This article is Week 19 in the Grace in Everyday Relationships Series. On Sunday morning, the foyer is full and noisy. Kids dart between legs, coffee cups clink, and small groups form almost instinctively—young adults with young adults, retirees with retirees, long-timers with other long-timers. You are grateful for your people. At the same time, you notice the quiet man standing alone near the door, the single mom slipping into a pew by herself, the older widow surrounded mostly by families her kids’ age. A question tugs at you: Are we missing something of what the body of Christ is meant to be? Most churches say they want to be “welcoming”…
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This article is Week 16 of the Grace in Everyday Relationships Series. Church conflict is one of those subjects we hope we’ll never have to talk about—until we’re forced to.Maybe you’ve felt your stomach tighten when you walked into the sanctuary and spotted someone across the aisle you’ve been avoiding. Maybe a conversation in the parking lot went sideways months ago, and you’ve never really recovered. Maybe you’ve changed small groups, service times, or even churches just to get away from tension. If that’s you, hear this clearly: you are not alone, and you are not broken beyond repair. Conflict in the church is not proof that the gospel has…
