When Church Leaders Disagree: Lessons from Paul and Apollos (1 Corinthians 16:12, RSV)

"As for our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brethren, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity." This short verse may seem like a simple travel update—but read closely, it gives us a window into real-life tension between two respected leaders in the early church: Paul and Apollos. Paul says he strongly urged Apollos to visit the Corinthian church, but Apollos refused to go at that time. The wording in the RSV translation sounds sharp—almost like Paul is a bit offended or surprised. It seems Apollos had his own reasons, and Paul didn’t override them. What does this teach us? 1. Even Spiritual Leaders See Things Differently Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, felt it was important for Apollos to go. Apollos, a powerful teacher and encourager (Acts 18:24–28), didn’t feel the timing was right. Both men were led by the same Spirit, yet had different senses of timing and direction. This happens more often than we admit—even today. 2. Paul Didn’t Force or Manipulate Though he “strongly urged,” Paul respected Apollos’ decision. No guilt-tripping. No spiritual superiority. Just honesty. That’s maturity. Real Christian leadership isn’t about control—it’s about trust, humility, and cooperation. 3. God Uses Differences for Growth Remember, the Corinthian church had a tendency to pick favorites—“I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos” (1 Cor 1:12). Paul might be clarifying that he and Apollos weren’t enemies—they just had different assignments at different times. Even differences, handled with grace, can model unity for the wider body. 4. Scripture Doesn’t Hide Tension The Bible doesn’t try to “protect” its heroes from looking human. It tells the truth. Paul’s letters reveal not just divine wisdom, but real emotion, real conflict, and real growth. That honesty gives us hope—we don’t have to be perfect to be used by God. We just have to be faithful. Reflection: Have you ever misunderstood a fellow believer because of timing, direction, or personality? What if your differences were actually opportunities to grow in humility and love? May we learn from Paul and Apollos: Disagreement is not disunity. Maturity is when we honor one another, even when we don’t always agree. #UnityInChrist #ChristianLeadership #PaulAndApollos #GraceInDisagreement #ChurchGrowth #1Corinthians16 #SpiritualMaturity