Quiet Time Notes
Notes from my daily Quiet Times with God
Purpose Driven Life - Protecting Your Church
June 14th, 2008Previous |
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It is your job to protect the unity of the church
Supreme model for unity is the Trinity
Jesus' final moment was thinking and praying about the church's unity
Make every effort to keep the unity -
Ephesians 4:3
Focus on what we have in common
We share the same life, salvation, and same future
Conflict - focused on "disputable matters"
Be realistic in your expectations
People become disillusioned with church
Should not be surprised - made up of sinners, including ourselves -
1 Corinthians 1:10
Reconciliation - not running away - road to stronger character and deeper fellowship
If the church must be perfect to satisfy you, that same perfection will exclude you
Choose to encourage rather than criticize
It is always easier to stand on the sidelines than get involved
Judge another believer:
- Lose fellowship with God
- Expose my pride and insecurity
- Set myself up to be judged by God
- Harm the fellowship
Satan is the accuser of our brothers
Other Christians are not the real enemy
Any time spent for comparing and criticizing should be used for building others up
Refuse to listen to gossip
People who gossip to you will also gossip about you
Great wounds usually come from other sheep, not wolves
Practice God's method for conflict resolution
Go to the person you are having issues with - Matthew 18
Takes a man of courage to speak the truth in love
Support your pastor and leaders -
Hebrews 13:17
No perfect leaders
They are accountable but so are you
You will give an account on how you obeyed your leaders