Congregational life presents a broad range of conflicts and dilemmas in which theological and ecclesial issues are entwined with the complex drama of human relations. Such challenges are also moments in which Christian witness can be clarified. This fictional narrative, which is followed by an analysis, is the sixth in a series.

Bill Strong had been a Christian all his life, or at least it felt that way. He’d been brought up in the church, be­come a member when he was 12, and attended almost every Sun­day with his wife and children.

Bill knew he would attend even if he didn’t have children to bring. He took his church’s Bible class seriously. Furthermore, he tried to be ethical in his business. But he had to admit that some Sundays it felt a little like going to a Rotary Club meeting, because he encountered clients and potential clients for his architecture business. One Sunday, he’d even set up an appointment to see an office that a member of his Sunday school class wanted to renovate. He got the contract, and the job went well.