How To Deal With Church Conflicts Series

ILLUSTRATION:

I’m sure most of you have heard of the Hatfields and McCoys, two famous (or infamous) FEUDING FAMILIES from the hills of Pikesville, Kentucky. (Actual photo of the Hatfields taken in 1897.) Now, what you might not know is this famous FAMILY FEUD lasted for a DECADE—and it started over a stolen PIG! History’s not sure who STOLE the PIG, but we do know both of

these families were SERIOUS about their PORK.

The FEUD began with WORDS and BLOWS from the PATRIARCHS of both families, William Hatfield (aka as Devil Anse) and Randolph McCoy, and the BATTLE LINE was drawn

between these two FAMILIES.

They fought over the Civil War—the Hatfields fought for the South, the McCoys fought for the North. They fought over the COURTSHIP of a Hatfield boy and McCoy girl. Later the FEUD went to COURT over TIMBER RIGHTS and the tension escalated between the CLANS until BULLETS began flying in 1888. Before it was all over, at least 12 people were dead.

The FEUD finally ENDED in 1891. Since then the Hatfields and McCoys have gotten along pretty well—they even have FAMILY GET-TOGETHERS. All that changed in January of 2000. There was a news story, which reported the descendants of the Hatfields and McCoys were at it

again—and this time, it was over “TOURISM”.

The McCoy family wanted to run PAID TOURS of the “FEUD SITES”. And to do this, they needed public access to a GRAVEYARD where 3 of their BULLET-RIDDEN ancestors are BURIED. The problem was, in order to get to this particular cemetery, TOURISTS would have to walk or drive over HATFIELD LAND—and this is something the HATFIELDS didn’t want!

That FEUD went on for three years, until finally on June 14, 2003 Reo Hatfield and Bo & Ron McCoy drafted a TREATY that proclaims: “The Hatfield and McCoy families: Do hereby and formally declare an official end to all hostilities, implied, inferred and real, between the families, now and forevermore.” Both families SIGNED it on CBS’ The Saturday Early Show. Now Pikeville, Kentucky is at PEACE once again.

A. FAMILY FEUDS didn’t start with the Hatfields and McCoys, nor will they end with them.

1. Family feuds have been going on since the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve started the BLAME

GAME over who was at FAULT for eating the FORBIDDEN FRUIT.

a. Then sometime later their son Cain MURDERED his brother Abel out of JEALOUSY.

b. Thus, FAMILY FEUDS continue to this day.

2. You may have seen a few FEUDS in your own FAMILY.

COMMENT:

I don’t think there is a FAMILY in this CHURCH, nor in the entire WORLD that is FEUD FREE—FREE of any CONFLICT. Now, granted, most of these FAMILY FEUDS don’t end up with BULLETS FLYING, but they do often end up with VERBAL VOLLEYS that cause WOUNDS that takes a long time to HEAL.

B. In our text James is referring to FAMILY FEUDS among brothers and sisters in Christ—CONFLICT

among CHURCH MEMBERS. Can you imagine?

1. He explains that there are three different kinds of CONFLICT going on among them.

2. Then he turns right around and tells us how each one of them can be STOPPED.

MESSAGE:

I. THE CAUSES OF CHURCH CONFLICTS

A. WE ARE AT CONFLICT WITH EACH OTHER- James 4:1, 11-12 (READ) (“Royal Law.”)

1. The New Testament has a great deal to say about CONFLICTS—FIGHTING among fellow

Christians.

a. 1 Corinthians 1:11- “My brothers, some from Choe’s household has informed me that there

are quarrels among you.”

b. 1 Corinthians 3:3- “You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among

you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men.”

c. A few months later Paul was planning to VISIT the Corinthian church and he WRITES in 2 Corinthians 12:20- “I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you… I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip,

arrogance and disorder.”

d. Galatians 5:15- “If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be

destroyed by each other.”

e. Paul had to beg the “Ephesian church to come back together and be one”- Ephesians 4

f. Even his favorite church, “the great congregation of LOVE in Philippi, was suffering from a devastating FAMILY FIGHT that started with two sisters in Christ who couldn’t get along”

- Philippians 4.

COMMENT:

The first century churches are not UNIQUE. There are many churches even today that are in the midst of INTERNAL FEUDING and FIGHTING. You may know a few—you may have been in one or two.

ILLUSTRATION:

Years ago, Leslie Flynn wrote a book entitled, Great Church Fights. In it he chronicled the way people in different churches would go after each other—all in the name of Jesus Christ. He told about a young father who heard a commotion out in his backyard, he looked outside and saw his DAUGHTER and several her FRIENDS in a heated ARGUMENT. When he intervened, his daughter called back, “Dad, we’re just playing church!”