The Lord’s Message:  What Is a Church? United in Christ

The Lord’s Message:  What Is a Church? United in Christ
Date:  February 1, 2026
Where:  Tilghman Methodist Church
Scripture Reference:  1 Corinthians 1:10-17

            Has anyone ever had a bad experience at church?  You had an argument with the pastor or one of the church leaders or someone else in church.  I suspect that we all have had a bad experience at church.  I remember reading a true story about a church out in the Midwest that outgrew their church and they decided to build a new one on the other side of the town.  Everything was going great until it came time to pick the color of the carpeting in the sanctuary.  One group in church wanted blue carpeting and another group wanted red carpeting.  The argument got so heated that it split the church and the congregation never moved into the new church.  If someone is trying to find a perfect church, they will never find it, because every church is composed of imperfect people.  If the church is composed of imperfect people, then no church is immune from arguments.  So, we need to learn the proper way to handle arguments. 

            Let us pray.

            Arguments in church are unfortunately common.  If we look in the Bible, after the church was established, there was an argument over the distribution of food to widows.  This is recorded in Acts 6:1. Here is Corinth, 1 Corinthians 1:12, we have an argument over teachings of God’s Word. 

            If you recall, Paul came to Corinth sometime in between AD 50-52 and spent a year and a half preaching, teaching, and establishing the church in Corinth.  In verse 11, Paul writes that he received a letter from Chloe’s household informing him about the argument over the teaching of God’s Word.  We do not know a lot about Chloe.  One would assume that she was a wealthy businesswoman and believer in Jesus who was very influential in the early church in Corinth.  Most likely Paul converted her from pagan idol worship to Christianity.  The only recording of her is this one verse in all the Bible.  Paul must have taken her report with great accuracy in order for him to write a letter to the church in the winter of AD 55. 

            Paul makes three points that form the framework on resolving conflicts in church.

            The first point is not to create sides.  In 1 Corinthians 1:10, Paul states that there should be no divisions among you.  The easy way of creating is divisions is to hate the other person or persons for their stance on a subject or matter.   John states this in 1 John 4:20-21.  If I say, “I hate you” I have just created a division between us. The other way to create division in the church is to call someone a derogatory name.  Divisions leads to barriers.  Barriers are hard to resolve and may never be resolved. This is not how a church should resolve conflict. 

            The second point is to remember who is in charge of the church.  That person is Jesus.  In Ephesians 1:22-23, Paul tells us that Jesus is the head of the church.  I am not the head of the church. I am only a servant of Jesus.  You are not the head of the church.  You are only a servant of Jesus. I think that I told some of you this on one or more occasions, but when I was before the District Board of Ministry, I was asked who speaks for the church.  I said at that time, and I still believe it today, “I hope and pray that it is Jesus.”  If we keep that in mind that Jesus is the head of the church when we are having disagreements, then we will submit to the authority and will of Jesus. 

            Paul points this out in 1 Corinthians 1:13-16.  He uses strong rhetorical and sarcastic questions to prove his point that believers are solely united in Christ through His death on the cross and His baptism. 

            “Is Christ divided?”  Christ is one.  Christ did not die for a certain group of people, but died for the world, John 3:16-17.  We should not ask God to comply with our thoughts and wishes, but we should comply with God’s direction and purpose.  That is how we get off track from what God teaches us through His Word, the Bible. 

            The third point is to remember that we are all united together in Christ.  So, we should speak to each other in love to bring about not division, but reconciliation.  Jesus says in Matthew 18:15-16.  The goal in Church is not to create division, but to bring about reconciliation. 

            Now that we have the framework to solving conflicts in church, let us look at seven practical steps to resolving conflicts in the church and elsewhere.

1.  Go directly to the person and have a private conversation with them.   Don’t gossip about them to others and don’t bring others into the conflict if it is not necessary.
2. Check your attitude.  Approach conflict with humility, meekness, patience, and a desire to bring about forgiveness and reconciliation as it says in Ephesians 4:31-32.
3. Self-Examination.  Do I understand the problem and am I responding correctly to it?  Jesus says in Matthew 7:3-5 to remove the log from your eye, before trying to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 
4. Listen attentively to the other person.  Listen to what they have to say and try to understand their perspective.  Focus on the issue rather than attacking the other person.
5. Pray.  Pray for the other person.  It is hard to have a grudge against someone that you are praying for.
6. Distinguish between sin and opinion.  Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 that the church is to confront sin and expose that sin.  Sin needs to be exposed, so that repentance can occur.   God exposed the sin of David with Bathsheba, so that David would seek repentance.  As the body of Christ, we need to be careful not to call an opinion sin.  That is problematic as well.  We need to practice grace.
7. Focus on Reconciliation.  The ultimate goal is not to win the argument, but to win your brother or sister back and restore unity in the church. 

These are the seven steps that we should follow when conflicts happen in the church. 

What Is a Church?  The church is made up of imperfect people that are united in Christ.  These imperfect people will have arguments and disagreements, but if they are united in Christ, they will seek forgiveness and reconciliation. 

Continue to listen for God to speak, so that we can do His will.  Amen.