Agree To Disagree

Barnabas . . . wanted to take along John Mark. But Paul disagreed strongly. . . . Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. Acts 15:37-39

I love the way God includes the dirty laundry in his book.

Paul and Barnabas had a heated disagreement over John Mark, a young man who had left the ministry and then returned. The result was a temporary separation, with Paul and Barnabas going in different directions.

Paul and Barnabas didn’t see the need to negotiate a middle-ground resolution. Each was convinced that his own opinion was correct, and there’s no evidence that God was upset with either decision. Both were subsequently blessed with successful ministries.

Leadership teams often waste valuable time trying to hammer out compromises that yield mediocre results.

Mutual and genuine respect is obligatory for anyone on a leadership team, but progress should never be held hostage by a demand for consensus.

God made us all different. We won’t always march to the same drum.