Sermon Tone Analysis

Doctrinal Differences Need to Be Addressed

Paul, Barnabas, and Titus went to Jerusalem to resolve a doctrinal issue regarding the gospel.

There was a group of people that came from Jerusalem to Galatia that stirred up trouble in the church.

They were teaching that a person had to be circumcised in order to be saved.

Paul knew that they were wrong, but they had such influence in the church that the church decided it would be best to get guidance from the apostles at Jerusalem.

15 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had [a]great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.

Paul had been preaching the gospel for 17 years.

The Lord was doing mighty things with the Gentiles at Galatia.

They were being saved and growing in their faith.

When the Lord is at work, Satan tries to disrupt what God is doing.

Paul was doing the Lord’s work and Satan sent church folks to mess him up.

Issues in the church

There are many issues that tend to cause conflict in the church.

Most of which are trivial matters that get blown way out of proportion.

I have experienced a church split over a building campaign.

This has no place for conflict in a church.

A church is called to be united and an example to a lost and dying world.

If Satan can get us fighting against one another, then he knows we will not be effective in reaching those in our community.

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

A church that fights with one another tends to be inward focused.

They are more concerned with their own personal preferences than with reaching others with the gospel of Jesus.

The things that Satan uses to cause disruptions in the church can be somewhat silly.

Tom Rainer has a list of 25 things churches have fought over

1. Argument over the appropriate length of the worship pastor’s beard (I think I saw a verse in Scripture that indicated it is to be no more than 1.5 inches longer than the pastor’s beard.).

Argument over the appropriate length of the worship pastor’s beard (I think I saw a verse in Scripture that indicated it is to be no more than 1.5 inches longer than the pastor’s beard.).Fight over whether or not to build a children’s playground or to use the land for a cemetery (I’m dying to know the resolution of this one.).A deacon accusing another deacon of sending an anonymous letter, and deciding to settle the matter in the parking lot (The church could have sold tickets to this event and raised a lot of money.).A church dispute of whether or not to install restroom stall dividers in the women’s restroom (I’m calling unfair on this one.

The men should have their stall dividers too.).A church argument and vote to decide if a clock in the worship center should be removed (I think this one is a timely argument.).A 45-minute heated argument over the type of filing cabinet to purchase: black or brown; 2, 3, or 4 drawers (This one is an official cabinet meeting of the church leadership.).A fight over which picture of Jesus to put in the foyer (I just want to know who took the pictures.).A petition to have all church staff clean shaven (No church planters are allowed.).A dispute over whether the worship leader should have his shoes on during the service (I vote for shoes, shirts, and pants.).A big church argument over the discovery that the church budget was off $0.10.

Someone finally gave a dime to settle the issue (I have to admit this issue is ten times more important than the church missing a penny.).A dispute in the church because the Lord’s Supper had cran/grape juice instead of grape juice (Of course it should be grape juice.

It’s right there in Hezekiah 4:11.).Business meeting arguments about whether the church should purchase a weed eater or not.

It took two business meetings to resolve (Wow.

This fight was really whacky.).Arguments over what type of green beans the church should serve (I could have resolved this conflict quickly: none.).Two different churches reported fights over the type of coffee.

In one of the churches, they moved from Folgers to a stronger Starbucks brand.

In the other church, they simply moved to a stronger blend.

Members left the church in the latter example (Perhaps they started a new church: The Right Blend Fellowship.).Major conflict when the youth borrowed a crockpot that had not been used for years (I bet it was a bunch of crocky old adults.).An argument on whether the church should allow deviled eggs at the church meal(Only if it’s balanced with angel food cake for dessert).An argument over who has the authority to buy postage stamps for the church (The members were licking their wounds over this issue.).A disagreement over using the term “potluck” instead of “pot blessing” (I get it!

The concept of luck contradicts the theology of a sovereign God.

This issue is very serious.

Good luck trying to resolve it.

).A church member was chastised because she brought vanilla syrup to the coffee server.

It looked too much like liquor.

(Beth Moore confessed she was the culprit who brought the syrup.

Don’t you know, Beth, we Baptists cannot have vanilla syrup at anytime?

Chocolate is fine though.).An argument in church over who has access to the copy machine (I think a calendar should be made where every church member has at least five minutes access to the copy machine each year.

You can have a business meeting to vote on each five-minute increment.).Some church members left the church because one church member hid the vacuum cleaner from them.

It resulted in a major fight and split (Thus the Second Electrolux Church was born.).An argument over whether to have gluten-free communion bread or not (I thought gluteny was a sin.).A dispute over whether the church should allow people to wear black t-shirts, since black is the color of the devil (Are you sure he’s not red?

That’s what I’ve heard.)A

fight over whether or not to sing “Happy Birthday” each week (I’ve got an idea.

Alternate it with the doxology.).An argument over whether the fake, dusty plants should be removed from the podium (Just give them a little water.

They should be fine.).

2. Fight over whether or not to build a children’s playground or to use the land for a cemetery (I’m dying to know the resolution of this one.).

3. A deacon accusing another deacon of sending an anonymous letter, and deciding to settle the matter in the parking lot (The church could have sold tickets to this event and raised a lot of money.).

4. A church dispute of whether or not to install restroom stall dividers in the women’s restroom (I’m calling unfair on this one.

The men should have their stall dividers too.).

5.

A church argument and vote to decide if a clock in the worship center should be removed (I think this one is a timely argument.).

6.

A 45-minute heated argument over the type of filing cabinet to purchase: black or brown; 2, 3, or 4 drawers (This one is an official cabinet meeting of the church leadership.).

7. A fight over which picture of Jesus to put in the foyer (I just want to know who took the pictures.).

8.

A petition to have all church staff clean shaven (No church planters are allowed.).

9.

A dispute over whether the worship leader should have his shoes on during the service (I vote for shoes, shirts, and pants.).

10.

A big church argument over the discovery that the church budget was off $0.10.

Someone finally gave a dime to settle the issue (I have to admit this issue is ten times more important than the church missing a penny.).

11.

A dispute in the church because the Lord’s Supper had cran/grape juice instead of grape juice (Of course it should be grape juice.

It’s right there in Hezekiah 4:11.).

12 Business meeting arguments about whether the church should purchase a weed eater or not.

It took two business meetings to resolve (Wow.

This fight was really whacky.).

13.

Arguments over what type of green beans the church should serve (I could have resolved this conflict quickly: none.).

14.

Two different churches reported fights over the type of coffee.

In one of the churches, they moved from Folgers to a stronger Starbucks brand.

In the other church, they simply moved to a stronger blend.

Members left the church in the latter example (Perhaps they started a new church: The Right Blend Fellowship.).

15.

Major conflict when the youth borrowed a crockpot that had not been used for years (I bet it was a bunch of crocky old adults.).

16.

An argument on whether the church should allow deviled eggs at the church meal(Only if it’s balanced with angel food cake for dessert).

17.

An argument over who has the authority to buy postage stamps for the church (The members were licking their wounds over this issue.).

18.

A disagreement over using the term “potluck” instead of “pot blessing” (I get it!

The concept of luck contradicts the theology of a sovereign God.

This issue is very serious.

Good luck trying to resolve it.

).

19.

A church member was chastised because she brought vanilla syrup to the coffee server.

It looked too much like liquor.

(Beth Moore confessed she was the culprit who brought the syrup.

Don’t you know, Beth, we Baptists cannot have vanilla syrup at anytime?

Chocolate is fine though.).

20.

An argument in church over who has access to the copy machine (I think a calendar should be made where every church member has at least five minutes access to the copy machine each year.

You can have a business meeting to vote on each five-minute increment.).

21.

Some church members left the church because one church member hid the vacuum cleaner from them.

It resulted in a major fight and split (Thus the Second Electrolux Church was born.).

22.

An argument over whether to have gluten-free communion bread or not (I thought gluteny was a sin.).

23.

A dispute over whether the church should allow people to wear black t-shirts, since black is the color of the devil (Are you sure he’s not red?

That’s what I’ve heard.)

24.

A fight over whether or not to sing “Happy Birthday” each week (I’ve got an idea.

Alternate it with the doxology.).

25.

An argument over whether the fake, dusty plants should be removed from the podium (Just give them a little water.

They should be fine.).

As you can see, Satan can use the most silly things to create conflict in the church.

Although these examples are far fetched, they really happened.

Paul did not have silliness like this, but his issue was doctrinal in nature.

Even more so, it was foundational, being that it regarded the gospel.

If there is to be a dispute in the church it should be over things that matter.

Paul brought the issue to the leaders of the church.

Paul privately submitted his gospel to the church leaders of good reputation.

Paul knew that he needed to keep the issue at hand in the hands of those that were of good reputation.

He knew that if he opened the issue up to the whole church, he would not get resolution for the conflict.