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
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.
Churches can, however, take intentional or strategical steps to prevent cliques forming. These steps or strategies can foster a welcoming, inclusive environment for all especially for new believers or members.
They can also encourage open fellowship by actively engaging with newcomers, promote setting up small groups with specific purpose based on shared spiritual growth rather than personal friendships.
Rotation of leadership and volunteers to encourage different members to take on roles can also discourage cliques, preventing the same group of people from dominating church activities. There is however a caveat to this suggestion. Some people don’t want to put themselves forward to help or volunteer in the church work therefore restricting the work to a few people. This can sometimes seem to other people as being exclusive.
The Christian faith should not be about personal loyalties to individuals but about a single commitment to Jesus. Paul encourages believers to focus on Christ as the foundation of their faith, rather than allowing differences in leadership styles or teachings to create division.
As Christians, following human leaders is almost to make small or insignificant the One who was crucified for us and not acknowledged our allegiance to the Lord Jesus. We must guard against identifying too closely with human leaders or placing too much emphasis on them. Our loyalty and identification belong only to Jesus Christ and His gospel message.
Today’s verse is a reminder that unity in Christ should be the priority over loyalty to individuals or groups. While different pastors, denominations, and theological perspectives can be inspiring and faith enriching, they should never become sources of rivalry or conflict. When Christians identify more closely with a leader or a church tradition than with Christ Himself, they risk missing the central message of the gospel altogether.
The verse also speaks of the dangers of celebrity culture in Christianity, where charismatic leaders sometimes overshadow the core teachings of Jesus. While spiritual leaders play an important role in guiding believers, Paul’s words encourage churches to keep their focus on Christ as the foundation of faith rather than creating factions based on human personalities.
There is a call for believers to prioritise working towards unity, to recognise their shared faith and to seek common ground rather than letting differences divide them.
While human leaders can inspire, motivate and encourage us, as believers, our ultimate focus should always be on Christ.
Stay blessed,
LaraLex
Hills and Valleys 