Addressing Disunity in the Church
How should pastors and church leaders address disunity in the church? Here are a few key steps:
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Commit to loving them as Christ loves you.
It can be challenging, but Christ’s love and strength make it possible.
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Pray for them—seriously.
Prayer can bring clarity, wisdom, and peace in addressing difficult individuals.
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Stay alert.
Disrupters can be manipulative and cause problems before they’re fully recognized.
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Involve other leaders.
Addressing disrupters with a team approach can prevent accusations of bias or unfair treatment. Be prepared, though; disrupters often don’t see themselves as problematic.
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Remove them from key leadership roles as soon as possible.
Disrupters can be a problem now, but their influence can become toxic over time.
Related: The Mark of a Political Christian
While their actions can be disruptive, they are still deserving of love and prayer. Christ modeled how to respond to difficult individuals, and we are called to do the same. Be watchful for church disrupters, but don’t let their actions deter the church from its mission of unity, service, and Christ-centered focus.
This article on disunity in the church originally appeared here, and is used by permission.
