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.