I think everybody will agree that no church is perfect, and that everybody that goes to a church still sins. The problem seems to stem from those Christians and churches who act like they are "holier-than-thou" and look down on others who are different in their beliefs and behaviours. Or, there is a real problem with churches and Christians who can never admit when they are wrong, they never confess when they sin, and thus never see a need to apologize or ask for forgiveness.
So I suppose one way to protect your church is to become the kind of person who is able to admit when they are wrong, apologize, seek to make amends, and not be judgmental towards others who are different. When unacceptable behavior is unleashed within a church, there is a harsh way to deal with it, and a gentle way. Looking down on others who sin doesn't help change the situation; coming along side others who make mistakes and loving them is a better form of life-change.
I really liked these phrases from the chapter:
Focus on what we have in common, not our differences. Paul tells us, "Let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony, and on the growth of one another's character."
Be realistic in your expectations. Once you discover what God intends real fellowship to be, it is easy to become discouraged by the gap between the ideal and the real in your church. Yet we must passionately love the church in spite of its imperfections. Longing for the ideal while criticizing the real is evidence of immaturity. On the other hand, settling for the real without striving for the ideal is complacency. Maturity is living with the tension.
Bonhoeffer said, "He who loves his dream of community more than the Christian community itself becomes a destroyer of the latter... If we do not give thanks daily for the Christian fellowship in which we have been placed, even when there is no great experience, no discoverable riches, but much weakness, small faith, and difficulty; if on the contrary we keep complaining that everything is paltry and petty, then we hinder God from letting our fellowship grow."
Choose to encourage rather than criticize. It's the Devil's job to blame, complain, and criticize members of God's family. Anytime we do the same, we're being duped into doing Satan's work for him. The Bible says, "Let's agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don't drag them down by finding fault."
Refuse to listen to gossip. If you listen to gossip, God says you are a troublemaker. "Troublemakers listen to troublemakers."
Practice God's method of conflict resolution. Jesus gave the church a simple three-step process: "If a believer hurts you, go and tell him - work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you've made a friend. If he won't listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he still won't listen, tell the church."
Support your pastor and leaders. The Bible is clear about how we are to relate to those who serve us: "Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them?" Pastors will one day stand before God and give an account of how well they watched over you.
What have you been doing to build up the unity and peace of the church? What do you need to start doing or stop doing to help our church become even more inviting to our friends, family, and neigbors?
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