>This is a common theory, and I haven’t been able to make any headway with my correspondent in raising the question of how we handle disagreements among those who are equally empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Just because two [Spirit-filled/led] believers disagree does not mean that that they are both wrong: Consider John Mark and Paul in Acts.
There was a rift when John Mark left Paul in one of his journeys, this rift carried over to Barnibus [IIRC] when the early church was sending Paul out on his next journey... so great was the rift/disagreement that they split into two different groups going two different ways.
And in that way God saw to it that two gospel-spreading mission trips were commissioned then instead of one.
Then, as Paul was in Rome near the end of his life he asked for the church to send John Mark “because he is useful to me” [IIRC].
And, also interesting, John Mark was the author of the Gospel of Mark... which was likely written in that intervening time.
It would be helpful if you would give scriptural references for all of this.