Business coaches identify “group-think” as a poison that will kill any company.

Okay, I know the local church is not a company. However, the two have one thing in common: Their members are fallen people.

Jesus saves us from ourselves. As a member of the family of the saved, I still have a lot of fallen man living within me. Saved, I sometimes revert to thinking like fallen human kind. The church isn’t immune to my fallen state; it helps me deal with it through Jesus.

Group-think can be deadly to Christian movements and to individual congregations.

The danger of group-think is we begin to tell ourselves repeatedly what we believe to be truth whether or not it is true. We build walls around our truth to keep others from challenging it. We block ourselves off from history, creative thinking, counsel, dialogue, yes—and even the Bible—to uphold the group’s way of thinking.

Before long, I march to the goose step of uniformity. At this point anyone who might suggest I walk at a different gait or a modified speed is suspected of not being a Christian.

Then it happens. Division starts on an irreversible course.

Division becomes irreversible because its taproot is deep in group-think.

It no longer matters as to Jesus’ warnings against harmful division. What Jesus teaches on my goose-stepping conclusion isn’t of interest.

In fact, if Jesus happens to be silent on the group-think conclusion, it makes no difference. It is easier to march with the group and invent reasons why others are wrong.

Can you see the danger of group-think tonic for believers? It can poison a local church and it can poison an entire network of churches. It divides the body of Christ. Group-think is not a fruit of the cross.

My recommendation is to relax, drink a butter pecan milkshake, and make sure you are spending enough time with Jesus to know Him.

I find when I am full of Jesus—and a soothing butter pecan shake—encounters with believers and non-believers are more profitable. There are times when I walk away from these encounters blessed because a non-Christian or a Jesus follower pops my group-think bubble and truth squirts out refreshing both of us.

Stay tuned.

Gary J. Sorrells Reflections on Cross-Church.