May 2009

Alexander Mak, Assistant Professor of New Testament. Disputes and discord are common problems in the church. When they arise within church leadership—for example, among pastors and deacons—they often lead to church divisions. Recently, at a Sydney seminary, an elderly teacher humorously highlighted the seriousness of this problem. He said, "On average, the church experiences a calamity every ten years" (he was referring to church divisions). If your church has been doing well for the past nine years, you should be wary now."