Dr Paul Allen

Josh Deffern A Bible passage not generally looked at is John 6:66 and the time the crowds tried to force Jesus’ hand and make him king by force, and not only did that not happen, but everything went sideways, and by the end, Jesus lost most of his followers. Hidden within this story is a powerful message for Christians today. Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. John 6:1-2 The biggest reason people followed Jesus wasn’t because of what he taught. In fact, most folks probably wished Jesus would stop talking because every time he talked people got upset. People followed Jesus because of the miracles. Because he healed the sick. I mean, what’s not to love about free healthcare? So, one of the times when the crowds followed Jesus, Jesus decided to feed them: Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Plenty of grass was...

Division and discord are growing sicknesses in our day. We’re separated into ever-fracturing tribes, and the “us versus them” mentality has developed a gravitational pull. What’s more, talking heads who tell us our problems and worries come from those we disagree with saturate the screens in our homes and pockets. The church isn’t safe from the disease of division. Our feeds offer us a steady diet of self-affirming articles that state how this political election or that theological disagreement will make or break us. When the stakes are constantly elevated to do-or-die levels, we justify any tactic that gives “our side” an edge in the war. Denominations, churches, and church members who once enjoyed unity now grow apart. Those we used to march with arm in arm are now at arm’s length. It seems our culture is ever more eager to draw lines in the sand and ever slower to listen with love. As our tribalism grows, our ability to nuance diminishes, and it becomes difficult to pursue Christian...

One of the greatest problems that we face in the church today is disagreement. Anyone who has served in a position of leadership in the church will know exactly what I am talking about. The real problem that we face, however, is not so much the presence of disagreement as to the way that disagreement is usually carried out and what typically happens as a result. Disagreement, in and of itself, can be a good thing. It can provide important clarification and refinement when we are developing a plan of action. It can also provide protection for the church as a whole so that no one is able to kidnap the church and take it in an unbiblical or unwise direction. Disagreement forces us to think. It opens our eyes to different perspectives and challenges us to see issues from different points of view. At its best, disagreement strengthens and protects the church and its individual members. The problem that I see is not that we disagree with one another. The problem is the way that...