1 Corinthians 10:27-29 says, “If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. But if anyone says to you, ‘This has been offered in sacrifice,’ then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ sake–the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience?”
The church is a gathering of people with a common mission. But because it is a gathering of people, interpersonal conflicts tend to arise.
Even in the denomination I belong to, there have been conflicts over change of leadership. It is precisely during these times that we must make decisions based on biblical principles. For example, remembering that leaders and laity are gathered in worship and share a common mission, by the will of God. Whether leader or laity, we are each given spiritual gifts and abilities for the benefit of each other. As verse 24 of the above passage says, “Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.”
It is from Christ that leaders receive authority for church leadership. Therefore, no decision should be rashly made without seeking the will of Christ. We are to act with discernment, with the conscience of others’ in mind. We determine to live in a way that reveals God’s glory. It is with such principles that we hope to resolve church conflicts. Along the way, it is inevitable that repentance and correction take place for the sake of the church’s unity.