10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
—The words of the Apostle Paul from 1 Corinthians 1:10
“We’re at war!”
Almost twenty years ago, I sat in stunned silence as I listened to the shout from a female member of the Board of Directors of a national healthcare organization. The President of that organization had hired me to conduct Team Building exercises with the Board members and the administrative staff. He wanted to try to overcome some long-standing disharmony within the organization.
What have I gotten myself into? I wondered as I felt the electricity of the member’s statement blast across those gathered in the conference room. How deeply do these resentments reach within those present? What circumstances could possibly have created this friction-filled atmosphere?
I’m glad to report that over the course of six very intense Team Building sessions scheduled over as many weeks, the Board members and the administrative staff began to understand each other better and began to find points of mutual agreement. Checking back six months later, I learned that the lady who had issued the declaration of war had resigned from the Board. Even with all the efforts the other Board members and administrative staff members had made to create a climate of reconciliation, she wanted no part of it. She would take her spirit of conflict with her as she walked out of door.
In any organization, conflict seems inevitable. People disagree all the time. In fact, researchers tell us that any organization that does not experience frequent differences of opinion about matters of policy and implementation probably will not achieve any significant goals. Conflict—when it’s controlled by respect and civility—provides a healthy catalyst to necessary change within any organization.
Those who think that people should never disagree, never discuss, never offer differing opinions doom their organizations to mediocrity and, ultimately, to failure. Conflict promotes a free exchange of ideas. Conflict can stimulate creative thinking. Conflict can actually draw people closer together. Conflict can actually lead to ultimate agreement.
That’s right. Conflict can actually lead to ultimate agreement.
In a recent white paper, Dr. Benjamin Novak, Esq., a former member of the Board of Trustees of Penn State University, offers his analysis of what has gone wrong with the Penn State Board. His potent prose leads the reader along a nearly unbelieveable pathway. I would urge anyone involved in the Board of any organization to click here to read this important paper.
Dr. Novak has disclosed that the major impediment to truly moral decision-making consists of a code of silence that has rendered the Penn State Board ineffective and close to useless. Board members could not discuss, could not disagree, could not talk to faculty or students, could not do anything without working directly through the President of the University. A carefully chosen inner circle of Board members supported the President to allow him to control the creation and implementation of every policy and every procedure.
So far in this blog post I’ve talked about the world of business. What about the Kingdom of God? What does God’s Word have to say about decision-making with the Body of Christ?
In the Scripture passage at the beginning of this blog post, the Apostle Paul speaks directly to the Christians gathered at the church in Corinth. He urges them to “agree with one another.” But, don’t become deceived by this word “agree.”
In contemporaneous Greek literature—that is Greek literature written at about the same time as this portion of Scripture—the phrase that the translators of the New International Version have rendered “agree” has legislative implications that hearkened back to an earlier time in Grecian history. The phrase describes a process, in the earlier Greek democracies, whereby those making laws discussed, with a thoroughness and depth, all sides of an issue. The Greek lawmakers would argue passionately and dispute ardently to make their points. Then, when all sides had received a thorough exposure to the lawmakers, they would arrive at an “agreement.”
The King James Version renders this phrase: “that ye all speak the same thing.” In other words, after healthy argument and discourse, having reached a decision, the brothers to which Paul appeals should reach an agreement wherein they can “speak the same thing.”.
The key to reaching an agreement resided in the frank, open, and unrestrained—and often mightily passionate—discussion that preceded any and all decisions. This process made no provision for people to sit in silence while one—or a noble few—made all the decisions that the group would then rubber stamp.
Within the body of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, God expects His people to thoroughly discuss all aspects of any problem before reaching a decision. God does not expect leaders in His Kingdom to rubber stamp any ideas that come only from “a man or woman,” as opposed to those ideas that come from God through His Word. For many issues that arise, God gives clear direction in His Word. For other issues, He gives the Holy Spirit to lead and guide His children into all truth.
One of the key ways we arrive at truth comes from openly, honestly, thoroughly, and even passionately, discussing issues until we reach a decision about which we can “all speak the same thing.” The Holy Spirit will use full and unimpeded discussion to bring leaders within the Body of Christ to arrive at a place where they will become “one in mind and thought.”
Will you pray with me?
Thank You, God, for loving us. Thank You for sending Jesus to be our Savior. Thank You for sending us Your Holy Spirit to dwell within us.
Precious Father, we praise You that you have given us Your Holy Spirit to guide us when we work with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We acknowledge that when we talk with each other, discuss with each other, even argue with each other, we can do so with hearts full of love, with words wrapped in civility, and with minds intent on serving You and Your Kingdom.
Thank You for Your generosity and for Your enabling. We fully rest in You and seek to obediently follow the pathway You have laid out for us. We praise You for the joy You give us each day. And, thank You for hearing our prayer in and through the precious Name of Your Son, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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