It’s clearly the enemy’s work to divide the church. It may have been, but the tear now runs deeper.
The Church in Uganda has tremendous potential, but some of us never achieve what God desires because we spend all our time fighting with one another. All of the energy is focused on proving points we have shallow
Last week news broke of burnt bibles. For the very first time, I saw one of USA’s leading Christian blogs publish the story from the shallow information available at that time. There are several unanswered questions to that story however, since the preacher refuted claims – allow me come back home and share my lessons.
Discord: This is not the spirit of Christ. The enemy found an open door and successfully planted seeds of strife that are yielding a harvest of hateful words and slanderous missiles that some may not soon forgive or forget.
The Bible talks more about unity of the church than it does about either heaven or hell. It’s that important. Churches are made up of people, and there are no perfect people, we need to learn how to deal with these situations. Specifically, we’re called to love – even during open rebuke.
This is what I saw, in times of conflict our natural human emotions often try to dictate our behavior – You saw this last week too, right? We feel anger and want to lash out. We feel fear and want to defend or attack. We feel wronged and want to get revenge. Pride builds up. Your gut instinct is to win the battle, to be vindicated, to prevail over your opponents.
If we allow our emotions to guide our behavior, inevitably we’ll simply make matters worse. Conversely, if we tenaciously hang onto biblical teaching, we’ll find the power to act rightly even when our feelings try to drag us in the wrong direction.
We cannot divide Christ!
Christ is the head of the church. He is the beginning, supreme over all. Jesus died to create a whole new way for races to be reconciled. He loved the church and gave himself up for us. He is not coming back for “Churches” but a “Church” – His body.
If you’re in the middle of a conflict with a Pastor, however, you might not like this article very much. I am not taking sides, but simply sharing my thoughts, for which to some might sound as total foolishness.
I am simply speaking of being humble, and considering others before yourself. Taking the initiate of settling conflict the best and quickest way possible. Seeking advise where it is due and standing accountable.
If you’re a follower of Christ, you’ve got to deal with Philippians 2:1-11.
Paul doesn’t leave it up to us to decide what it means to think like Jesus. We don’t get to pick and choose from the gospel stories or to make up our own version of what constitutes the mind of Christ. Rather, Paul shows us quite clearly in verses 6-8 what it means to think and act like Jesus.
“[Christ Jesus], though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death– even death on a cross.”
Make a plea for harmony and unity. The Greek word translated here as “quarrel” can also mean “argument” or “strife.” Paul uses this same word in his letter: “For as long as there is jealous and quarreling [eris] among you, are you not of the flesh . . . ?” (1 Cor 3:3). The Corinthian church is being torn apart, not by one single controversy, but by multiple conflicts and tensions.
What is the gospel?
The word “gospel literally means “good news.”
The gospel is the good news that God is in the salvation business. God loves you a lot more than you ever dreamed. He loved you enough to send His Son to die on your behalf. Jesus Christ is the Son of God who became flesh so that He could die on the cross for your sins.
When He died, it was in your place. He died so that you do not have to die. He was judged for your sins. Then He rose again from the dead to prove that your sins were eternally forgiven. As a result, you can have God’s free gift of eternal life.
How do you get it? Not by working for it. Not by joining a particular religion.
It is a gift. Like any gift, it does not depend upon the person receiving the gift, but only upon the giver. God has given you this great FREE gift that you can receive by faith.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).
By Paul Denis. (UG Christian News Contributor)
