Do you know the TATE family?

  Recently I read an interesting article about families the Church. Some families make Church their home, others find other uses for the Church. Yet these families can be anywhere, your family, your church, your club.
    Take the notorious TATE family who insists on running everything. Perhaps you've met some of them.
    The chief of the clan is old Dic Tate, who insists on running everything. His brother Ro Tate wants to change everything, Aunt Agi Tate has a knack for stirring up trouble; and her husband, Irri Tate, always lends a hand. 
     The next generation of Tates has its own characteristics. ... Hesi Tate and his wife, Vege Tate, would just as soon wait till next year whenever a new project is suggested.  Aunt Ima Tate would love to create the first generic church. Devas Tate announces constantly that the church is doomed, while her husband Poten Tate promised he can lead the church out of trouble.  
   Although the church in Corinth was still young, it seems to have had more than its share of the Tate Family. When Paul got wind of the quarrels (1 Cor. 1:11) among the believers at Corinth, he was disturbed. Suspecting that the Corinthians were about to choose sides, he drew their attention once again toward Christ. Instead of divisions, Paul encouraged them to agree. He appealed to them to be "perfectly united in mind & thought."
    Paul's desire for unity echoes in Jesus' prayer for His disciples and for us. "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them as you have loved me" (John 17:22-23). No wonder Paul feared the end result of divisions in Corinth - "the cross of Christ (would) be emptied of power" (1 Cor. 1:17)
   When we allow OR become part of factions we do eternal devastation. God Forbid this happen in our churches. The apostle's comments about baptism were not meant to minimize the importance of that act of obedience to Christ. Paul didn't want the Corinthians to make "I follow this leader because he baptized me" the battle cry of division within the church. He realized how easily small matters can become the cause of huge fights. By contrast a church unified around the cross of Christ won't quarrel over such things.
    The "Meandering Mind" food for thought, am I a part of the problem OR a part of the solution on any one issue?   Is my mind, heart, work, love focused on Jesus? From there all else is taken care of by Him.