by Ted Hurley, Pastor • First Baptist Church Bourbon, MO
Friction keeps the world moving! Without friction between the road and your tires, your car will not move. Friction
warms your hands when you rub them together on a cold winter night. Friction occurs when people disagree over a particular subject.
The online Oxford Dictionary defines friction as:
1. the resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another;
2. the action of one surface or object rubbing against another;
3. conflict or animosity caused by a clash of wills, temperaments, or opinions.
Even though the science of friction affects our daily lives, please consider the third definition 3; conflict or animosity caused by a clash of wills, temperaments, or opinions. Have you ever experienced friction between yourself and someone else? As human beings this type of friction often leads to some serious consequences. Verbal assaults, fights, and even wars have started as a result of friction between individuals or nations.
The online Oxford dictionary defines Brotherhood as:
1. the relationship between brothers;
2. the feeling of kinship with and closeness to a group of people or all people;
3. an association or community of people linked by a common interest, religion, or trade.
Once again the third definition moves to the forefront for consideration in this article: an association or community
of people linked by a common interest, religion, or trade.
Brotherhood within the BMA of Missouri sounds much better than friction within the BMA of Missouri! Sadly,
both exist within our state. The Apostle Peter stated in I Peter 2:1-3, “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all
guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that
ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” He continued in verse seventeen, “Honour all
men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.” (My emphases)
The Apostle Peter understood the idea of friction between people. He often clashed with the other disciples as
well as Jesus. Yet the Apostle Peter went from denying Jesus to preaching on The Day of Pentecost when thousands
were saved! Years later he wrote that we are to “love the brotherhood.”
Does there truly exist a brotherhood within the BMA of Missouri as defined by the dictionary, or has friction
become the predominate theme within our work? Because of the many different individuals that make up our state
association, there also exists many different personalities. These different personalities often lead to friction and not brotherhood. How about it men (and women), especially you pastors and preachers, do others see the Brotherhood
in your life? Friction must not destroy the “common interest” that exists within the Brotherhood of Jesus Christ
in the BMA of Missouri! Yes, friction keeps the world moving, but Brotherhood should keep the BMA of Missouri
moving. Brotherhood will accomplish more goals than friction! How about letting Brotherhood become the main theme of our Association? When friction becomes the center of focus instead of the preaching of Jesus Christ, the devil becomes the winner. Just remember, when two sticks are rubbed together hard enough, both sticks will be destroyed by the friction they create. When two sticks work together in Brotherhood, they are twice as hard to break!
