1 Corinthians 12:5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

Unless you are in the same church in which you came to Christ, I would expect that you have had some experience in differences in administrations. If you have moved and sought a new home church body, you may have rejected one or more fellowships for a variety of reasons.

Now administration is more than just how a church keeps its books. It is more than the type of music it uses in worship. It isn’t about elders vs. deacons, or if you have fixed pews or chairs. It is about how the Word of God is administered within a body of believers.

In this, once you have established a unity within the body, any amount of challenge to that comfort zone can cause isolationism. From the outside it looks dangerous, but from the inside it is a defensive mechanism. The longer these administrations have been in place, generation after generation of leadership, the harder it is to break out of this defensive posture.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

Isolation narrows fellowship to the point that Christ isn’t seen outside that administration. The result is limited joy.

2 Corinthians 2:3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.