Peacemaker's Ken Sande says that most of their work is at a local level, helping to resolve family and business disputes. Occasionally Peacemaker is asked to help with "major Christian figures," but Sande has often found them resistant to conciliation.
When threatened, they tend to go quickly to an attorney. They're usually more comfortable with an attorney. ECT tried to define the basis for a working alliance between evangelical and Catholic Christians, particularly regarding social issues such as abortion and family life. Prison Fellowship's Charles Colson and First Things editor Richard Neuhaus originated the idea and persuaded prominent Christians in both communities to sign.
The statement soon encountered strong opposition on the evangelical side. Sproul, Michael Horton, and other Reformed theologians complained that the statement compromised on basic theological positions, particularly the Reformers' creed of "salvation by faith alone.
But as often happens, both sides grew entrenched in their positions, and emotions became hot. Then, wonderfully, peacemakers stepped in, asking the evangelical partisans to talk through their differences.
After protracted negotiations, a meeting was planned for January 19, , at pastor D. James Kennedy's Fort Lauderdale church. It was an extraordinary all-day meeting of leaders.
Packer, and Colson represented those who had signed the declaration. Joseph Stowell, president of Moody Bible Institute, served as moderator. Both Jesus and Paul spoke harsh words of truth on occasion, but they were best known for building a new community of love.
The morning's talks were brutally frank and highly emotional. By the end of the day, however, these leaders had come together. There were tears and embraces as they signed a statement clarifying the theology of ECT. Colson called the meeting "a beautiful example of how Christians should deal with their differences. Several participants said that Stowell had done a masterful job of moderating. I asked Stowell what such a peacemaking meeting required.
He mentioned several factors:. First, he said, it is very important that all participants really want a constructive result. The goal may be simply to understand each other. But if participants aim only to vent their anger, to "get" or "reprove" the other party, reconciliation is unlikely. Second, he said, you need something drafted ahead of time if you hope to emerge with an agreement.
Packer had brought a statement to Fort Lauderdale that served as a solid starting point. You'll never get it done. Third, Stowell noted, a neutral meeting place is important.
While Kennedy's church was not perfect Kennedy's sympathies were clear , it at least avoided the headquarters of one of the more outspoken battlers. Fourth, Stowell felt it was important not to rush into a solution. If guys have really been wounded, those wounds have got to show.
It has to get personal enough so that guys really get honest about what they feel. Part one of two parts; click here to read part two. Click for reprint information. Have something to add about this?
See something we missed? Share your feedback here. Our digital archives are a work in progress. Let us know if corrections need to be made. Already a subscriber? Log in to continue reading. The Ten Commandments forbid murder and in Matthew , Jesus tells his followers to:. Some Christians believe that there are times when the only way to defeat injustice or defend the idea of the sanctity of life is to declare war. Other Christians think that they should only use peaceful and non-violent methods.
Jesus told his disciples:. Jesus' peers would have understood a slap on the right cheek as a very serious insult. Jesus is telling his followers not to respond in the same way. A half millennium later, the West split over sin-and-grace, in the Protestant reformation and its kin reformations. But, picture historians looking back another five hundred years from now. At two for the price of one, sex, in all its ramifications, is linked with our time.
Think of issues of our day: conflicts over gender, marriage, divorce, birth control, abortion, homosexuality, and more. Thus the agenda for the forthcoming synod of Roman Catholic bishops is wide and open in its scope, including care of creation and environmental issues. But the tensest issues have to do with homosexuality etc. Francis X. No luck—Rocca notes—such language has disappeared from the final advance document.
Why is this so? Sermon: Who Wants to Fight in Church? Scriptures: James Introduction Conflicts have always plagued the church. Dominated by selfish desires v. Persons with this attitude measure opponents only in terms of their ideas. As a consequence, they will quickly sacrifice relationships in pursuit of their objective.
In contrast, the New Testament prioritizes relationships in the church. A Wrong Approach: Political Methods. Parliamentary procedures and political machinations are poor substitutes for prayerful conversations when working out a problem.
A Wrong Aim: Personal Promotion. Rather than lifting up the Lord, fighting is often a poorly-masked attempt to elevate self. Driven by dissatisfaction v. Discouraged in prayer v. Denied intimacy with God v. Conclusion Fighting in churches hinders the advance of the good news of Jesus Christ. Bend Me! Killing over the book of psalms After successfully starting a number of Christian communities in Ireland, the monk Columba fought with another cleric over possession of a copy of the Psalms.
When the pastor 'loses' Citing conflicts over control and personalities, a Lifeway LeaderCare survey conducted in revealed that forced terminations of pastors had declined over the previous year. Related biblical texts Matthew - The greatest among you will be your servant. Serving churches in Mississippi, California and Louisiana for over 20 years, he and his wife Gail now live in Arkansas with their six children. Don maintains a ministry of consulting and encouragement to pastors through EquippingSaints.
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