Protecting Your Church

In his best-selling book entitled The Purpose-Driven Life, Rick Warren devotes an entire section to explaining how each one of us has been “formed for God’s family.” He points out that it is the job of every member “to protect the unity of your church,” for God wants His body to avoid the “devastating damage that is caused by division, conflict, and disharmony.” In light of this, he makes six practical statements that I think are extremely helping in protecting the unity of the church:

1. Focus on what we have in common, not our differences - Romans 14:19 says, “So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up” (NLT).

2. Be realistic in your expectations - Warren points out that “we must passionately love the church in spite of its imperfections.” This means that we must learn to promote the ideal of what church life ought to be, while working with the real of day-to-day experiences.

3. Choose to encourage rather than criticize - All of us know that it “is always easier to stand on the sidelines and take shots at those who are serving.” Our challenge is to learn how to make a positive contribution to the work of the Lord.

4. Refuse to listen to gossip - Always remember that “People who gossip to you will also gossip about you. They cannot be trusted!” Therefore, avoid gossip!

5. Practice God’s method for conflict resolution - During a time of difficulty, it always seems easier to share your concerns with a third party, but Matthew 18:15 clearly says, “If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him - work it out between the two of you” (The Message).

6. Support your elders and leaders - There are no perfect leaders, but despite this, God has given them the responsibility and the authority to lead the church forward. Pray for them, for together with them we can be the church God wants.