When Christians Clash

18 October 2026 · Dr. Franklin Watts

Acts 15:36–41

The second half of Acts 15 tells a sad but instructive story: Paul and Barnabas, two mature and godly men, split over whether John Mark — who had deserted them in Pamphylia — deserved a second chance. Dr. Franklin Watts draws the contrast plainly. Barnabas the encourager was people-oriented and looked at the man; Paul was task-oriented and looked at the work ahead and the risk. The disagreement was so sharp there was no resolution in sight, and they parted ways. The same clash of temperament, he observes, plays out in our churches, our marriages, our homes and our workplaces — and it is worth