The source of unity in the local church is the Holy Spirit, but the maintenance of that unity rests mainly on the shoulders of the pastor and deacons.
- The word translated unity: Homothumadon, meaning “one mind.” This word originally meant unanimity. Today a strong consensus passes for unity and is often the only possibility in most of our churches, even good ones. Real Homothumadon (unity) is not based on personal feelings or choices or preferences, but on a cause that is greater than the individual. The word is used in Acts 10 times: Acts 1:14; 2:46; 5:12; 4:24; 15:25; 8:6 and 12:21. The unity of the early church is not the unity we find in a country club or Masonic Lodge and many churches. Some of our churches are too dead to fight over any issue, and yet they speak of their “sweet unity.” The most organized, unified place on earth is the cemetery, but who wants a unity like that?
- The Source of Unity – the Holy Spirit. The Triune God Himself models the unity He expects in His church, and Paul speaks of the “unity of the Holy Spirit in the bonds of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Then he admonishes the believers to “maintain” this unity wrought by the Holy Spirit. The church members were not to create it. Unity of the Spirit is one of the greatest gifts of the Holy Spirit. No person, no church, no denomination can create spiritual unity, any more than they could save a soul. It is given by the Holy Spirit to His people when He is present among them and not being grieved. The widespread disunity in local churches today is evidence of the lack of the control of the Holy Spirit. Even though He is present in every believer, He is being so grieved and quenched that He cannot do His great work (or will not) of unifying the people of God around that which is eternally important – the Word of God, lost souls, prayer, giving, sacrifice, etc. However, while the church cannot create unity, it can lose it. Therefore, keeping unity requires diligence on the part of all, but especially on the part of pastors and deacons.
- The Pastor’s Role in Preventing Conflict:
- The Pastor must be a spiritual man, meaning He is born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, meaning He will be guided by God’s Word and led by the Holy Spirit.
- The Pastor must avoid doing stupid things. “Especially do not do something stupid in your early days of ministry. The spiritual in the congregation will forgive you or overlook it but the carnal and natural persons will not. Remember that a church fellowship is a fragile entity. It does not take much to tear it apart. The pastor, then, must be discerning. He must be wise.”[1]
- The Pastor must not act impulsively without weighing the consequences of his action. “A pastor is called to a prominent church in a major southern city. During his first week on the field he walks into the pulpit area with a couple of staff members and removes the pulpit to a storage area. He explains to them that he needs no pulpit. Then they go back into the sanctuary and remove the communion table and its contents, placing the same in the another storage area. He tells them that the communion table is a distraction to him when he is preaching. He ‘wants nothing between him and the people.’ When the people arrive on Sunday they immediately notice the missing furniture and enquire as to its location. No one knows.
The pastor seems surprised to learn that the missing pulpit furniture is a source of major dissension in the church. He discovers the size of the problem at the next business conference in which strong emotions are expressed about the “precipitative removal of the pulpit furniture.” The business meeting goes late into the night. One man states that he really misses the communion table because the words: “This do in remembrance of me” on the edge of the table was so meaningful to him when he came to worship. To show how emotion often erodes memory the pastor went back to the closet where the communion table was stored and discovered there were no such words on the table!
What do we learn from this incident? How should the pastor have handled this issue?”[2]
- Pastors choose sides in the midst of conflict. “The pastor should be an arbitrator. He should try to help both sides in a conflict, if possible, by pointing to the higher principles of the Word of God. He must be as impartial as possible in his counsel. The exception, of course, is when a spiritual principle is involved.”[3]
- Pastors do not distinguish between projects and principles. You don’t have to do a project but you do have to lead your people toward God and His purposes. “In Charlotte some years ago, a mega church erected a 6500 seat sanctuary. Not wanting to be left behind another large church bought land for relocation and decided to follow suit. It caused major controversy. But the pastor wisely went to the people and led them to halt the project (the footing had already been poured) until they come together in unity, however long that might take.”[4]
- Pastors use open forums to “Air Out Problems.” Avoid “Open Forums” to discuss frictions and problems. Only call the church together for action when you have a definite proposal to
- Pastors handle the money in the church. Leave that to others always but demand an accounting of those who do.
- Pastors use church property for personal use. Don’t do it.
- Pastors talk to women alone in the office with the door closed and the curtains down. Don’t ever be so stupid.
- Pastors loan money to their members.
- Pastors give the impression that he is always expecting a “hand out.” Invite your richest men for lunch and be sure to pick up the tab. I have. Ask me for their reactions.
- Pastors complain about being poor, making sacrifices, etc. Live by the 11th commandment: Thou shalt not belly ache.
- The Deacon’s Role in Maintaining Unity. The first deacons were elected to maintain the unity of the church. Acts 6:1-7 reveals this fact. Note how and why the first diaconate was begun:
- There was a conflict in the Jerusalem What was it? A dispute between the Hebrew and Grecian widows. Wasn’t this a form of racism?
- The Staff (the twelve – pastors now) called a business meeting to discuss the problem. They made it clear that it was not God’s will for them to “wait on tables,” but to give themselves to the ministry of the Word and prayer.
- The recommendation was specific. “There were to be seven men leading this work. Others might help but all would be under the direction of these men. However, waiting on tables would not be their only work. They would also preach and teach. See Acts 6:8 (Stephen, the deacon, the table waiter did mighty spiritual acts and miracles.) See Acts 8:5 (Philip, the deacon, was used of the Holy Spirit in a mighty spiritual awakening in Samaria and later in Gaza.)”[5]
- There was a division of labor (v. 4). The apostles would study, pray and preach. The deacons would wait on tables. They would live out the meaning of their names – deacons – bond servants or slaves. And their major purpose: to free the pastors to the Word and Prayer.
- The Deacons were ordained for service (v. 4) . With harmony in the fellowship, the Word of God multiplied. Even a “great number of the priests were obedient to the faith.” ( v. 7)
Is not this God’s plan for the Deacons today?
[1] Ned Matthews, Pastoral Administration; Lecture 9, The Conflict the Pastor is to avoid, pp 3-4
[2] Ibid. p. 4
[3] Ibid. p. 5
[4] Ibid. p. 7
[5] Ibid. p. 7