Preventing Power Struggles and Cliques in Church Communities
Preventing power struggles and cliques in church communities involves adherence to biblical principles of unity, spiritual discipline, and the proper functioning of church leadership. The Apostle Paul, for instance, earnestly appealed to the Corinthian church to avoid dissensions, urging them to "all speak the same thing" and be "perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" [4, 5]. This plea highlights the importance of doctrinal and relational harmony within the Christian community.
The New Testament emphasizes that the Holy Spirit indwells individual believers and the Church collectively, making each Christian a "temple of the Holy Ghost" [2]. This shared spiritual indwelling should foster unity rather than division. However, the presence of "flesh" (sinful nature) lusting against the Spirit can lead to internal conflict, making spiritual discipline essential [2].
Church discipline is considered vital for maintaining order and preventing discord. John Calvin argued that just as no society or household can function without discipline, it is even more necessary in the Church, serving as its "sinews" [8]. This discipline applies not only to the general membership but also specifically to the clergy [8]. The church, as a visible society, is dedicated to God's service, and its covenant of grace subsists between God and this visible body [3].
Leadership plays a crucial role in upholding unity. The teaching function of church officers, particularly the episcopate, is the primary means by which the Church's tradition is maintained [9]. However, to guard against erroneous teaching by bishops and to manage broader ecclesiastical matters, an authority beyond individual bishops is necessary, often found in councils [9]. Paul's instruction for churches to gather and deliberate on doctrine and teaching methods further underscores the importance of collective leadership and decision-making to prevent "diversity [from giving] offence" [7].
The call to unity extends to all members, from elders to children, as seen in Joel's exhortation to "gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children" [1]. This comprehensive gathering implies a community where all are valued and included, reducing the likelihood of exclusive cliques. Furthermore, the church has the authority to remove from communion those who are disorderly, a command given to the "fraternity," or the entire body of believers, to maintain the integrity of the community [6].
Sources
- Joel “Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her room. -- Joel 2:16”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 31: Galatians v. 16-26 . Another passage of like import is Galatians v. 16-26 , “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not full the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would,” etc., etc. The Scriptures teach that the Spirit of God dwells in his people, not only collectively as the Church, but individually in every believer, so that of every Christian it may be said, he is a temple of the Holy Ghost. God is”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 64: an external profession of the doctrines of the Gospel, and subjection to the laws and ordinances of Christ, appear as a society separated from the world, and dedicated to God and his service. In this view, in the present imperfect state, the Church comprehends branches that are withered, as well as those that bear fruit. Now the covenant of grace subsists between the blessed God and the Church, as such a visible Society, 567 567 To this sentence Mr. Blair appends the following note: “In no other way can we conceive the covenant to subsist”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 1:10: Now I beseech you, brethren,.... The apostle having observed the many favours and blessings bestowed on this church, proceeds to take notice of the divisions and contentions which were fomented in it; and in the most kind and tender manner entreats them to take every proper step to prevent schisms among them: he does not use his apostolical power and authority, or lay his injunctions and commands upon them, which he might have done, but most affectionately beseeches them; styling them brethren, as they were in a spiritual relation, being children of the same Fa”
- 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 1:10: Now I beseech you, brethren - The apostle having finished his introduction comes to his second point, exhorting them to abstain from dissensions, that they might be of the same heart and mind, striving together for the hope of the Gospel. By the name of our Lord Jesus - By his authority, and in his place; and on account of your infinite obligations to his mercy in calling you into such a state of salvation. That ye all speak the same thing - If they did not agree exactly in opinion on every subject, they might, notwithstanding, agree in the words which they u”
- 2 Thessalonians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Thessalonians 3:6: Now we command you, brethren,.... The apostle is now come to the main thing itself he has in view in this part of the epistle, which is to encourage a regard to the discipline of God's house; and to exhort this church to excommunicate, or remove from communion, all disorderly persons; and those who are to do this he points out, and calls upon, and even commands; and these are the fraternity, the "brethren", the society of believers, all the members of the church; for to them to whom belongs the power of receiving members, to them only belongs the power of excl”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 91: than if each, adopting it for himself, should deliver it to his people, or a few individuals should meet in private and decide. Secondly, When bishops have assembled in one place, they deliberate more conveniently in common, fixing both the doctrine and the form of teaching it, lest diversity give offence. Thirdly, Paul prescribes this method of determining doctrine. For when he gives the power of deciding to a single church, he shows what the course of procedure should be in more important cases—namely, that the churches together ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 94: and then proceed to the clergy, who have besides that common discipline one peculiar to themselves. But as some, from hatred of discipline, are averse to the very name, for their sake we observe,—If no society, nay, no house with even a moderate family, can be kept in a right state without discipline, much more necessary is it in the Church, whose state ought to be the best ordered possible. Hence as the saving doctrine of Christ is the life of the Church, so discipline is, as it were, its sinews; for to it it is owing that the mem”
- CCEL (Patristic) “Athanasius of Alexandria, Select Works and Letters, section 32: Athanasius was far from undervaluing the evidence of the Church’s tradition. The organ by which the tradition of the Church does its work is the teaching function of her officers, especially of the Episcopate ( de Syn. 3, &c.). But to provide against erroneous teaching on the part of bishops, as well as to provide for the due administration of matters affecting the Church generally, and for ecclesiastical legislation, some authority beyond that of the individual bishop is necessary. This necessity is met, in the Church as conceive”