Why has church become a war zone?

Pastor Lee Fore

Faith Correspondent

Christians today often forget that the word translated as church in the New Testament, ekklesia means the called out ones, like the assembly of Israelite authority from the time of Moses.

Church gathering community with its law and authority, it doesn’t entail the pursuit of violent sovereignty and imposition of Christian ways on others.

Due to persistent battles, there is high risk of the church completely losing its moral compass.

Many a time, there are reported cases in which churches are involved in leadership wrangles. What is going on in the church today? The church becoming a battlefield, involved in church politics, misunderstandings, fighting for leadership positions, and church resources.

This is something that was rare, because it’s not the nature of the church, which is known to be disciplined.

The persistent church wrangles have brought doubt to non-believers, as they seek the place where devoted Christians go to church and commune with God, rather than self-glorification.

It is saddening that churches because of carnal mind, have failed to resolve their conflicts amicably, and have resorted to drag each other to the courts and also involved in protests like the pagans.

Factionalism has become the order of the day in the operation of the church. Sermons and teachings being directed to individuals in the matrix of conflict, also shouting matches accepted as shaping the church and our communities.

The church leaders and those in conflict opposed to them, have traded barbs and blows over who should be in charge, more so in the time of succession, conflicts are inevitable, with some desire to control the operations and administration of the church because of monetary gains.

The Johanne Marange Apostolic Sect, Anglican Church, Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM), Zion Apostolic Faith Mission Church, and The Evangelical Church of Zimbabwe (ECZ), have been tried and tested in the leadership wrangles. This is well documented.

Church wrangles are not a new phenomenon, and lack of maturity in addressing the matters, has caused serious problems. Bishop Trevor Manhanga of Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe (PAOZ) said: “People in the church must be taught that disputes will always be there, but there is need for people to be aware of conflict resolution mechanism”.

In addition to that Bishop Zamani Moyo, founder of Hope in Christ International Church, said good relationships are a means to resolve conflicts, and to follow the biblical guidelines, rather than resort to outside church circles to resolve church disputes.

Rev Tigere Nyamakawo, senior pastor in Evangelical Church of Zimbabwe, said there is need to deal with church matters spiritually, establish a compassionate environment without shaming the church putting it into a disrepute, as believers look up to leadership for spiritual and moral nourishment.

How do leaders resolve conflict?

Conflict is a result of the fall. After Adam sinned, he blamed God and his wife.

He said, “The woman you put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it” (Gen 3:12).

The woman then blamed the serpent. The blame game began when sin entered into the world.

But also God prophesied that sin would have a terrible effect on the relationship of the man and the woman.

The woman would desire her husband and the husband would rule over her (Gen 3:16).

In the Hebrew the word “desire” has to do with control or seeking to master something (cf. Gen 4:7).

She would seek to control the husband, and the husband would rule her by force. From this relationship, we have conflict in our homes, in our friendships, and in our work relationships.

We have conflict between nations. The world has known no years without war.

In fact, Paul taught that the acts of the flesh are hatred, discord, fits of rage, and factions (Gal 5:20). To be in discord is to be human.

However, in the midst of this world of discord, Christ said this: “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).

In describing those who are part of the kingdom of heaven, he said that they would be known for working for peace and resolving discord.