What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. John 4:1-3 (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (NIV)
Introduction
Let us be clear on the definition of the church. The church is not a building even though many times we refer to the church as a building. The church is an assembly of believers and often times the believers meet in a building to worship.
There is too much fighting taking place among the church. Of course, this is not new as fighting among the church existed from the very beginning. However, we are more enlighten now with a wealth of biblical information but we continue to fight with each other.
It is time for us to open our eyes spiritually and realize we are being used by the enemy. Satan may cause you to fight with other believers but one thing the enemy cannot do is destroy the works of Jesus Christ.
The Wrong Agenda causes the fighting
Some of us have an agenda that is based on the World and not the Word of God and so we continue to fight among ourselves because of our fleshy desires. Some of us are not mature enough. People are fighting over positions, appointments, land, buildings, denominations and titles. Churches are fighting over whether or not to allow marriages of the same sex to be performed or to have gay pastors in the pulpit. Some churches are fighting over the interpretation of the scriptures. Some folks think they are not being used enough and this starts a fight especially if newer members are given positions. Some churches are going after other members to join their assembly. Some of us get offended by the message that pastors preach as we believe sometimes the pastors may be “throwing shade”. The expenditure of the church funds or lack of funds also cause fighting among the church. There is spirit of jealousy among the church which also cause fighting. The spirit of jealousy is based on frivolous things such as the talents and gifts of others and the size and interior design of a church building.
We are making enemies within the church while the real enemy is out there like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Satan is using his agenda on you but some of us are too blind to see it. Stick to God’s agenda.
How to End this Fighting?
Recognize that we the church must represent our father, The God of Heaven. God wants us to be united and to spread the gospel. If we continue with this fighting, then how do we plan to win souls in the Kingdom of God? Yes we will not agree on everything but do not take it to the level the World would. In fact there are some folks in the World that are settling dispute better than some of us in the church.
Teach and live by the Doctrine of the Word of God. In 2 Timothy 2:23 (NIV), the word says “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.”
The word also says that we must forgive and love one another. Reach out to those involve in the fight and try to settle the dispute among yourselves. Make the first move if the other party does not.
Ensure that you have a Board in place and meet often with the Board. If there are major decisions to be made, bring it to the entire membership and ensure you have a quorum. One person should not make a decision on behalf of everyone even if it is a family owned church.
Stop focusing on you and others. Focused on doing the work of the Lord and hopefully this will end the competition and comparison that is going on among the church.
Determine and establish upfront who the assets belong to in the event you decide to break away from the denomination. If this was not done upfront, then ownership can be easily determined by the land registry documents. One can also do a company search that will reveal the trustees of the church. If you put your personal funds into the construction of the building and you turn it over to the ministry, the building belongs to the ministry. It does not belongs to one person unless the building is owned by an individual and the church is paying rent for it or there is an agreement to use the building rent free.
Conclusion
We are humans and so there will be times of disagreements. However, we should be mature enough to resolve our differences using the Word of God. How do we expect for the church to grow when the unsaved and others are watching our actions? Are our actions different from that of the World? Fighting among church is real but it does not mean it is right. Let us preach the word, make disciples and stop focusing on buildings, titles and positions.