Smackdown on the Alter

OK, time for a little venting. It's been a rough week in ChurchLand. I was called a hypocrite in a pretty vicious email for no good reason. The whole thing was because of false imformation, but this person wouldn't accept that. I tried to sit and talk with them and they wouldn't hear of it. After I explained the Biblical solution for conflict management in the church, this person's answer was to quit the church (can someone say "blessing in disguise"?).

Here's the question - why are so FEW people willing to handle conflict in a Biblical manner? What is so hard about sitting face-to-face with someone and at least attempting to iron out a tense situation? Why are people so cowardly when it comes to airing grievances to someone's face (as opposed to behind their back or in a nasty email)? This is so frustrating to me! My wife and I have arguements all the time, but it doesn't mean the marriage is dissolving. Can't we view it the same with church family?

I heard someone at a PromiseKeepers rally say, "You have no more right to break fellowship with a brother in Christ, than you do divorcing your wife." I wish my brothers and sisters in Christ took our relationship that seriously and were willing to have tough conversations once in a while. The right thing to do isn't always the easy thing, but it's still the right thing to do.