Many church conflicts are so complex it's hard to discern the main issue. Speed Leas, however, has figured out how to unravel some of the complexity. This article is excerpted from Mastering Conflict and Controversy, co-authored by Leas, Edward Dobson, and Marshall Shelley. It is the latest volume of the Mastering Ministry series, co-published by Multnomah Press and LEADERSHIP.

One California pastor found himself at odds with two men in his congregation. The problem was, well, that was the problem- this pastor couldn't figure out what exactly the problem was.

Certainly, a host of issues divided the pastor and the two men: They thought he preached too much on sin; he thought they lived by cheap grace. He thought clapping for the choir inappropriate in worship; they, as choir members, thought clapping a contemporary way of affirming the choir.

But some personal issues were involved as well: The pastor preached a sermon about homosexuality only to discover later that one of these men, who had ...