Tag Archives: conflict resolution

Apr 8 2014

Matthew 18 – A Speech and Behavior Protocol?: 'Matthew 18 Illegitimately Used to Control Speech, Behavior, and Thought'

Neither Jesus nor Paul, practiced Matthew 18 the way it is typically taught and implemented in many local churches.

Matthew 18 - Gossip Control?

Matthew 18 – Gossip Control?

Jesus publicly rebuked Peter and called him a name (satan). [1] According to typical understanding, this violates the alleged requirement of Mt. 18 of first speaking privately with a brother with whom you have an issue.  Jesus didn’t take Peter aside and gently try to “counsel him” so as not to hurt Peter’s “feelings” and “offend” him. It was . . . bam . . . there it is . . . an action that feel-good American Church culture is incapable of embracing as biblically legitimate, yet accurately reflects part of Christ’s nature. Christ is not conflicted in His own ethic.

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Mar 17 2014

Rethinking Matthew 18 Conflict Resolution: 'The Importance of Context and Culture'

I like to joke that I would view my life worthwhile if my tombstone read:

“He got them to pay attention to context and culture!”

Matthew 18 conflict resolution

Rethinking Matthew 18 Conflict Resolution

Working a crowd into an “amen-ing” frenzy with a proof–text having no biblically legitimate application is a widely practiced and learnable skill. A shoe salesman’s persuasion, with Tony Robbins’ charm, and a breathy evangelist’s passion can entrench a good bit of doctrinal and methodological nonsense into the Body of Christ. Accuracy sometimes suffers in direct proportion to heart rate and goose bumps: an adrenaline rush being equivalent to “the anointing” or “the Spirit moving!”  Mmmmmm . . . maybe . . . maybe not . . .

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