Most church leaders sincerely want to serve their congregations well in the midst of conflict, and some do an excellent job as peacemakers time after time. Unfortunately, despite their good intentions, many leaders seem to stumble when conflict strikes their flock. This is often because that they have received little practical training in biblical peacemaking or that they have been misled by secular notions of conflict resolution, which weaken their resolve to address conflict in courageous, gospel-centered ways.
Specific struggles in peacemaking include:
- A fear of getting involved in members’ conflicts, an excessive desire to please people and keep up the appearance of peace, or the belief that conflict is a wasteful distraction from “real ministry”—all of which immobilize leaders when decisive action may be needed.
- A tendency to be excessively directive or controlling when addressing members’ problems, which shortcuts good listening, understanding, and giving people a sense of ownership in the solution of their struggles.
- A failure to understand the power of the gospel and the practical relevance of the Bible for solving real-life issues that involve the effects of sin; as a result, leaders depend on worldly conflict resolution techniques that fail to address the root causes of conflict and to produce genuine reconciliation.
- A failure to prepare for peacemaking in advance through congregation-wide training, which leaves people vulnerable to fearful, defensive, impulsive, and unbiblical reactions to conflict.
- A failure to exercise the peacemaking gifts and the ecclesiastical power and responsibility God has vested in his church, which robs members of the effective help, counsel, and accountability they need to resolve conflicts they cannot solve on their own.
The good news is that thousands of church leaders all around the world are learning how to overcome every one of these struggles and start their churches on the journey of building a “culture of peace” where all of their members are inspired and equipped to respond to conflict in a gospel-driven and Christ-honoring way.
