon that cripples the church, divides families and brings heartbreak and sorrow into the body of Jesus.
We do not know what the matter of dispute was between these two Christian sisiters. Whatever it was the only solution for it was to be found, "in the Lord." Is not the same true today?
Whether the matter at hand is doctinal or preferential in nature much of the division that exists within the brotherhood could be eleminated if we practiced the spirit of unselfishness Paul sets forth. If more of us had the hearts of servants as demonstrated by the "mind of Christ" - Philippians 2:5-8 and fewer of us insisted on "our way or the highway," we could often keep conflict from becoming the deadly divisive demon that cripples the church, divides families and brings heartbreak and sorrow into the body of Jesus.
That's The Way I See It.
