Cliques

Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.” Has Christ been divided into factions?…—1 Corinthians 1:12-13 NLT

Having cliques can be interesting and exciting especially if motivated by a common interest. In an organisation or institution, cliques can have both positive and negative effects. Cliques can sometimes lead to exclusivity and division, however, they can also offer several benefits such as a sense of belonging, reducing feelings of isolation. Other benefits can include knowledge sharing and morale boosting.

We all have people we admire, those we see as mentors and role models. These people can sometimes help shape our values, goals and life perspective and challenge us to grow.

As with everything, there should always be a balance to maintain. While admiration is valuable, it’s important to remember that no one is perfect. Idolising someone too much or transitioning this admiration to almost a state of worship is dangerous and can lead to unrealistic expectations, disappointment or even heartbreak when they fall short.

The people we hold high today can make a costly miscalculation or a misjudged action leaving everyone wondering what happened to them. What happened to them is their humanness because we are all prone to error. We all have feet of clay, and we stand in a vulnerable place.

Having cliques in a church setting, especially if they’re closely aligned to leaders, can create several challenges which may undermine unity and spiritual growth. It can lead to exclusivity – where other people are made to feel unwelcome or left out, or discouraging participation. It can also lead to unhealthy competition, gossip, rumours, favouritism, quarrels, envy, strife, and bias.

Today’s scripture identifies four cliques or groups each closely aligned with four different persons.

One group followed Paul probably because he planted the church, preached non-reliance on the law, but a gospel of grace. This group may have consisted mainly of Gentiles.

A second group were closely aligned with Apollos, a Christian apologist who knew the scriptures very well and was an eloquent and passionate speaker. It is possible that as a charismatic speaker and expert in scriptures, attracted this group of followers.

The third group followed Peter probably because he was the leader of the twelve apostles and one who Jesus said He will build His Church on Peter’s confession.  

Finally, there were the super-spiritual who claimed to follow Christ perhaps considering themselves to be the true Christians, as opposed to the other groups following human leaders.

The tendency to exalt charismatic and dynamic leaders is still prevalent today in the church. Clever and vibrant Christian speakers and spiritual leaders still have the power to captivate believers today. Although there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with such power, the danger comes when the speaker or leader and not the message becomes the focus of attention.

If Church cliques are not controlled, it could lead to loss of members who feel excluded or unwelcome. In an extreme situation, it can lead to church splits. 

Stay blessed,

LaraLex