Drama in the Church
“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” James 4.1
“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” James 4.1
A church should be a local body of believers who, among other things, gets along well because of common goals and aspirations. These believers should be followers of Christ who have been led by God’s Spirit to this particular local assembly to accomplish a mission specific for them – a mission that is unique to this group. While other local churches differ, it is because of this same reason – that God’s Spirit has hand selected various groups to “brighten the corner where they are.”
Unfortunately, within these groups of selected individuals there can arise a variety of individual agendas in which each strives to accomplish their personal desires rather than that of the perfect will of God. In some cases, members want to be like other churches rather than being what God has called their group to do.
I’m a strong proponent of Christian education; however, some years ago there was a movement among churches to start their own Christian school. While that was a noble desire, not every church should have traveled down that path. The Christian school movement would have been much more successful had smaller churches supported the larger churches in their efforts to offer secondary educational opportunities. Since children are the church’s greatest resource, the larger churches could have benefitted if the smaller congregations had put them on their monthly missionary support rather than straining already stretched resources and endangering the very existence of their specifically called assembly.
Some churches simply were not called to establish their own personal Christian school. Had those larger congregations allowed for teachers to be a part of the smaller congregations, the results would have been a sharing of talents across a wider spectrum and a blessing to the smaller groups. It would also have been a great encouragement to a struggling pastor and an encouragement for those churches to send their students to those schools without the fear of proselytizing members.
However, within local churches it’s not uncommon to find inner struggles produced by personal drama. As a matter of fact, it seems (and I speak from nearly 50 years of ministerial experience) that those who complain the loudest about “drama” within the church are those most guilty of perpetuating it.
James warns of the origin of all the internal struggles, “wars” (pólemos – “the chronic state or campaign”) and “fightings” (machē – “the separate conflicts or battles in the war”). So James covers the whole ground by using both words. The origin of a war or of any quarrel is sometimes hard to find, but James touches the sore spot here.
These wars and fightings proceed from out of personal desires (hēdonḗ – Literally, “pleasures” and properly, “sensual pleasures” – This is the word from which we derive the term “hedonism.”). Trouble in the church sanctuary may be either overt or covert – open or concealed; however, James explicitly explains that all such dramatic events are not of God, but of someone who may receive some sort of sensual satisfaction from promoting their own agenda – even to the point of the destruction of the “peace of God” that should rule within the local family.
Remember that ill-will and contentious attitudes are carried and fueled by those who seek to fulfill their own lusts. Not only does Jesus tell us that the peacemakers are a blessing (Matthew 5.9), but the Old Testament writer reported: “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.” (Proverbs 26.20)
If you want to see peace reigning within your local church, remember that the first step to peace lies within your personal means.
Unfortunately, within these groups of selected individuals there can arise a variety of individual agendas in which each strives to accomplish their personal desires rather than that of the perfect will of God. In some cases, members want to be like other churches rather than being what God has called their group to do.
I’m a strong proponent of Christian education; however, some years ago there was a movement among churches to start their own Christian school. While that was a noble desire, not every church should have traveled down that path. The Christian school movement would have been much more successful had smaller churches supported the larger churches in their efforts to offer secondary educational opportunities. Since children are the church’s greatest resource, the larger churches could have benefitted if the smaller congregations had put them on their monthly missionary support rather than straining already stretched resources and endangering the very existence of their specifically called assembly.
Some churches simply were not called to establish their own personal Christian school. Had those larger congregations allowed for teachers to be a part of the smaller congregations, the results would have been a sharing of talents across a wider spectrum and a blessing to the smaller groups. It would also have been a great encouragement to a struggling pastor and an encouragement for those churches to send their students to those schools without the fear of proselytizing members.
However, within local churches it’s not uncommon to find inner struggles produced by personal drama. As a matter of fact, it seems (and I speak from nearly 50 years of ministerial experience) that those who complain the loudest about “drama” within the church are those most guilty of perpetuating it.
James warns of the origin of all the internal struggles, “wars” (pólemos – “the chronic state or campaign”) and “fightings” (machē – “the separate conflicts or battles in the war”). So James covers the whole ground by using both words. The origin of a war or of any quarrel is sometimes hard to find, but James touches the sore spot here.
These wars and fightings proceed from out of personal desires (hēdonḗ – Literally, “pleasures” and properly, “sensual pleasures” – This is the word from which we derive the term “hedonism.”). Trouble in the church sanctuary may be either overt or covert – open or concealed; however, James explicitly explains that all such dramatic events are not of God, but of someone who may receive some sort of sensual satisfaction from promoting their own agenda – even to the point of the destruction of the “peace of God” that should rule within the local family.
Remember that ill-will and contentious attitudes are carried and fueled by those who seek to fulfill their own lusts. Not only does Jesus tell us that the peacemakers are a blessing (Matthew 5.9), but the Old Testament writer reported: “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.” (Proverbs 26.20)
If you want to see peace reigning within your local church, remember that the first step to peace lies within your personal means.
Copyright © 2023 Dr. John H. Hill, All rights reserved.
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