A churh is a place of God, where followers of Christ come together. When the relationship between members become sour, the church itself stops functioning in the serving of God.
Many of the things today express certain things which apply to good relations in general.
Focusing on what we have in common keeps us moving together. There are always differences, but these differences are usually minor, differences of opinion and of style amongst other things. Keeping in mind that God is the head of the church, we should rely of Him to help us remain focused on His will, not our little issues.
It has been quite revealing for me, as well as people I have known in the past, that a church is a place where things are not perfect, but they never will be. That imperfection is part of life. Nothing and nobody is perfect, so get with the program. Striving for the best is not bad, as we seek to follow Jesus’ lead. But not being perfect is no shame, as none of us are, and by the grace of God we are forgiven for that.
No gossiping and direct conflict resolution show maturity of character. Talking behind others is absolutely not on. The effect of listening to gossip is that we become involved. Those bad habits rub off on us and distract us from the purpose of the church. Do not participate in gossip in any way. You reveal maturity of character when you say, “Just don’t tell me,” which may be hard to say, but is what is expected of us. This comes hand in hand with direct conflict resolution. Trying to solve a problem by gossiping fixes nothing, but a direct conflict, as uncomfortable as it may be, solves more than a lifetime of stone throwing ever will.
As Gods appointed leaders for us here in our churches, pastors require our respect and help. Their job is a tough one, but we should be there to help them, as they are always there to help us. Our leaders are a source of hope and inspiration in times of need, which is a huge blessing from God. Show that appreciation to God, by doing what you can for them.