Keeping the Peace

Michael McDowell takes us into 1 Corinthians 6, where Paul confronts one of the messiest realities of church life: conflict. Paul gives us three movements for handling it well. First, keep it in the circle—the moment conflict escapes to people who aren't part of it, it becomes gossip, and gossip corrodes trust faster than almost anything else. Second, actually deal with it—ignoring conflict isn't a solution, it's just a delayed explosion. Go to the person, bring in a wise voice if needed, and be willing to accept that you might be the problem. Third, be willing to surrender so Jesus can win—which isn't fair, but neither was the cross. Never underestimate the power of a cross-shaped life to change what nothing else can.