05/11/2026
When conflict comes to church….
Most of us have experienced conflict of some type at church; different goals, different interpretations, hurts from deliberate or just insensitive words or actions. Too often, the response of Christians is to “quit and leave”. They abandon the church and effectively accomplish several things:
1. They disobey God – 1Cor. 12:18 – says God has placed you where it “…pleases Him”. To leave from where God has placed you, without His direction, is disobedience.
2. They hurt the body – 1Cor. 12:12-26 – we need each other to function effectively. Too often people depart leaving the body wondering why the departure and then having to carry the extra burden to cover the abandoned responsibilities.
3. They miss God’s blessings – 1Cor. 12:4-7 – The design of the church is that God blesses each member through other member’s service. When a member departs, they take blessings from others and lose out on the blessings God intended for them to experience from others.
4. They leave “issues” unresolved – 1Cor. 12:25-26 – the word “schism” = discord, disunity, division, or dissension. Unresolved issues bring these negative impacts into the church body – not God’s plan.
5. They lose the position to make a difference – Esther 3 & 4 – when conflict came to the palace, Mordecai challenged Esther to consider if God had not placed her there “for such a time as this” (4:14). Esther was inside the palace and had access to the King (difficult and risky) but had opportunity to make a difference in the situation. Outside the palace, just like outside the church, you lose your position to address and make a difference in the issues.
Yes, you’ve been hurt by church people (so was Jesus). But leaving causes great loss to the Church (God’s people) and gives Satan a win. Let me encourage you to consider: “Could God have placed you in this church for such a time as this?” Won’t you prayerfully: Stay the Course; Live in Love and Seek Restoration of relationships. Give God the opportunity to work in and through you to make changes in the church.
I’ll be looking for you in church this Sunday!
Yours in Christ,
Bro. Rick
