Skip to main content

HANDLING CONFLICTS IN THE CHURCH

THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)

DATE: TUESDAY, 25TH APRIL, 2023 (ST. MARK'S DAY)

TOPIC: HANDLING CONFLICTS IN THE CHURCH

TEXT: ACTS 15: 36-41

36.  Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, [and see] how they are doing."
37.  Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark.
38.  But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
39.  Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;
40.  but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.
41.  And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.


MESSAGE: 
It was Paul's idea that he and Barnabas should go back and visit brethren where they had preached before and see how they fared. Barnabas determined to take along John called Mark whose life we are commemorating today. However, Paul rejected going with Mark because he abandoned them in an earlier mission. Since they could not solve the problem of Mark's inclusion, they parted ways. Hence, Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus while Paul chose Silas and left for the churches in Syria and Cilicia.
 A good idea may be thwarted due to disagreement on methods or choice of personnel for the work. We must trust God to make things work out for the good of the kingdom. Paul, Barnabas and Mark would have gone on mission as a team. However, due to the contention, two evangelistic teams emerged and the gospel was spread to Cyprus by one team while the other team went to Syria and Cilicia for follow-up activities. Notice that this contention produced a positive result for the spreading of the gospel. Do you have a contention with a friend, neighbour, business partner or in the church on how to carry out a mission? Do not allow such contentions to disrupt the work of God. Hand it over to God in prayers and move on.


PRAYER: 
Lord give me wisdom to know how to handle conflicts so that Your work will not suffer loss in Jesus name.
 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHURCH OF NIGERIA ELECTS NEW BISHOPS AND ONE ARCHBISHOP

The Episcopal synod of the church of Nigeria Anglican Communion has elected six new Bishops, and one Archbishop. The election which took place at the Basilica of Grace Apo, Gudu district in the Diocese of Abuja on Thursday October 29, 2009 has the following:- The Rt. Rev. Friday John Imaekhai Bishop, Diocese of Esan, Elected: - Archbishop of Bendel to replace The Primate elect, The Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh The very Rev. Ralph Ebirien of St Stephen’s Cathedral Bonny Elected: - Bishop of Niger Delta Diocese The Venerable Ezekiel Bolarinde Dahunsi of Church of Pentecost FESTAC Lagos Elected: - Bishop Diocese of Ido- Ani The Rev. Canon Justus Emeka Mogekwu of St. Paul’s Kakuri, Kaduna Elected:-Bishop Diocese of Asaba to replace Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh. The Venerable (Prof.) Dapo Folorunso Asaju of the chapel of Light, Lagos (LASU) Elected:-Bishop for Theological Education in the office of the Primate The Venerable James Olaoti Akinola of St. James Iludun Oro, Kwara S...
Post a Comment
Read more

EXCERPTS FROM: 24/7 WARFARE PRAYERS AND SUPERNATURAL BREAKTHROUGH MANUAL

INTRODUCTION Right from childhood, the number “SEVEN” has always been an intrigue, an interesting puzzle, a fascination, and a great phenomenon to me. I was actually born on the seventh day of the month; perhaps this was one of the reasons why something leaps inside of me whenever I see the number. But as I grew up in the Christian faith I began to see a regular reference to it the scriptures. I was kind of saying, whoa! Holy bliss! Seven occurs 257 times, or 7 × 41 Seventh, the fractional part occurs 98 times or 7× 14 Seven –fold occurs 7 times. Seventy occurs 56 times or 7× 8 “Seventy” in combination with other numbers occurs 35 times or 7× 5. God is pleased to stamp the number “Seven” with the seal of perfection and completeness. God never down played the importance of the number, because it was the number of God. It is a carrier of God’s mysteries. It pleased God that, the Seventh man from Adam – Enoch sh...
Post a Comment
Read more

FIVE NEW FULL FLEDGED ANGLICAN DIOCESES

Five new Dioceses have been created in the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion. The Church's official website - http://www.anglican-nig.org/main.php?k_j=12&d=352&p_t=index.php? posted the information thus: The Standing Committee Meeting of Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion has approved the creation of five new full fledged Dioceses at their meeting at the Cathedral Church of St. Stephen’s Umuahia, Abia State. They are Shendam Diocese carved out of Langtang Diocese, Plateau state, Ido-Ani Diocese from present Owo Diocese, in Ondo state, Igbomina West from Igbomina Diocese,Kwara state, Ilesha North East from Ilesha in Osun state and Ijebu South West from Ijebu Diocese in Ogun state. At the presentation, the head of the Committee responsible for creation of new Dioceses, the most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa Archbishop Ibadan Province and Bishop of Ibadan who led a team of four assured the house that the stage is set and the New Dioceses have met all the requirements for creation...
Post a Comment
Read more