Cliques and Church Culture

Friend groups. We've all been apart of them, or at least you know someone who has. A simple definition of a friend group is people with commonalities that enjoy spending time with each other.

There's actually nothing wrong with that because we're naturally drawn to people with similar interests as our own. But, since the human race is made up of diverse groups of people with different cultural backgrounds, ethnicities,etc., we benefit when this group.

How so?

"Diversity is a good thing as it makes the world a much more fascinating place. Mixing with those that are different from us means we get a sense of connection with them. We learn more about the world and ourselves in the process, which helps us grow intellectually and spiritually."

1. What are Cliques?

According to Wikipedia.com, “a clique is a group of individuals who interact with one another and share similar interests. Cliques are structured in a way that allows them to enforce strict rules of exclusion for those with dissimilarities. The group is totally exclusive and places restrictions on who's allowed to be apart of their group.

2. How Cliques are Structured

"Typically, people in a clique will not have a completely open friend group and can, therefore, "ban" members if they do something considered unacceptable, such as talking to someone disliked. Some cliques tend to isolate themselves as a group and view themselves as superior to others, which can be demonstrated through bullying and other antisocial behaviors.”

The members of cliques strictly enforce their rules of “inclusion” while building a protective barrier between themselves and those who don't share the same socioeconomic backgrounds or godly convictions as they do.

Cliques discourage uniqueness and individuality because it exposes their own hidden insecurities. Those individuals outside of the group are forced to endure ostracism caused by the clique’s attitude of elitism, indifference, and exclusion.

3. Cliques in the Bible

These types of groups are found in most social settings like families, work, schools, political groups and neighborhoods. But, one place cliques don't belong is in the church.

The Bible reveals to us that Paul addressed this issue of factions, better known as "cliques" These factions are apart of biblical history and were sternly rebuked. 

Cliques failed to adhere to the teachings of the Apostle Paul on church unity found in the following passages of scriptures:

"For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you."
I Corinthians 11:18-19

4. How are Cliques Harmful to Church Environments?

Church cliques are harmful to a church ministry because they infiltrate the environment with toxicity and promote disunity. These groups adversely affect church cu;ture.

The Bible states, "By their fruit, you shall know them."

So, if love is of God and he places love in our hearts, why is it lacking in the church environment? When members of a church clique lock the doors of acceptance, they're displaying a lack of empathy, compassion, and unconditional love.

By their actions, they're saying, "You're not one of us and you're not allowed."

Perhaps this "keep-out" structure is enforced because the "outsiders" can't meet the requirements set forth by the group.

It clearly goes against the the instruction of Paul in this scripture:

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 1 Corinthians 10:1

The term, “church clique” should not even be in the same sentence with the word church. The church is sustained by unity, love, acceptance and compassion. So, cliques are not apart of the "true" established by God, but it's a social group that happens to attend church.

Can you imagine how much the church climate would improve after the eradication of these groups? Let's work together to put an end to these groups and promote unity in the body of Christ because where there is unity, there is strength.

Prayer: Dear Father God, help us to fervently pray that church cliques begin to diminish. Let it be an opportunity for mature Christians to turn the other cheek and show the love of Jesus Christ to the unregenerated, Christians, and influence them to submit their hearts to God so that He can transform their lack of compassion into Godly character.