The President and members of both houses of Congress spent the last several weeks negotiating a plan to address the nation’s debt, while the NFL and its Players’ Association reached a new collective bargaining agreement, saving the 2011 football season. Such negotiations often occur in government and business, but the church also has a rich history of conferencing, one that goes back to Scripture. LinC looks at how God is at work in our debates, discussions, and even disagreements. Key Scriptures: Exodus 18:13-27; Matthew 18:15-20; Acts 15:1-21. As a new school year begins you will be spending more time among your peers, including those with whom you don’t get along. Most people struggle with the temptation to attack their enemies with gossip or to exclude them. Jesus tells us that we not only must resist this temptation but also that we should love and pray for our enemies. Next week LinC explores what it means to treat all of our classmates as our neighbors and to love them as Christ loves us.
