Conflict has not always been accepted or welcomed within the church even though it is a reality. WILLIAM OGLESBY, JR. (see biographical note preceding The Struggle of Faith) deals with Paul’s concept of conflict "worthy of the gospel" in his devotional message Conflict and Hope: One in the Spirit. It was originally prepared for a study group which was wrestling with the matter of conflict and unity. It was intended to show that conflict can lead to growth and greater unity in life, and that the issue is not the presence or absence of conflict, but the nature of the conflict and how it is handled.

It was difficult for the early church to realize the fact that faith would bring conflict. How much better, they surely thought, to have relief from stress, tension, and discord. And of course su…