What is the difference between a controversial issue and a divisive one? The answer does not lie with the issue itself. No subject matter is necessarily divisive. The answer rests in how the differences in opinions about an issue are handled.

Some churches and church leaders simply steer clear of any potentially controversial issue — even ones that have a direct impact on their mission -- out of fear of divisiveness. Division is averted or avoided in that way, but the issues remain unaddressed and the church moves on in denial.

Then, certainly, some persons (and churches) have a knack for turning anything that garners differences of opinions into a source of division. They move from one fight to looking for another.

Mature faith is marked by the willingness and ability to deal with controversial issues in constructive and respectful ways that lead to growth rather than to division. It is a rare gift in many churches and denominational groups today.

Too many church leaders begin with the question, “How do I get my way?” rather than, “How can we deal with this issue in a constructive way that strengthens rather than weakens our church’s fellowship and effectiveness?”

Facing issues with high emotional content — like abortion, homosexuality, biblical authority, women’s roles, worship styles — make the constructive approach more challenging. And you can add many others to the list, like wedding policies, cemeteries and placement of the American flag in worship settings.

The greatest chance of failure at dealing with these and other controversial issues in constructive ways comes from the strong presence of these attitudes:

1.   If you disagree with me, you disagree with God and don’t believe the Bible. It can be phrased in many ways, but ultimately results in the person with whom you have disagreement being labeled as wrong, bad, unchristian and un-American — rather than someone with whom I simply have a difference in opinion.

2.   If I compromise, or respect your opinion, then I am weak in my conviction. This comes from the confusion of boldness with belligerence. Standing up for what one believes has no requirement of treating those with whom you disagree in degrading ways.

3.   I can only have true fellowship and shared ministry with those of like minds. Actually, being surrounded only by likeminded persons leads to the reinforcement of prejudices rather than mental stimulation and spiritual growth.

In selecting church leaders — especially ministers and deacons — churches seem to emphasize traits such as age, gender and marital status — and overlook more telling and vital biblical characteristics such as being “temperate,” “not quarrelsome” and not “puffed up with pride.”

Often the way churches deal with controversial issues trends toward division. It looks like a football game. Each side chooses its team, and the minister is forced to don a striped shirt and whistle in hopes of keeping the violations to a minimum until one team wins and the other goes home in pain.

It is time for respected lay leaders to step up and insist that congregations refuse to play the game this way. Ministers do not have the clout to resist those who propagate division in congregations — but lay leaders do.

The first step is to acknowledge that the church will face challenges openly and honestly, and to insist that the congregation handle any disagreements in constructive ways. This must be followed, however, by insisting that those who hold leadership roles put the church’s larger ministry over their personal agendas.

The mark of a healthy church or denomination is not that everyone thinks exactly alike. Rather, it is the constructive ways in which differences of opinions, interests and values are handled.

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