In your experience...what causes Churches to split?

[salamacum]

Is it really doctrine ('striving for the truth once and for all delivered to the saints')
or in your experience is it something entirely more mundane and fleshly?
(eg jealousy)

 

[rick357]

Is it really doctrine ('striving for the truth once and for all delivered to the saints')
or in your experience is it something entirely more mundane and fleshly?
(eg jealousy)

In your experiance being the key phrase I have seen seen two splits one of a local.congregation and the other of a fellowship neither was pretty truely neither seemed Godly. It carries with it on a mass scale the same hurt anger and long lasting effects of a divorce. When I was younger in the Lord I thought that could have been handled better. Now I know there is no right way.
Ive been married 23 years and unfortunatly that seems rare. Often people ask me how have you stayed together. Its not that over the.years we havent had our opertunities where no one would have faulted us...but I tell people we both decided long ago that we didnt believe in divorce...fighting yes divorce no.
so in my experiance though the reason may sound pious when said with a sad voice but its fruit has a way of drawing the poison of that old man out of the finest of saints. Whispers...backbiting...insults...dispersions...gathering of support against a brother...smiling at service sneering in secret meetings...all while excusing oneself as doing God a favor.
So to answer your question a split is not about love a divorce is not about love it is because of hardness of heart and bitterness.

 

[jax5434]

Is it really doctrine ('striving for the truth once and for all delivered to the saints')
or in your experience is it something entirely more mundane and fleshly?
(eg jealousy)

In my experience it is almost never doctrine. The top three that I have witnessed.
1.Gossip
2.Music
3.Pride

These are petty, foolish reasons for splits but I think it reflects a general immaturity in the Body of Christ.

God Bless
Jax

 

[sunshineforJesus]

Division

 

[Albion]

Is it really doctrine ('striving for the truth once and for all delivered to the saints')
or in your experience is it something entirely more mundane and fleshly?
(eg jealousy)

I'm leaning towards "really doctrine," but first I'd have to know if you are referring to local congregations or to denominations.

 

[salamacum]

It's local congregations I am thinking about.
And how much of it originates in the membership or in the leadership.

 

[Albion]

It's local congregations I am thinking about.
And how much of it originates in the membership or in the leadership.

Thank you. While these kinds of congregational splits happen, it seems (in my experience) that they are usually because of national church doings. That is to say, most of the time a split occurs and a rival congregation is set up because a substantial number of the members of the old one cannot abide the changes that the national church has just made in doctrine and/or practice. Such splits are fairly common.

As for splits that are motivated mainly by decisions made at the local level, I would have to say that they seem to be basically a matter of personality conflicts--the elders are bullies, the new pastor isn't as likeable as the old one, there is a clash of wills between two different leaders in the congregation (and their respective followers) over just about anything, funds are being spent on some project that many congregants aren't happy about, or other things of that sort.

 

[Willie T]

Pride, and focus upon ME!

 

[Bob Carabbio]

"Roots of bitterness" will do the trick nicely -

The 'ol Matthew 5 trick:

22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:

So YOU are brooding about something - so far so good.

and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council:

AH - but NOW you've let the poison out into the congregation, and folks will start to "Take sides". Some will side with the object of your displeasure, and some will side with YOU against him/them.

but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

ANd at this point you and your supporters have "Signed OFF" the person you've developed, and broadcast the "Root of Bitterness" toward - written him off, and chosen not to have anything to do with him (and his supporters)

It's SPLIT time -

 

[Norah63]

Only two splits I have expierenced in congregations.
One was over the church deciding to go liberal.
The other was over who should be in leadership and who should take a back seat.
I left both before they actually split or folded. Didnt agree but didnt see any good to come.
Every congregation gets the church they deserve, or will tolerate. Imo.

 

[Knee V]

Is it really doctrine ('striving for the truth once and for all delivered to the saints')
or in your experience is it something entirely more mundane and fleshly?
(eg jealousy)

I've seen both. It just depends.

 

[faroukfarouk]

High noon scene at the OK Corral: "This town/church ain't big enough for the two of us..."

 

[Knee V]

I've also seen churches split for good reasons. Some churches want to plant a church, so a group from the "mother" church splits off to help establish the fledgling mission.

 

[iambren]

A lack of Christ's love to embrace diversity.

 

[Ada Lovelace]

A lack of Christ's love to embrace diversity.

This seems to be the root cause.

Disagreements over hermetical approaches to scriptures and divisiveness amongst staff seems to be common causes that sprout up from that root.

I know in the Pacific branch of the Presbyterian church (PC USA) there has been dissension regarding gay marriage since it's legal in California where the majority of the churches are located. A controversial compromise was made where whatever churches wanted to officiate gay marriages could, and those who didn't wish to had no obligation to. A couple of the LA churches that had long been part of the Presbyterian church have departed. *sighs*

West Hollywood parish leaves Presbyterian Church over gay rights - Los Angeles Times

 

[Digout]

Is it really doctrine ('striving for the truth once and for all delivered to the saints')
or in your experience is it something entirely more mundane and fleshly?
(eg jealousy)

The first division in a Church was caused by Paul. My thinking is that giving importance to only Paul's epistles ignoring the books of the Gospel and other epistles may lead to similar situations! This bane is found mainly with Protestant groups to a large extent.

 

[Norah63]

Thinking of it in another way, because we really are the church.
If our heart is set upon the Lord Jesus, with an eye single to His glory, then no divided heart,
or mind. For a double minded person is unstable in all their ways.
Each time any group gets there eyes off Jesus and on to whatever they "think", look out!
Social issues are always lurking to cause the world to enter and cause chaos among believers.
Scripture will not lead astray, carnal thinking and reasoning always will.
Guard the heart for out of the mouth comes the overflow of it.
My two cents.

 

[abysmul]

Scandal, money, personalities fighting for control, and some wanting to become more liberal and less traditional... those are the top reasons I've seen.

 

[Shane R]

My experience is with small churches, which I think is an important variable. Splits have mostly been due to the cult of personality. I do know of doctrinal splits but they have always tended to be over petty issues, mainly cultural matters, rather than the core concepts of Christianity.

 

[Albion]

We're getting into personal gripes now, aren't we? Not "enough diversity" and "It's all Paul's fault" are certainly not significant causes of real church splits.