How do we get together? ...

Thursday, Nov 7, 2013. How do you bring different people together, who have different opinions about the needs of the group or team? How do you create a basis for constructive criticism within the group?

We need to get into a constructive discussion! …

When you have your team at work, or perhaps the larger section within your company. There might be some well-set lines of work, but there are often changes which come from developing markets, from technological advances and by the political and legal environment, in which your company works. Things need to change. Criticism of procedures, of work rules, and also of people is needed. How to make progress? But it is not easy, since things are taken personal. Some see their traditional power and influence threatened.

Similar things can happen in the church. The community is evolving. Some have put their heart into the evolution, and have done a lot. Others feel left behind or feel repelled by decisions and events in the past. Some have left the church, but others want to go on with the group. But they have their criticism, see some things differently.

How do you bring things together? How do you manage change? How do you transform critical sentences (and sometimes even personal guilt) into a constructive path for the group, for the division, for the church?

What is the biblical position? …

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The bible reports a lot of discussions also between the disciples or inside of the church. In particular, the apostle Paul had discussions, and was strongly criticised by some parts of the church. He took the freedom to defend himself in his letters - fighting for a good way (compare for example 1 Corinthians 8 and 9).

It is clear that with many different people forming one group, we will get a lot of opinions and viewpoints into the discussion. We should first see how great this situation is. We become richer with every single different viewpoint. It can help us to see more. If we manage to constructively bring it together, we will strongly benefit from the different viewpoints and will live in a fantastic church community!

The bible asks us to focus on Christ Jesus, on God's agenda and God's goals. Of course, we are asked to take each other serious, with all what we bring. We are asked to forgive each other. We are asked to submit to each other. All of this is a part of faith, it is a part of the life which lives with the eternal God. We are asked to persevere, and not give up so easily when different viewpoints come together. (Roland Potthast) ... more texts