Can Christians Work Together When We Disagree?

It’s Election Week, and disagreement seems to be everywhere. Can Christians remain united when they see the world differently? Cole, Bobby, and Rowdy explore Nehemiah 3, lessons from a recent pastors' summit, and what it means to be people who build instead of simply watching from the sidelines. Plus, what should our response be after Election Day, no matter the outcome?

Connection Church hosts Cole Phillips along with Rowdy and Bobby discuss how Christians can disagree without turning conflict into combat, using Nehemiah 3 as a picture of people building together. They connect church unity and service to political disagreement, family relationships, long-term commitment, and keeping hope rooted in God rather than elections.

Keywords

Christian unity, disagreeing as Christians, church community, Nehemiah 3, serving in church, political division, Christian relationships, conflict resolution, faith and politics

Key Topics

Cole Phillips and Rowdy reflect on election-day divisions and ask how Christians can work together despite disagreement.

Nehemiah 3 shows ordinary people joining around a common purpose, with each person contributing to a shared rebuilding effort.

They distinguish winning an argument from achieving the deeper goal, such as strengthening a marriage or relationship.

Church disagreements over nonessential beliefs call for freedom and love, while the hosts emphasize unity on essential gospel beliefs.

The discussion challenges church consumerism: members can move from spectators to participants by serving, giving, and taking ownership.

They apply the idea of staying rooted to friendships, marriage, church membership, and working through conflict rather than leaving at the first difficulty.

The hosts say political outcomes do not determine Christian hope, and encourage prayer, gracious conversation, and a focus on living out faith at home and in the community.

A church building project is framed as making room for people and future stories of life change, not simply constructing a building.

Big Takeaways

“The win is not how we start. The win is how we finish.”

“Are you trying to prove that you're right or improve the relationship?”

“Conflict, yes, it's inevitable. Combat, however, totally optional.”

“The church is not a consumerism sport. It is a contribution sport.”

“If two people are exactly the same, then one of them is not necessary.”

“This is not Pastor Cole's church. This is not the staff's church. This is our church.”

“Every time the government shifts left or right, we still have the same mission regardless.”

“What do you want to do in me and what do you want to do through me?”

Key Frameworks

Nehemiah 3 as a model of shared work and common purpose

In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, freedom; in all things, love

The Pareto principle (the 80/20 rule)

Alignment over time: small deviations can create large separation

Sound bites

"We're supposed to carry crosses."

"Willing to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes."

"The church is not a consumerism sport."

Chapters

00:00 Election-day setup and the chili cook-off analogy

03:10 Nehemiah 3: a shared mission brings people together

07:08 Why we mistake people for the enemy

09:28 Winning the argument versus winning the relationship

12:24 Redefining the win in a season or a marriage

15:17 Essentials, nonessentials, and church disagreements

18:12 Turning a complaint about crosses into a chance to serve

23:28 Alignment, persistence, and building what lasts

28:14 The unseen people who make church happen

32:08 From church consumer to committed contributor

37:01 Why ownership sounds like 'our church'

42:23 Stay rooted and work through conflict

46:40 Politics, Christian hope, and election outcomes

51:21 Keeping political differences from breaking relationships

53:15 Helping young Christians put Jesus first

57:35 Responding to neighbors with grace and hospitality

01:00:55 One mission through every change in government

01:04:16 Celebrating faithful servants and looking ahead

01:06:12 Sacrifice, the Lamb of God, and a life surrendered

01:08:21 An invitation to surrender to Jesus