PART OF THE PROBLEM - OR SOLUTION?

While we were in seminary, Sally and I attended a wonderful church: The Shawnee Church of the Nazarene.

The pastor, Richard Young and his wife Kaye and several other couples in the church were involved in Nazarene Marriage Enrichment, a ministry to couples who had healthy marriages who wanted to make them better.

One of the principles we learned through N.M.E. was: When intimacy is sought, conflict is inevitable. The question is not, “is it appropriate for married couples to have conflict? No. The question is: can conflict be used creatively to grow a marriage? The creative use of conflict can actually strengthen a healthy marriage.

What’s true of marriage is also true of church. It’s inevitable. Where people love God and love one another, conflict is inevitable. The first century church had its share.

1. Acts 6:1-7 records the conflict that arose over the care of widows. It could have ended in division and gotten ugly. It didn’t. They worked it out.

2. Galatians 2:11-21 find Paul and Peter in a serious confrontation over Peter’s inappropriate behavior. Not sinful behavior necessarily. Sub-Christian would better describe Peter’s issues. But these two leaders got behind closed doors and worked it out.

3. Acts 15:1-35 reveals a rather sharp dispute over the ritual of circumcision. To resolve this one, they took this to a higher counsel in Jerusalem. The voted and both sides accepted the council’s ruling; conflict resolved.

4. We have conflicts reported in Acts 15: 36-41 , Philippians 4:2-3 and I and II Corinthians. One way or the other, they were resolved. Conflict in the church appears inevitable. The big question is, how shall it be handled? What have we learned?

We must accept the fact that conflict is unavoidable. Leaders must be prepared at all times to deal with it when, not if, it occurs.

We must see ourselves as peacemakers. When conflict occurs, don’t run, don’t avoid, don’t pretend, don’t deny. Face it. Deal with it.

Work for reconciliation. This is the ministry God has given us. . . assigned to us actually. Use biblical tools.

For the sake of the gospel and the reputation of the church, be a peacemaker. God will bless you for it. (see the Sermon on the Mount)

So, are you a part of the problem or the solution?