Managing Conflict in the Church (Part 2)

Conflict in congregations is a predictable part of ministry.  While no one (except a truly sick person) enjoys conflict, Herrington, Bonem and Furr write in Leading Congregational Change, “Change does not happen without conflict and conflict management skills are critical to any change process.”  Good leaders help congregations embrace change because life with God is dynamic.  But no one should be surprised that transition and transformation naturally result in opposition.  For a few blogs I would like to offer some ideas about how to develop some helpful skills in managing conflict in a healthy way.

Definitions/ideas about Conflict

1.  Confligere -  to strike together—a collision
2. John Dewey – “It shocks us out of sheep-like passivity.”
3. “A clash of differing points of view”—Author Leslie Flynn.
4. “Two pieces of matter trying to occupy the same place at the same time”—Leas.
5. “A crisis that forces us to recognize [our differences and work toward] a single shared story with a role for each and both”—David Augsberger.

Is conflict wrong?  Definitely not—people are different in many ways.

Can conflict be sinful?  Absolutely!  If people do not behave in ways that are consistent with Scripture and do not treat each other as God would have us to, conflict becomes sinful.

Can conflict be helpful?  Conflict is essential to congregational vitality.  Conflict is not just an abnormal condition to be weathered; without it nothing new can occur.  Absence of conflict often means that everyone has simply embraced the status quo.