Thriving through Ministry Conflict: By Understanding Your Red and Blue Zones [Hardcover]

James P. Osterhaus (Author), Joseph M. Jurkowski (Author), Todd A. Hahn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 30, 2005

Church conflict doesn't have to be an enemy that tears a congregation apart. By learning how to handle it wisely, pastors and church leaders can make resistance one of their most valuable allies. Far from fearing conflict, leaders can turn it into a catalyst for positive change and a stronger, more united church. Through the fictional story of a typical pastor embroiled in conflict, Thriving through Ministry Conflict shows how to handle and resolve conflict in a healthy way. By working through a series of response activities and discussion questions, the reader will gain powerful insights into the emotional dynamics of conflict. Here are the knowledge and tools that can help pastors and church leaders trade self-defeating responses to conflict for an empowering, constructive approach; gain a working command of key conflict survival principles; and cultivate the skills needed to effectively navigate the conflicts every ministry leader faces.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

By Understanding Your Red and Blue Zones Two of the greatest challenges facing ministry leadership are expectations and conflict. Ironically, the more a pastor cares, the more he or she is set up to fail. The solution is not that the effective minister learns to care less, but that he or she cares within legitimate expectations. Using a fictional story of how personal conflict and unmet expectations are resolved into hope and restoration, this book guides pastors and leaders in ministry through three simple principles that are indispensable to successful ministry: • Identify your own "red zone"—the source of unresolved conflict within yourself. • Understand how you reinforce the "red zone" in others—unhealthy conflict. • Learn skills for relating to others in the "blue zone"— where conflict is over ideas and values, not self. • Includes implementation worksheets.

About the Author

Jim Osterhaus, (PhD, American University) a partner and consultant for The Armstrong Group, has been quoted in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Seattle Times, and many other leading publications. He is a psychologist, dynamic executive coach, and public speaker with extensive experience in helping individuals move through change, conflict, and reorganization. He has authored seven books and written dozens of articles for magazines and trade journals around the country. His latest book, co-authored with Kevin Ford, is The Thing in the Bushes - Turning Organizational Blind Spots into Competitive Advantage (Pinon Press).

Joseph M. Jurkowski (M.A. University of Maryland) is the president, chief mobilization officer and one of the founding partners for The Armstrong Group and founder of the Counseling Center of Fairfax, Va. He has worked with Fortune 500 executives as a strategic thinker in conflict resolution, a leader in applying systems theory in organizational settings, an entrepreneur, and a well-respected leader in his work with the federal government. He has appeared in such diverse publications as Entrepreneur, the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Washington Post, and CU Times.

Todd Hahn (M.Div Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary) is a nationally recognized expert on helping churches understand and reach Generation X, adding and programming alternative worship services, and coaching churches through church planting and satellite campus development. He is widely known for his speaking at workshops and conferences at the denominational level and also in the local church context, as well as planting one of the nation's fastest growing and innovative churches, in North Carolina. Todd is the coauthor of Genxers After God: Helping a Generation Pursue Jesus and Reckless Hope: Understanding and Reaching Baby Busters, and author of Song of the 2nd Fiddle.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (August 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310263441
• ISBN-13: 978-0310263449
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #155,358 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What I needed years and years ago, October 30, 2005

By 

PTD "Okie Pastor" (Yukon, OK United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thriving through Ministry Conflict: By Understanding Your Red and Blue Zones (Hardcover)

Thriving is an excellent book for anyone, especially in ministry, but it is truly helpful for anyone. Let's face it, conflict is a fact of life and it is found everywhere - in ministry, at the office, in little league, at home, etc. What is so helpful about this book is the understanding that conflict does not equal personal attack. So often we take all conflict personally, what the authors call "The Red Zone" rather than professionally, "The Blue Zone."

The book is enjoyable to read as the material is presented in the form of a story about a pastor's struggle in his own church and family. It isn't a dry list of principles, but an opportunity to discover the core ideas as the main character does.

To satisfy the other side of our brain, the authors include a great section at the end of the book with plenty of exercises to apply the principles to one's own life and conflict style.

I highly recommend this book. I plan on buying multiple copies to give to friends and colleagues.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An indispensible tool for ministry leaders, September 9, 2008

By 

Tod Bolsinger (San Clemente, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Thriving through Ministry Conflict: By Understanding Your Red and Blue Zones (Hardcover)

As a pastor with 20 years experience in the church and a seminary professor in practical theology, I know of no other resource that is so immediately and practically accessible for coaching ministers through the toughest aspects of our calling. It captures succinctly and deftly so many of the issues surrounding pastoral conflict (and beyond conflict to change-leadership, too). I am having my entire pastoral staff read it, my wife who is a therapist with minister clients is reading it and it is being passed along to other colleagues.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like a private coaching session, April 9, 2009

By 

Randy J. Gauger (Savoy, IL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Thriving through Ministry Conflict: By Understanding Your Red and Blue Zones (Hardcover)

I find it helpful to understand why I am responding as I am, particularly in conflict. Then I can adjust my responses. Without knowing why, we repeat unproductive behavior.

Conflict may freeze us. But when we are able to get our emotions beyond the conflict, and realize how we are relating to the person with whom we are in conflict, the conflict can be productive. Thriving through Ministry Conflict gets to the root of what motivates us in the stress of conflict. The authors help us detect that often the problem in conflict is more in us than the person with whom we are in conflict.

This is an encouraging book. It is about thriving. You will gain insights that give you courage to deal with real issues. You will discover whether you tend to live in, what the authors call, the Red Zone or the Blue Zone. One is good. One is bad. Staying in the good zone can make conflict productive. One zone is charged with emotion. One is characterized by professionalism and emotional calm. Responding in the good zone, can free people to focus on results that advance a ministry.

Reading this book is like a private coaching session. Its pages become a mirror for the reader. For pastors who have crossed over from caring for people to pleasing people, this book will be a welcome friend. It will help you look at people differently. As you perceive your responses in new ways, you will feel better about yourself. Your leadership can grow. Thriving through Ministry Conflict can make you a better pastor. I highly recommend it.