Then the apostles and elders assembled to consider this matter. - Acts 15:6
I have to chuckle at the notion that the early church was some sort of pristine, idyllic environment of holiness and purity, free from conflict or strife. Some of my contemporaries wish to paint a picture (unbiblical though it may be) of brothers and sisters sitting in a circle singing an early Aramaic version of "Kumbaya."
Of course, this was not true. From its earliest existence, the church of Jesus Christ has experienced and handled conflict, and not always well. I think, however, a crucial difference between the church then and the church now is the willingness to address conflict when it does occur and also the manner by which it is addressed.
As we pray for revival in America, let us also pray for a return to biblical models and structures within the local church. God's Word should govern what we do more than structures that reflect the influence of civil government. The church is a body, not a business.
It takes more than a busy church, a friendly church, or even an evangelical church to impact a community for Christ. It must be a church ablaze, led by leaders who are ablaze for God. - Wesley L. Duewel
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