I’m tired of hearing about churches in conflict that result in splits… divisions… and staff leaving.  Once again a church I know personally is in turmoil.  This time it is in the Eastern half of the state (Between Fort Payne and Dothan, East of Leeds.).  Conflict sprouted up… disagreements rose to the surface… and the pastor resigned.  Why… what happened?  It doesn’t matter!  The fact is that a congregation is wounded, as is the staff.  Not only that, once again… unbelievers have a reason to blaspheme God’s name because of Christians!

Here’s what I don’t understand: How can Christians read the SAME Bible… pray to the SAME God… and be led of the SAME Holy Spirit and not be able to sit down… forgive each other and work things out… FOR GOD’S GLORY?!!!  It dumbfounds me how we say we are Christians and yet be so prideful and mean to each other by reveling in conflict IN OUR CHURCHES!

What is more important:  Being proved right (At any cost) OR God being glorified?  Winning the day OR a congregation’s peace being protected?  Getting your way OR keeping God’s name from being blasphemed?  I can give you the answer to those questions from Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:5-8…

Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!

Read the part in red again.  It is better to be wronged and/or defrauded than for the name of Christ to be maligned!  It is better to take the hit and suffer than the Christian faith to get a black eye!  Maybe what we need is some “Old Light.”  By that I mean light from an old (Eternal) source.  Namely, God’s Word.  One of the biggest mistakes Christians make is failing to trust God and His Word.

James 3:17-18  The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Stick a fork in me.  I’m done…