Conflict as a Tool?

“Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.” Acts 6:1

If there was ever a church that could have avoided conflict, wouldn’t it be this one? We are naturally assume that church conflict only comes because of poor leadership or undesirable circumstances. But notice who the leaders were, THE APOSTLES! Surely then, it must have been a church in decline. But the early church was busting out at the seams! If this church had serious conflict won’t all churches have conflict sooner or later?

Conflict is Normal and Healthy

The question is not whether there will be conflict, but only what we will do when it arises. Some differences of opinion come because God has created us as unique individuals with differing perspectives. This is especially significant in the church because of God’s design of Unity Through Diversity in the church and His distribution of Spiritual Gifts. The Apostles quickly recognized this in Acts chapter six and delegated spiritually strong and gifted individuals to find a healthy and godly solution. They must have done it well because verse seven of chapter six reads, “Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

Conflict Helps Us Find Good Solutions

If conflict is inevitable, and it helps us diagnose individual and group needs, why not change the paradigm of our thinking and utilize it like the early church did, viewing it as a resource instead of simply a threat?