Sept. 7 Jana Garrett & Lisa Breidenbaugh (after both services)
Sept. 14 Serena Gelhausen (after 1st service)
Karla Dodson (after 2nd service)
Value for the month of September: Matthew 18
This is a value that, if it were followed correctly, would solve 75% of the relationship conflicts in the church today. According to Jesus,
Matt. 18:15-17 15"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”
In The Heart of the Artist, Roly Noland talks about Matthew 18. He says, “for a team member who is offended to not go directly to the member who caused the offense really brings a team down, and it’s wrong. I repeat, it is wrong for us to go to anybody else but the person with whom we’re in conflict. Too many of us, for some reason, think we’re exempt from the conflict resolution process laid out in Matthew 18” (100).
This is one of the ways the church should be different from the world. We resolve our conflicts in a loving way, going directly to the person (in love) and trying to talk it out. What a freeing and wonderful model to follow! I look forward to learning more about this with you this month.
God bless,
Phill
1 comment:
While working on Camp Teams this past summer, my team found that we were falling into great conflict because of a lack of communication not only in respect to the good that was happening, but also the bad that was happening. Therefore, we called a team meeting where we established a pact of honesty. Anytime someone felt disgruntled or discouraged they were expected to make it known to the team, if it were a team problem (if it was a personal problem they were expected to talk to that person, and if the conflict resolution of Matthew 18 had to be followed we were expected to move in that direction). We did not leave it there though, we found out that even though we were proactive in resolving conflict, we were focused so much on not saying or doing the wrong things that we forgot to say and do all the right things. When a team is not actively encouraging each other they miss out on the true beauty of a loving relationship centered on Christ. Colossians 3:12-17 states:
12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Furthermore, Romans 12:4-8 states:
4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[b]faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Just as we are called to admonish each other, we are called to fulfill our role in the body. I believe that all are capable of encouraging (as well as the other gifts presented in Romans 12, at least to some extent) and therefore we must always encourage. Hebrews 3:13 states:
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
In light of all this, it boils down to the idea that in our necessity to overcome conflict the result should not be that we can live civilly amongst one another, but that we grow in our love through the goodness of encouragement. So as much as we need to correct each other in love, that love needs to be followed with encouragement. And as we encourage each other daily we will draw closer together with the bond of love from God.
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