Peppermint-Filled Piñatas
Chapter Five: Uncivil War
Proving That God Is Real

Hostility and conflict within the church undermine our efforts to show the world God’s grace and love.

This chapter deals with conflict. Specifically conflict within the body of Christ. This is something that happens way too often, but it’s also something that won’t be going away very soon. Tonia and I were talking the other day about why churches always seem to have issues internally. There are really two reasons. The first being that the church is made up of humans, and we are prone to many things that get in the way of our mission—ignorance, lack of vision, selfishness, pride.

The second is that we have a very real enemy. Our pastor was just talking yesterday about how the enemy doesn’t mind if you’re “playing” church, but once you start transforming lives he gets involved. The thing we need to remember, however, is that the enemy is not those we are having issues with. The enemy is satan.

Daily we face the opportunity to create conflict, prolong conflict, or end conflict.

How do you deal with conflict?

Related:
PFP Reviewed: Introduction
PFP Reviewed: Chapter One
PFP Reviewed: Chapter Two
PFP Reviewed: Chapter Three
PFP Reviewed: Chapter Four