by Alyssa Speas
1 Corinthians 1:10 - “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment."
What color should the carpet be in a church? What about the seating arrangement? Who should make the decisions in the church? These questions have plagued modern American churches for years! Yes, we want to have beautiful churches, adequate seating, and strong leadership, but what happens when these questions and decisions cause division? Karen wants blue carpet, but Louis thinks red would look best. Frank wants traditional pews, while Betty wants those nice cushioned seats that we can move so the youth group can do activities in the sanctuary. Bobby wants the pastor to have the final say, but Shawn wants a small committee to make the big decisions.
All of these situations have led to division in the church. I’m sure you can think of “that church down the road” that split because a small, cosmetic decision opened up a can of worms and offended people. These things happen. But why? Aren’t we, the church, supposed to be singing Kumbaya and getting along, no matter what?
God has made us all different, with different tastes, wants, and ideas on how things should be done. As a body of believers, we don’t all have to agree 100%, but we do have to be willing to put aside our personal tastes, for the good of God’s Great Commission. When we have disagreements in the church on weighter issues such as who should be making decisions, where the tithe money goes, and how to plug the new believer into active ministry, we need to make sure that, as the body of Christ, we make well-informed, well-prayed-for decisions that glorify Christ, not our own wants and desires.
How is God using you in your local church? Are you helping to bring the church together with prayer and sacrifice? Or are your personal ideas causing division? Ask God to show you a way to make peace and show love in your church. Allow Him to become the basis of your decisions and let Him work through you in your local church.
Passage Guide: Acts 18 & Psalm 96