Here are some petty issues church fights have triggered: the length of a pastor’s beard; whether to build a playground or a cemetery; whether to remove a clock from the worship center; or whether to allow deviled eggs to be served at church. Church fights are not new. Long ago, James wrote to a congregation filled with conflict: worldliness, pride, criticism, evil desires, and even killing. Here is how he in CH 4 explained their problem. He told them that the quarrels and fights among them sprang from evil desires at war within them. He said, “You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.” Here is how he counseled them: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” If we follow James’ advice we can reduce church fights.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr. is the founder and chairman of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.). Under his direction, UMI has grown to be a leading publisher of Christian education resources for churches in the African American community. Read More
