CHURCH FIGHTING

While researching another topic, I happened on this intriging little website. The blog entry of the title caught my eye because it seems lately that churches from all over are all complaining of the same thing: in-fighting, bad feelings, hurt feelings, power plays, and thinking of self. Pastors AND church people are complaining of church bullies and a lack of unity in their congregations. Hmmmm.

Sometimes we tend to want to look at things from a management viewpoint ("if they ran things right around here..."), a leadership issue ("if I was in charge..."), a peace perspective ("..if we can just all get along..."), or the old standby of tradition ("if we did things the way they used to..."), or a fear of change ("they are ruining things!).

In truth, all of these are symptoms of a problem.....but not one solved by meetings, committees, or by study groups. The problems are SPIRITUAL ones...or in truth a lack of God's Spirit in the midst of the congregational life.....some, like demonically incited attitudes of control, ego, unforgiveness, disunity, even problems in accepting that things change over time in music, worship and chruch formats....that can only be solved through "prayer and fasting"....

Let the CHURCH actually be the CHURCH OF GOD and GOODNESS and not EVIL.

"Be angry - but sin not. Do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. ..Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up...And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God....put away all bittnerness...wrath...anger...and wrangling...and slander, together with malice...and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as GOD IN CHRIST HAS FORGIVEN YOU."-- Eph 4: 25-32.