Concrete steps churches can take to prevent this divisiveness

Establish Clear Leadership Authority

Church leadership bears responsibility before God for shepherding the flock and will give account for how they exercise this authority.[1] When church leadership exercises its God-given authority in a loving and proper manner, there should be no basis for this issue to become divisive.[1] This means pastors and elders must make deliberate decisions about translation use rather than allowing competing preferences to fragment the congregation.

Adopt a Unified Translation Policy

Each church should make an official decision concerning a preferred translation for teaching, public reading, Scripture memorization, and preaching, while allowing individuals freedom to use any translation for personal study.[1] The specific translation matters less than consistency—whether a church chooses the KJV, NKJV, NASB, or NIV based on its theological convictions, a unified approach prevents the confusion that fuels controversy.

Address Root Causes of Confusion

Believers often lack understanding about textual transmission and translation methodology, and such confusion provides the perfect breeding ground for controversy.[2] Churches should educate their members about why manuscripts differ and how translation work functions, rather than leaving them vulnerable to sensationalized claims.

Maintain Boundaries on Divisive Issues

Scripture warns against those who cause divisions and instructs believers to keep away from them.[1] This is not an issue any Christian should break fellowship over.[1] Pastors must lovingly but firmly establish that translation preferences—while debatable—are not grounds for schism or questioning someone’s faith.

[1] John Ankerberg and John Weldon, The Facts on the King James Only Debate (Chattanooga, TN: ATRI Publishing, 2011). [See here, here, here, here, here, here.]
[2] James R. White, The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust Modern Translations? (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 2009), 14.