Dealing With Tensions And Conflicts In Churches And Church Organisations - Part 2 Series

DEALING WITH TENSIONS AND CONFLICTS IN CHURCHES AND CHURCH ORGANISATIONS – PRACTICAL EXAMINATION AND SUGGESTIONS – PART 2

Last time we began a list of issues that I have seen over my lifetime that can cause tensions and conflicts in the church. In this second message we continue that examination of more matters.

[E.1]. BEING AWARE OF THE UNDERLYING BASES OF TENSION – PRIDE, GOSSIP, DOMINANCE

We come to an area that is a minefield. It involves personal interaction and that is wrought with tension because personalities are like ball bearings that hit together. When there is a looming problem, it is necessary to take action early to diffuse any potential nastiness. This is where you really need discernment; wisdom if you like. Here is a useful verse – {{James 1:5 “IF ANY OF YOU LACKS WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”}}

I mentioned pride. PRIDE is deadly as you know and pride in a church is unwanted. The preacher must not overlook teaching on humility. Pride of position (having a church position); pride of accomplishment (what you have done in a church); pride of gifting (God has given you a gift or gifts but it has puffed you up); pride of ownership (I AM THE ONE who plays the piano! I am the ONE who has to lead the worship!) – all those have the potential of creating tension and must be carefully managed. Godly men and women must step up and with the Lord’s help, to diffuse any pride seen to be affecting ministry.

Of course we all know the great destruction of GOSSIP and how it explodes to cause division. Godly people must stop that gossip once aware of it. Gossiping was one feature Paul hoped he would not find on his visit – {{2Corinthians 12:20 “I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish, that perhaps there may be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, GOSSIP, arrogance, (and) disturbances.”}} How many churches would fall into that category Paul mentions? They are displays of the old nature but each one causes havoc in a church. I dare say some Pastors have encountered these problems in their ministry in churches, for these tension-causing matters are not just confined to Corinth.

I think everyone has a responsibility here in the gossip matter. We seem to have something within us (is it the old nature?) that wants to share news or what we have “found out”, or some little thing others may not know. We must correct ourselves if we want to do that and shut our mouths. If someone comes to you with some gossip, then gently try to stop that spreading and tell the bearer of this “news” not to spread it.

The next verse in Corinthians is just as disturbing. We look at it – {{2Corinthians 12:21 “I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have SINNED IN THE PAST AND NOT REPENTED of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practised.”}} Paul marks immediately, exactly what the problem is and that is a lack of REPENTANCE. A church Pastor/Minister must speak on repentance of the sins of the saints. Why do some avoid that? Is it not to offend anyone so that they leave and finances or numbers are down?

I am sure when Paul came to Corinth he would not overlook the tensions there, and the sins of the saints, but he would have addressed them exactly. We need to do the same. Don’t hide the problem or the problem will end up hiding you in obscurity.

There was one occasion I was organising a whole series of meetings for a well known speaker, in fact the leading speaker at Keswick in England. This was to cover a whole district, maybe 8000 square km or more. One Pastor I thought would be very supportive said to me, “I don’t want our people to go. The offerings will be down.” He may have said “finances” but you get the point.

One other word I mentioned in this heading was DOMINANCE; domineering. I want to cover this later in some detail but I included it here because it is one that can be noticed in the early stages. So much damage is done by those who walk over others to be in control. A godly oversight is needed to monitor that in careful shepherding and to correct the problem early before people are hurt.

On one of my trips to England I was doing some ministry in a church and on one occasion I was asked to conduct a bible study one evening. That bible study was normally taken by a certain person. I found out later he was filled with resentment because he was either not domineering that study, or had to forego one meeting, and reported me to the higher authorities with a lie. It came to nothing but I was really made aware that even in the churches you have this jealousy and resentment.