Today wraps up our series about doing life in community, and this week we have been talking about why we should pursue being in community even when it is messy and difficult. I was struggling a bit to connect with today’s Scripture about disunity in the church, until I switched up the characters…

‍

Let’s imagine Pastor Brian is imprisoned in the state capital for preaching the gospel and hears about a conflict between two leaders back at the ACF Eagle River campus. He writes to our whole congregation with teaching and encouragement and at the end of his letter he says, “I plead with Angela and I plead with Kimber to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, Pastor Josh, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Pastor Cody and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.”  

‍

Now, of course, this is fictional, so please don’t email the office about bailing out Pastor Brian, and if you know Angela and Kimber, this example is a little ridiculous since they are two of the nicest women you will ever meet, but, it did help me to think more about this verse when I placed some of our current leaders into the letter Paul wrote to the church at Philippi.  

‍

We don’t know what the women in Paul’s day were struggling to agree upon, but it was significant enough that Paul calls out two women by name in his letter. The solution that Paul offers to their conflict is to “be of the same mind in the Lord.” I love this advice, because Paul doesn’t say who is right, and he doesn’t tell them just to give each other space or form committees to discuss the problem. He focuses them back on Jesus and trusts that will be enough to bring them back together to serve the church. He desires that they should be unified in Christ and not let their struggle diminish their work for “the cause of the gospel.”

‍

Why is it so important they be of the same mind? There is so much diversity in the church, both back then and now, that there are bound to be many differences in preferences and spiritual practices. Why does Paul plead with them?  

‍

I think the answer lies at the end of verse 3, where Paul reminds us of the eternal nature of this work of community for the ones “whose names are in the book of life.” The hope is that one day all people will be with God in Heaven, so how we work well together (or don’t work well together) is a witness to others about where our priorities actually lie. Are they in our own fame or power? Our control in our church or workplace? Do we value relationships more than money or things? If Euodia and Syntyche were in such a bad fight, they were likely distracted and distracting others from the work of serving and following Christ.

‍

When doing ministry together and just plain doing life together, there is going to be conflict. But we have to trust that, when God called us to live in community, he knew it was going to be messy and hard, so he equips us with the fruit of the Spirit to handle conflict well.  

‍

We don’t know how things ended with these two women, but I hope they heeded Paul’s advice and found their common ground in putting their focus on their WHY instead of a “what” or “how” in their ministry. How can you do the same today, especially if you are in a place of leadership in our local church? Do you need to bring in help, as Paul suggests in this situation and as Jesus says in Matthew 18:15-17? When being in community gets hard, how might you shift your focus to remember the ultimate goal of Heaven being more crowded?  

Holy and loving Father, we know that you created us for community, but it gets really messy and hard sometimes to do life with other people. Please help us to see the “why” when the “how” feels too difficult. May your Spirit equip us with love, grace, patience, and mercy to put aside differences for the sake of the Kingdom. Thank you that you have not designed us to do life alone. We love you, and it is in your Son’s name we pray, Amen.