Let's Magnify Our Agreements

We had an open forum this afternoon to talk about progress to date and next steps in the Partnership for Missional Church. It was a positive and encouraging meeting. There were, however, two things that were identified as areas to improve in. One was to be more persistent and perhaps more intentional in Dwelling in the Word.

The second had to do with one of the observations of the consultants in their report summarizing the findings of the interview process that took place. They noted that we have a highly developed ability at avoiding conflict. Part of the conversation this afternoon centered around our need to address differences in a loving manner, rather than avoiding them as we more often tend to do. I ran across the following quote this evening and thought it was timely...

It is right for each of us to present his honest convictions concerning any difference of teaching he may hold. Having done this, let us leave it with that, and not try to force our teaching upon each other. An effort to force always produces opposition, strife, bitterness, and finally division. What we need is to love one another and magnify our agreements. - J. N. Armstrong, founding president of Harding College.