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I Cor. 1:10-12, I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas]”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

In this first chapter of I Corinthians, we immediately notice this is a letter.  Paul starts by identifying himself as the author and makes it clear that the recipients are those in the church at Corinth.  After a brief expression of thanksgiving, Paul wastes no time at getting to a most pressing point.  There is disunity in the church.  Factions have emerged over who to follow.  Some say they follow Paul, others say Apollos or Cephas, and some say Christ.  We don't know the details of the disagreements, or how the factions came about.  Really, I don't think the fine points are that relevant.

What's more interesting to me is how Paul handles the situation.  He reminds them who and whose they are.  He reinforces the mission.  We get so distracted by our own egos and allegiances, the mission is what suffers.  The mission is sharing the Gospel, spreading the Good News of Jesus. 

Let's fast forward 2000 years.  How often have we as individual Christ-followers and as a church gotten off track because of disagreements with other Christians?  Think about people you have personally known who have left a church because they got mad about something.  Conflicts over individual personalities, music styles, bruised egos, miscommunication, or even the color of the new carpet, can totally derail a church from the true mission!  What if we just had laser focus on Jesus?  What if the mission trumped everything else?  How might that change things?

Let's pray...Lord Jesus, forgive us for the many times we have focused on things other than your mission.  Help us become stronger and more unified as a church with you firmly at the center.  May your Holy Spirit guide our words, our actions, and our every thought.  Help us be so firmly rooted in you that nothing can distract us from our calling as disciples.  More of you, less of me.  In Your Name, Amen.