Today, let’s think about harmony at church. In Luke 11:17, we read: ‘Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall’ (NIV). Division and disagreement in church can come from all different directions – some may not like the worship style or a particular sermon. Some may disagree with the way the church leaders are running things or a change they’ve made. It might even come down to something as trivial as the colour the walls are to be painted. Satan loves to step in to a small disagreement and turn it into a big issue that causes real division and damage. So we need to be aware of how we handle disagreements and differences of opinion, and make sure our motive is to find the best way forward for our church rather than just getting our own way and what we want. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church, he wrote: ‘There are quarrels among you. This is what I mean: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another says, “I follow Apollos”, another says, “I follow Peter”, and another says, “I follow Christ.” Christ has been divided up into different groups! Did Paul die on the cross for you? No! Were you baptised in the name of Paul? No! I thank God I did not baptise any of you except Crispus and Gaius so that now no one can say you were baptised in my name…Christ did not send me to baptise people but to preach the Good News’ (1 Corinthians 1:11-17 NCV). Whenever we’re facing disunity in our church, we should keep our focus on Christ, and try to remind others that we’re working towards the same goal – sharing the good news of God’s love and gift of salvation with the world.

What Now?

Pray for your church. Talk to God about any disagreements, large or small, that you’re aware of, and ask Him to help everyone refocus on Him. Pray that He would help your church stay united and strong.