On Church Division

So how do we handle conflict in the Church?

Unchurched people hate (or love?) to see conflict in the Church. It either deflates their hope or raises their skepticism. So how does the Church handle conflict, with its necessary tension between grace and authority, without destroying its witness?

Unfortunately, and fortunately, we live in a society that is all about freedom. While this allows for much more autonomy in discerning God's will for the individual, it limits the authority of the Church leaders. Both have positives and negatives. We would all like for the individual to make wise choices in accord with church leadership. We would also like church leadership to make wise choices that are acceptable to all individuals. But you know the saying..."You can't please all of the people, all of the time."

When it comes to conflict in the Church, of course, particularly as it relates to the type of sin that can divide a church, the authority is given to the church Elders in Matthew 18*. Well meaning lay-persons often assert themselves in the roles of mediators, or of judges. But this exceeds their authority. What happens if the division is over a false teacher or about someone in rebellion in the church, or if it concerns a moral failure? Is there not a danger of the lay-person being led astray by the false teacher or infected with rebellion or misled as to the circumstances surrounding the moral failure as they try to act in lieu of the Eldership? Is a person that is expelled or under discipline likely to share the "full story" of what led to their discipline, especially when they are unrepentant? We all believe that we are the best arbiters of a situation, but more often than not the weight of evidence will go to the one who will willingly share the "whole story." That, most often, cannot be the leadership. This leads to a mis-informed arbiter. And judgment without the whole story is dangerous. And a congregant who places themselves as judge with partial information does so at the peril of becoming rebellious themselves.

Everyone wants reconciliation. Elders should (and most often do) strive the hardest for it, not easily handing out pink slips, so to speak, for poor behavior. They also mourn the most when division occurs. But the division is often furthered by the congregant who cannot trust the Elders to perform their Biblical duty. It is not easy to submit. Just as it is not easy to lead. But if your leaders have exhibited servant leadership, then the only right response is mutual submission - in return.

There are times that leaders have more information than their congregants. It is necessary then, that congregants search the Spirit on these things. Since freedom is our common lot in America, ceding some of that freedom to an Eldership may become a difficult test. But oft-times the Elders cannot reveal what they know that would make a situation clear, either because of confidentiality rules or because of a just need to protect the party found to be in sin.

Trust is not easy. But it is often required. If one does not trust their leadership, then it is likely that there are more issues at stake than what appears, and perhaps a deeper investigation into matters of division are necessary. But if the leadership has won trust, then submission to their authority should follow.

When leaders are not trusted, intervention by well-meaning lay-persons can further the division by giving aid and comfort to the one in sin, delaying or completely halting their "sifting" process. It also gives the one in sin more influence in the church by giving them a voice through those who come to sympathize with their limited side of the story. Spirits attach to those in rebellion - and they impart them to those who will give them an audience. Any sin that leads to discipline carries a spirit with it, and those who believe they can "handle" the situation alone walk dangerously onto unsteady spiritual grounds.

The system of authority in the Church has been set by God. He is the ultimate judge between Elders and those they discipline. Submission, therefore, also goes to the God who knows the hearts of men, and who judges justly. He will bring all matters to light in His time, for it is "to His glory to conceal a matter..." (Prov. 25:2)

* Addendum: A clarification is necessary, as brought up by John Wilcox. My reference to the Elders (and Deacons, in part) having authority over matters of church discipline is derivative. The only place to make disciplinary action over sin stick is via the leadership. It's hard for an accuser and 2 or 3 witnesses to expel an immoral brother from fellowship on their own. They must rely on a reference of the conflict to those who have the authority to expel another. Hopefully that clarification helps.