It was an honest disagreement among earnest Christians. Barnabas wanted to give John Mark a second chance, but Paul understood the need for partners in mission to be reliable. Neither was willing to give ground, and there was simply no way to compromise – John Mark couldn’t go and not go at the same time. So the good friends parted ways, just as congregations continue to be divided over ministry priorities and mission strategies.

But the good news is that God can bring great good even out of the biggest disagreements. For when Paul joined up with Silas and Barnabas took off with John Mark, the two mission teams ended up covering twice as much ground in the same time, going both to the island of Cyprus and to the mainland of what is now Turkey. Just so, congregations that differ in worship styles or that focus on different international missions can reach more and different kinds of people. The fact is that there is plenty of mission work to go around.

Moreover, divisions can lead to ministries that are more precisely tailored to their target. Paul and Silas were able to call Timothy to join them – as a young man with both Jewish and Greek roots, he was perfectly suited to minister in the synagogues they would visit, but also to the Greek-speaking Gentiles who would make up a large part of the new congregations they would form.

So, of course we should seek to get along with all our Christian brothers and sisters. But instead of trying to paper over all our differences or somehow eliminate them, let’s celebrate both our unity in Christ and our diversity in non-essential matters. And let’s all work together in different ways to reach the lost with the good news of Jesus.

Acts 15:30-16:5 (ESV)

30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.
31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.
32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.
33 And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. 34
35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark.
38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,
40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.
2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium.
3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.
5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.