Sectarianism within the church is a touchy subject that should not be taken lightly, though it greatly impacts the spiritual well-being of a congregation/assembly. It comprises clandestine plans, secrecy, or plans which operate to overthrow authority in the church, destabilise it or create a split between its members, or any negative plan meant to alter the activities or mission of the church.
If not curbed, conspiracy gives rise to division, suspicion and hampers the performance of the church’s spiritual function. If this problem is going to be solved, it is needed to know what conspiracy is, why it exists and what can be done to fight against it.
The Study of Conspiracy in the Church
The conflict in the church may be rooted in several conditions, such as personal vices, restructuring of authority and or differences in doctrine. While opposition can be openly articulated and discussed and hence negotiated and reconciled, conspiracy works in disguise and is safe to exist for a long time before it can be unearthed and checked when the damage has already been done.
They gossip, stab their colleagues in the back or tear them apart to get what they want, yet they appear to be loyal, dedicated Christian workers.
In biblical passages, the risk of conspiracy is expressed in the following ways. For example, the Old Testament features cases such as one in whereby people rebelled against Moses to take over his leadership in Numbers 16 or the conspiracy against King David, whereby his son Absalom took over his leadership in 2 Samuel 15. In the New Testament, the early church also suffered internal conspiracies, including the nefarious act of Ananias and Sapphira from Acts 5, 1 11 for which God did not hesitate to punish.
Reasons for Conspiracy in the Church
Several factors can contribute to the development of conspiracies within the church:
Power Struggles
This makes it possible for people or certain organisations to subjugate the authorities of the churches or twist their verdicts. This is usually the case when individuals perceive there is some form of power void or when leaders are considered by many as being frail or incompetent.
Doctrinal Disagreements
This means that if there is a division over the theological meaning or the practices of the church, then this will lead to faction within the church. In the event the disagreement is not faced squarely, it may ferment and result in an organised plot against the party of dissent or those with dissenting opinions.
Personal Grievances
Psychological issues such as anger because of a lack of respect, social rivalry, or a feeling of being harmed can be reasons for plotting against other church members. This is compounded by the fact that many congregations do not have adequate ways of solving conflicts within them.
Jealousy and Envy
Jealousy for other people’s offices, talents, or power in the church will create conspiratorial actions and plans. This is especially the case where people feel as if they are not valued or that their contribution matters little.
Penalties of Conspiracy in the Church
When conspiracy sets in the church, it often has drastic outcomes, which may be illustrated by the following scenarios: These include:
Division
It results in splits where the congregation eventually polarises; one group against another, resulting in division in the church. This division tends to show up as relationship fractures, trust loss, and the sapping of the church’s mission from the outside world.
Disillusionment
Conducting members of the church will be discouraged from participating in the church activities, providing financial support, or even being committed to the mission of the church if they or they know other members who have experienced conspiring from the conduct of others in the church.
Leadership Crisis
Conspiracies, as a rule, concern church leaders and cause a leadership crisis. This can lead to pastors and other leaders quitting their positions, and even being dismissed, which causes a lot of confusion in the growth of the church.
Spiritual Harm
If conspiracy is left to run rife, the overall spiritual health of the church is negatively affected. It may cause the members to shift their attention from worship and service to a power tussle within the church, thus leading to its stagnation and decline.
Loss of Credibility
Because a church is associated with divine authority, a church that is in any way or the other in a conspiracy or conflict will find itself being frowned upon within the community. This can develop challenges of membership attraction and mobilisation, or outreach programmes, or a problematic public witness.
Biblical Examples of Conspiracy
The Bible provides several examples of conspiracy and its destructive effects:
Korah’s Rebellion (Numbers 16)
Korah, with others, including Dathan and Abiram, rebelled against Moses and Aaron in an attempt to seize the leadership. This rebellion brought judgment from God, which saw the earth open its mouth and swallow the conspirators and all their pretty colluders.
Absalom’s Conspiracy (2 Samuel 15)
David’s son, Absalom, rebelled against his father to become the king of Israel and to gain the people’s support. His conspiracy brought a civil war and much suffering, although the conspiracy did not succeed.
Judas’ Betrayal (Matthew 26:14-16)
Indeed, one of the most famous conspiracy theories that are normally associated with the Bible is the act of treachery of Judas Iscariot. One of the twelve disciples, Judas, betrays his master and the saviour of mankind by selling Him to the religious leaders for thirty pieces of silver to fulfil his ruthless desire for power.
Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)
This couple was involved in a conspiracy to defraud the early church by making a false report about the amount realised from the sale of the land. His and her activities were wrought by the power of the Holy Spirit, and both of them fell dead.
These examples highlight the seriousness with which God views conspiracy and the importance of addressing it within the church.
How to Eradicate Conspiracy in the Church
The fight against conspiracy in the church is best waged based on prevention, timely detection of the problem, and prompt addressing. The following strategies can help:
Promote Transparency
One recommendation is that leaders of the church should make an effort to ensure that the operation of the church in decision-making processes, financial issues and any other issues concerning the church should be transparent.
Some of the ways include coming up with a regular schedule of contact, doing away with closed meetings, as well as laying down lines of reporting. When members feel that they have been informed, the possibility of a conspiracy is greatly reduced.
Foster a Culture of Trust
The correct approach with the congregation is significant to minimise conspiracy since faith is developed. This entails ensuring that the members of the given group get a sense of belonging, acknowledgement, as well as dignity. Supervisors should show honesty and respect, and attempts should be made for a fast and equitable integration.
Encourage Open Dialogue
Reporting of thought issues within the church can be achieved, thus reducing the probability of having clandestine plots. People’s concerns, dissenting views and opinions, as well as their contribution to the group discussion and deliberation, ought to be encouraged amongst the members. Managers and executives should be easily accessible and ready to face employee issues.
Implement Conflict Resolution Mechanisms
There is a need for churches to have well-articulated procedures when it comes to handling complaints to check on the development of conspiracies. This can be in the capacity of mediation, counselling, or any other strategy that can be used. It is done to provide reconciliation between the aggressor and the victim of the conflict.
- Teach Biblical Principles: Preaching the Word of God that addresses issues related to do with unity, love, forgiveness, and submission to authority can go a long way in preventing conspiracy. Using Ephesians 4:11-13, members should be encouraged to support the unity of the Spirit and to serve one another to build up unity.
- Pray for Discernment: The spiritual practice of prayer is a process of identifying and thereby dismantling conspiracy. To this effect, church leaders and all members of this church should pray and seek God’s intervention with the prayers that God show them anything evil or any plan, scheme or cycle which is designed to divide our fellowship and bring strife among us.
Conclusion
Scheming is a big problem that is present in the church, and if not well dealt with it causes a lot of harm. But if the worst is recognised, if the sign is recognised, then everything is prepared for conspiracy to be prevented and punished in the church with appropriate methods and tools to ensure the preservation of the spiritual health of the entire church.
Thus, the idea is to turn the church into a transparent and trustworthy community which is united in its efforts to achieve its primary task – worship, service and evangelism. This has seen the church embrace scriptures, prayer and good leadership to eliminate conspiracy, hence enabling the church to continue with the cardinal role of being the body of Christ. You can visit our church ministry page for related posts.
