A father heard a commotion in his yard and looked outside to see his daughter and several plnyma1es in a heated quarrel. At his reprimand the daughter explained, "We're just playing church!"To characterize God's people as wrangling malcontents is to caricature the church. Feuds, factions. fracases, and fusses-yes, the Christian Church has had it5 hare, but the fellowship and fervent love have far exceeded the friction.Yet, no church i exempt from crippling conflict. Even the early Church, so often idealized and idolized, had dissension. The list of apostolic churches where contention broke out reads like an ecclesiastical hall of fame. Jerusalem, Antioch. Rome, Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica, and by implication, several others. No church e capes it entirely. The real question is: Will disagreements divide and wound the Christian Body. or will they draw the members together in deepened understanding and commitment?Beside introductory and concluding chapters, eight instances of di cord and conciliation in apostolic churches are examined. Another chapter deals with Jesus· instruction for brothers at odds with each other. The remaining chapter investigates reasons for withdrawal of fellowship.

Great church fights (An Input book) PDF

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