Customer Reviews

Conflict Management in Congregations (Harvesting the Learnings Series)

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This book is a compilation of essays by various contributors in regard to the topic of conflict management within the local church. It is delineated into three main categories: A) The Dynamics of Conflict; B) Responding to Conflict; and C) Situational Conflict. It is one of the better texts I have read on conflict management. While it is not an exhaustive treatise on the subject, it is informative, practical, and relationship-honoring. It does not propose to cover every possible scenario in a parish that spawns conflicting mindsets or viewpoints. However, it does offer principles that can be applied to the many facets of conflict, wherever and whenever they may arise.
Especially laudable is the editor's inclusion of Part Two of the text, Responding to Conflict. In this section, there are several thoughtful essays that, in essence, speak against the illusions of false happiness and "self-justification at all costs" techniques. One of the most common scenarios in the local church when conflict arises is an "us versus them" mentality. This section of material seeks to place relational harmony at a premium, over against the historical "win at all costs" position. The inclusion of Virstan Choy's essay in Chapter Sixteen is extremely helpful and outlines conflict resolution techniques that honor relationships over the conflict itself.
Unfortunately, texts of this type are necessary because, as Roy Pneuman states in his essay, church people manage conflict poorly (51). Regardless of the reason behind that statement, I concur that it is an accurate one. All is not lost, though. With tools such as this text at their disposal, church leaders will be better able to "speak the truth in love," and understand that people - not opinions - are the church's greatest asset.

Conflict Management In Congregations is a helpful collection of writings that enables the reader to understand the basics of conflict management in congregations. The wisdom (among many things) gathered in this book instructs pastors and lay people to become better listeners, less anxious during conflict management, and more courageous in the face of possible conflict.
Individuals who read this book are encouraged to face conflict and embrace the potential that can be born out of tumultuous circumstances. It is the disequilibrium in the church family system that often creates a level of discomfort that inhibits leaders in moving forward through conflict. However, the energy present in conflict has the potential to create something new and good in the life of a church. In fact, without well- managed conflict, the authors argue, new directions and vital ministries will not be created. Leaders who avoid conflict at all costs and opt for "happiness at any cost" will settle in to the comfortable and predictable ways that lead to coasting, lack of creativity, and the absence of future risk taking.
The job of leaders is not so much to become enmeshed with every problem and conflict, but rather to hold and navigate the congregation toward the larger purpose and vision of their congregation. This book is a must read for those interested in doing the hard work of leading a church family through difficult circumstances.

David B. Lott has edited a collection of articles and papers that deal with the issue of conflict in local congregations. I found the book easy to read because of the shortness of the chapters and the focused points within each chapter.

I appreciated the wisdom of Speed B. Leas. He hit the nail on the head when used a graphic word picture to describe how conflict erupts in the church over what seems like small and insignificant issues. In describing the build up in the church toward conflict, he said, "People will then begin to collect a bagful of these slights and hurts. When they get enough in the bag, they will do something that precipitates a confrontation" (Page 15).

In a later chapter Leas discussed why conflict often won't go away or die down. "In addition to needs for attention and for power, a number of people in churches are motivated to stay in a fight out of the need for revenge. . . . Often they will not reveal their motivation easily and openly to others (or even to themselves) because they know such motives are inappropriate in the church. However, there is no question that their interest in staying in the fight is generated out of their desire to hurt those they perceive have hurt them" (page 25).

Gil Rendle had some excellent advice in the chapter he penned. He warned against trying to keep everyone happy by trying to satisfy all their complaints. "Trying to satisfy each and every demand in the congregation (or the judicatory) does not lead to improvement, or even satisfaction of the complaints. It simply keeps the system out of balance and in a reactive mode as various expectations compete" (page 88).

Overall I found this book to be helpful. I think this book would be especially helpful to new pastors who have little experience with managing conflict in the church. It might help them be ready for the inevitable conflicts that will arise in their ministry.

This collection of the experiences and wisdom of various writers is indeed a harvesting of learning. Together they assess the dynamics of conflict and provide productive ways in which to respond. Included are topics such as nine common sources of conflict in congregations, the illusion of congregational happiness (which would benefit any pastor or layperson who reads it), working through our defensiveness in the face of criticism, how to handle complaints about a fellow staff member, etc., just to name a few. All of these topics are interesting and insightful, and each writer has a new and fresh perspective.

Conflict in the church can be most heartbreaking and much of the time is reduced to character assassination and blame. It is unrealistic to think that we will never become defensive when we are the recipients of such tactics. However, it is possible achieve a reasonable degree of personal growth which will help to deflect defensiveness and work toward resolution. To that end, it is beneficial to become as knowledgeable as possible and this book is a plausible resource.

This collection of essays and excerpts from other works purports to present issues of congregational conflict in a systematic manner. And while I found a great deal of pertinent information and suggestions regarding the handling of congregational conflict I struggled with a lack of coherence in this compilation. That is, the essays and excerpts did not flow as a meaningfully presented linear argument. Rather, the work read like an often disparate collections of fragmentary arguments.

In fact, this lack of whole, this lack of cohesion, was so distracting that I wondered if this compilation was little more than a marketing ploy to offer another work that would provide income for the publisher. I am hopeful that this is not the case. Rather, I trust that this compilation is nothing less than an attempt to provide a variety of perspectives on dealing with congregational conflict that would prompt the reader to further seek information from those authors with whom the reader resonated.

I do not recommend this work as a good resource for dealing with congregational conflict. Instead, I do recommend it as a sort of "card catalog" that one might browse through so as to discover other works and resources that would be beneficial for dealing with congregational conflict.