Fish or fight

There hasn't been a single year without a war someplace in the world since 1776. In 2001, 59 nations were engaged in serious conflict. The good news is there were nine less than in 2000. The bad news is most of the fighting was religion-related.

I wonder if they keep similar statistics for churches. If there has been a downward trend in church conflict, you would have a hard time proving it to me. Seems like every church I know has some sort of war going on. Everything from how communion is served to where the preacher can stand while preaching becomes an issue. More and more members are coming to church armed for Armageddon.

I'm no stranger to skirmishes. Though the squabbles that threaten to split our churches appear to be tempests in teapots, most of the battles that I fought were about serious, life-and-death issues. Some that I recall:

Where to hang the eternal light, over the organ or the altar?
Should the choir wear liturgical-colored stoles (like the preacher's)?
Whether to use red or purple candles in the Advent wreath.
To allow children to eat cookies in the parlor.
To allow banners in the sanctuary.
Can the youth sell things in fellowship hall during coffee hour?
And the biggest battles I recall, often reaching World War III proportions, concerned the Sunday morning worship schedule. Now that's worth dying for!

Sure, the early church had its share of conflict. But, it was usually over something important, like whether or not to invite Gentiles into the fellowship. I can remember the days when people left the Church over sermons that dealt with a heavy issue, like our involvement in the Vietnam War. Maybe what most churches today need are more serious problems and some different "enemies."

Popular writer, Max Lucado has written about how soldiers inside the barracks with no time on the front line will invent things to complain about. They bicker about the bunks, the food, tough leadership. But, Lucado says, if you put those same soldiers in the trench ducking bullets, they change their attitude toward things. He concludes: "When energy intended to be used outside is used inside, the result is explosive . Nothing unites soldiers better than a common task."

Columnist William Raspberry observed: "We have spent precious time and resources identifying and assaulting enemies when we would be much better off recruiting allies." Too many of our own folks are being wounded by what military observers call "friendly fire." Maybe we need to take on some more pressing enemies, like poverty, gambling, homelessness and racism.

Let's quit all this infighting, if for no other reason than our constant contentiousness may be keeping the unchurched from visiting and joining our churches. After all, who wants to build a new home in a war zone?

The Rev. Bill Schwein is a member of the South Indiana Cabinet and superintendent of Indianapolis East District.

Last updated on 01/14/2004

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