Have you ever found yourself caught in the grind of religion or the ruts of life? Have you somehow lost that sense of wonder and awe that we serve a God who is able? Well, you may discover you share quite a bit in common with the people in this story from scripture.

Have you ever been in a high-pressure situation—maybe facing a tight deadline at work or having to make an unexpected, high-stakes decision? It’s often in those moments that we discover who we truly are.

Last week, we met Stephen, a leader in the Jerusalem church. He was chosen to help care for widows and preserve unity within the church. In Acts 6:8–7:60, Luke tells us more of Stephen’s story. Like other church leaders of his day, he is falsely accused, arrested, and put on trial. When questioned, he courageously stands firm in his convictions, even though doing so only intensifies the danger around him.

The situation escalates quickly, and a furious mob stones Stephen. Talk about a high-pressure moment.

Conflict happens. It is a part of all human relationships. Thriving marriages, booming businesses, and close friendships all experience conflict. Churches aren’t any different.

In Acts 6:1–7, we see the first recorded church conflict. And no—it wasn’t about the color of the carpet or whether deviled eggs are appropriate for a church fellowship meal.

So what happened?

The church had been generously giving to meet needs, including providing food for widows. But a problem arose: the Greek-speaking widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food, while the Aramaic-speaking widows were receiving their food. What seems like a simple oversight that could easily be remedied began to grow into a much larger issue.

How did the early church respond? And what can we learn from their example about handling conflict within the body of Christ?