Paul and Barnabas disagreed so sharply that they parted ways.

Acts 15:39 (GW)

 

God is an inherently social being.

Each person of the Trinity is intrinsically related and connected with the other two. Their love and fellowship and harmony with each other serves as our model of community life and active participation within it.

Community life is essential for our spiritual growth and maturity. Everything we do as a church is about relationships. However, unlike the perfect relationship of the Trinity, we will have to deal with the inevitable conflicts and difficulties that come with being part of a community.

In Acts of the Apostles, Luke recorded one of the biggest conflicts in the Bible. Paul and Barnabas had a falling out over John Mark, which ended their years of friendship and partnership. Their parting was marked by anger and sorrow, but God subsequently restored their relationship.

Many of us, as Christians, don’t handle conflict well or the right way. Unresolved conflict is the number one reason people leave church and don’t come back. We understand that forgiveness and reconciliation are important, but they aren’t always possible. However, we need to learn our lesson, and become more empathetic and resilient with others.

We can’t let the messiness of community life stop us from living out the gospel to the fullest. In fact, we really need the gospel to help us grow a healthy church.

If you want to see a stronger and healthier church, you must first learn to ground yourself in God’s Word and thrive in your relationship with Christ. The closer you are to God, the more comfortable you will be with the people of God. This, in turn, will impact how you share your life with others.