Adventist International Institute

Of Advanced Studies

Theological Seminary

THE CAUSES OF CONFLICT AND HOW TO MANAGE IT

IN ORGANIZATIONS AND THE CHURCH

A Research Paper

Presented in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements of the Course LEAD 610

Organizational Behavior

By

Bryan Edward Sumendap

June 2010
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Before becoming the US president, Barack Obama

had a conflict with his church pastor, Jeremiah Wright,

regarding the pastor’s remarks aimed directly at him. He

then resigned from his church with some sadness saying,

“I suspect we'll find another church home for our

1
family.”

This statement is a result of a disagreement

between Mr. Obama and Pastor Wright. The disagreement

could have been stopped, but it escalated up to a point

of no return. Therefore, we have to agree with the fact

that conflict is a part of our daily life. Everyone will

have experience conflict at a certain time in their life.

Conflict is defined as “competitive or opposing

action of incompatibles: antagonistic state or action (as

                                                       
1
Associated Press, Obama Quits Controversial
Church After Conflict with Pastor [newspaper online];
available from
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/U.S._Election/10217695.html
; accessed on 5 May 2010.

1
 2

of divergent ideas, interests, or persons.”1 It is usually

a flight toward towards different goals. A recent group

discussion in a class defined conflict as:

“Conflict is an unavoidable incident between at least

two incorrelational parties, to occupy something that
is limited in its resources. It occurs because of
desires, differences through struggle, in order to
achieve that particular status. However, conflict can
function positively.”2

Therefore, conflict will always happen in any

organizational setting. The argument below will clarify

why conflict will arise.

The way a society is organized can create both

the root causes of conflict and the conditions in which

it is likely to occur. If we look toward any society or

organization that practices unequal treatment where in

some people is treated unequally and unjustly, it is

likely to erupt into conflict. This is enhanced

especially if its leaders do not represent all the

members of that society or organization. If an unequal

                                                       
1
Mirriam Webster Dictionary, “Conflict.”
2
Bryan Sumendap, Class Notes for LEAD 655
Management of Conflict and Problem Solving. Adventist
International Institute of Advanced Studies, Silang,
Cavite, Philippines, September 2009.
 3

and unjust society is reformed, then conflicts will be

rare.

In corporations the results of conflicts are very

damaging. Churches also have a fair share of the damages

experienced by corporations. However, the resulting

damages in a church are more serious considering the fact

that most people severe their relationships with the

church and oftentimes with God.

A question then arises, “Why then are church

conflicts difficult to resolve?” Firstly, we have to

understand that churches operate with the dynamics very

similar to large families. Secondly, while operating on

that manner, they are also being a large volunteer

organization. This organization operates on several

different levels simultaneously. The volunteers that work

in the church come from different backgrounds and have

different expectations of the pastor and of each other.

However, all these expectations are largely

unexpressed, but are assumed to be known. Functioning

within the churches are many smaller groupings of

individuals based on interests, who also have unexpressed

expectations. When these unexpressed interests and

expectations clash, conflict will arise.

 4

How then should we manage conflict situations?

This brings us to the science that is involved in

analyzing the above factors: organizational behavior.

Overview of Organizational Behavior

The development of organizational behavior field

is a progressive one. This is done where one theorist

takes on another’s research and goes further to a new

point at another time frame. During this process, many

theorists became famously known for their contributions

such as Elton Mayo for the Hawthorne Studies, Douglas

McGregor for Theory X and Theory Y, Abraham Maslow for

the hierarchy of needs, Frederick Herzberg for the

Motivation-Hygiene Theory, so on and so forth.1

According to W. G. Scott, “Human relations affect

management practices and give guidelines for managerial

action.”2 This approach combines various branches of

                                                       
1
To read more about the various theories, see
Hershey, Paul and Kenneth H. Blanchard. Management of
Organizational Behavior: Utilizing Human Resources.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1993; Roethlisberger
and W. J. Dickson. Management and the Worker, 2 vols.
Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1938; McGregor,
Douglas. The Human Side of Enterprise. New York: McGraw-
Hill, 1960; Herzberg, Frederick, Bernard Mausner and
Barbara Snyderman. The Motivation to Work. New York:
Wiley, 1959.
2
William G. Scott, “Organization Theory: An
Overview and an Appraisal” The Journal of the Academy of
 5

social science and integrates their theories and methods

to solve work-related problems. Human relations is the

result of the unique blend of the related disciplines -

psychology, social psychology, sociology and

anthropology, that give rise to a better understanding of

individuals.

Furthermore, OB can be defined as the systematic

study and application of human aspects in management of

an organization, which involves “the study of human

behavior, attitudes, and performance in organizations.”1

As an area of study, OB also studies “concepts, theories,

methods, and empirical generalizations” in order to

analyze “behavior in organizations.”2

Before the industrial revolution, people worked

in small groups and had non-complicated work

relationships among each other. They were, however,

_____________________ 
Management, 4 [1] (1961), 7-26.
1
Don Hellriegel, John W. Slocum, Jr., and Richad
W. Woodman, Organizational Behavior 8th ed. (Cincinnati,
OH: South-Western College Publishing, 1998), 4.
2
Dennis W. Organ and Thomas S. Bateman,
Organizational Behavior 4th ed. (Boston, MA: Richard D.
Irwin Inc., 1991), 5.
 6

exposed to unhealthy working conditions and shortage of

resources, so they hardly had any job satisfaction.

During the early stages of the industrial

revolution, the conditions of workers showed no signs of

improvement. But as increased industrial activity led to

greater supply of goods, wages, working conditions, and

level of job satisfaction steadily improved.

Today, leaders and administrators have access to

management tools which are readily available through the

internet, books and other mediums in order to assess job

satisfaction of employees. These tools are meant to be

used in the function of managing organizations. Church

leaders will greatly benefit if they take time to learn

more about organizational behavior and apply those skills

in the church setting.

Statement of the Problem

Since it is already clear that conflict is

something that cannot be avoided in our daily life,

therefore, there is a need for pastors to be able to

manage conflicts. However, before develop a proper method

of conflict management, we have to understand the

underlying factors that trigger conflicts. What are the

causes of conflict? How to identify the symptoms in order

 7

to pinpoint the problem sooner? What are the common

styles, methods and strategies of conflict of management

from the social science and from the Bible?

Purpose and Methodology of the Study

The purpose of the study is present the causes of

conflict in an organization, the church in particular,

and look at conflict management methods using principles

from the social sciences. It is hoped that Pastors and

administrators, even church members will benefit from

this study.

The primary method of the study will be library

research, supported by internet research. Because most of

the literature explained is from a Westerner’s point of

view, the study will see conflict from a Western

perspective.

The study will begin by looking at the various

causes of conflict in an organization. The causes of

conflict will range to a variety of factors. From this

point, the study will discuss the different styles and

strategies conflict management. It will then conclude

with a proposed method for a pastor to resolve conflict.

 CHAPTER 2

THEORETICAL BASE

God’s people have experienced conflict throughout

history. The first recorded conflict in the Bible is in

Genesis 3, when man disobeyed God and fell into sin. The

cause was disobedience.

Men like Abraham, Moses, Job, David, and Jonah in

the Old Testament and Peter, Paul, Barnabas and James in

the New Testament, have experienced conflict. It is true

that God was calling them in their life, but it does not

dismiss the fact that they are sinners. Because of that

fact, they experience conflict over issues with others

and sometimes with God. The cause was sin, resulting in

imperfection.

Jesus also experienced conflict and in some

instances initiated it. When He cleansed the temple (Matt

21:12-16), confronted the Pharisees (Matt 23), and

corrected the disciples (Matt 8:26; Luke 24:25-26), He

was engaging in conflict. Throughout the gospels, we find

8
 9

a lot of evidence that Jesus was a very confrontational

person, especially when the occasion demanded it.

Many times Satan seeks to take advantage of

Christians in conflict. When church members are involved

in conflict, Satan encourages them to continue their

dispute culminating in one of the parties involved to

leave the church. We need to be aware of the strategies

of Satan (Eph 6:11, 12).

However, regardless of the facts stated above, we

need to understand that God sometimes permits conflict to

happen within His will. He does this to test us and this

causes us to grow (1 Cor 11:18-19), it also force us to

discover better and newer ways to do things (Acts 6:1-7).

Conflict is inevitable in our life, although God

created us to become perfect in His image (Gen 1:26). As

discussed above, all God’s people even Jesus Himself has

experienced conflict. The underlying cause of conflict

from the Biblical point of view is sin, which makes us

imperfect and causes death (Rom 6:33). Based on this

theoretical basis, the discussion will proceed.

 CHAPTER 3

CURRENT ISSUES
 

Today the business of conflict management is

booming. Corporations and churches seem to be in dire

need of third party intervention to help them resolve

their conflicts. Guidance Channel Online1 lists the Top

Ten conflict management websites where companies can run

for help when conflicts are plaguing them. Aside from

this list, there are hundreds or even thousands of firms

and consultants that offer conflict management services

to clients.

An abstract from a study entitled, “Conflict

Management: Trends and Issues Alerts”2 clearly shows the

                                                       
1
GC Staff, Top Ten Conflict Management Sites
[online]; available from
http://www.guidancechannel.com/default.aspx?M=a&index=222
1&cat=50; accessed on 10 June 2010.
2
Bettina Lankard Brown, Conflict Management:
Trends and Issues Alerts [online abstract]; available
from
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/reco
rdDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_Searc
hValue_0=ED417291&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED4
17291; accessed on 10 June 2010.

10
 11

situation that many organizations have been facing since

the late 90’s up to the present:

Because most workplace conflicts will likely be

repeated under new circumstances and in new
situations, the goal of conflict management is to
empower workers to resolve their own differences of
opinion before those differences escalate into
conflict. Because of the negative impact of conflict
on worker creativity, efficiency, and productivity,
many organizations are hiring conflict management
specialists to train their employees in positives
ways of resolving differences. Adult educators,
educational administrators, health care and business
professionals, and human resource managers are among
those who are assuming new roles as leaders in
conflict management.

Conflict management specialists are coming to the rescue

to help conflict ridden companies.

Lack of Ability Issue

One issue that arose from this trend is that

there seems to be a lack of ability on the part of

employees in dealing with conflict. Because of this

disability, intervention from outside is a must in order

to create a working atmosphere that will maintain its

productiveness. This is also true among church

congregations.

This disability can be caused by a lack of

training issue among from the pastors. During their

professional ministry, they have traditionally relied on

 12

some pastoral roles, as outlined by Herbert W. Byrne,

which they never formally trained for.1

When most pastors said yes to the call of God to

ministry, they were probably not thinking about managing

the church office. They saw themselves as preachers who

will continually be behind the pulpit preaching the

gospel, giving personal Bible studies, baptizing people,

and eventually making disciples in harmony with the Great

Commission.

However, pastors or ministers are expected to be

much more than the above description, they are expected

to do more than that. Delbert W. Baker, President of

Oakwood College, describes this high expectation when he

said:

Pastors, ministers, and church administrators in the

twenty-first century are expected to possess such
skills as proficiency in biblical knowledge,
leadership ability, expertise in communication,
proficiency in spiritual formation, ability to
motivate, organizational mastery, conflict
management, and competency in problem solving, to
name a few.2

                                                       
1
Herbert W. Byrne, The Pastor as Church Leader
and Educator (Longwood, FL: Xulon Press, 2006), 21-55.
2
Delbert W. Baker, “The Story of Pastor Alpha,”
Ministry July-August 2005, 11.
 13

The pastor is also required to skilled in

strategic planning, project management, human resource

management, financial management, social marketing, and

time management, even though he was never formally

trained for management.

Lack of Training Issue

Another issue that arose is seen from the church

point of view. In the local church setting, a pastor is

always viewed as the leader. He is the one who people

come to whenever they have problems. He is the leader of

the church whose condition, as one Lutheran minister

describes, “may be full of hatred and venom than any

other institution.”1 Because of that nature, it is

expected that many conflicts will arise inside the

church. The pastor will be in the front line to tackle

these difficulties. But without proper training, the

pastor will not be capable to manage those difficulties

properly.

According to the Duke University National Clergy

survey, “two-thirds of clergy report that their

                                                       
1
Richard Stoll Armstrong and Kirk Walker
Morledge, Help! I'm a Pastor!: A Guide to Parish Ministry
(Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2005), 2.
 14

congregation has experienced some form of conflict over

the past two years.”1 Some twenty percent mention that the

conflict was significant or major. This could be one of

the causes why there are so many pastor burnout

occurring.2 It could also be a reason why many pastors are

leaving the ministry.

The following discussion looks at some figures

and statistics in regards to the trends that are

happening in churches across America. The lack of data

from Asian churches makes it not possible to include

Asian churches’ trend. It does not, however, dismiss the

possibility that the Asian churches could be following

the same trend.

Recent Studies on Conflict in the Church

In the recent years the concern of studying

conflict and its impact in the churches has been given a

serious thought. This is due to the rise in church

                                                       
1
Ibid., 178.
2
The term used to describe a pastor who shows
symptoms “to give up, to be less compassionate to the
hurting, or to ignore ministry opportunities because we
are too busy.” Dana Beatty, Pastoral Burnout and “Brown
Out” October 27, 2004 [online]; available from
http://www.ctlibrary.com/newsletter/newsletterarchives/20
04-10-27.html; accessed 3 June 2010.
 15

problems related to conflict. We will look at two of the

studies.

2006-2007 Duke University

National Congregations Study

Duke University has conducted two studies on

congregations in America. The first study was conducted

in 1998 and the second study was conducted in 2006-2007.

They named this the “National Congregations Study.”1 The

more recent study surveyed 2,740 congregations in the

United States.

In their website, a visitor can browse through

the data on all variables that are available. When

browsing through the 2006-2007 data, under the conflict

variable, it is found that:

- 24% of congregations experienced a conflict in the

last two years that was serious enough to call a
special meeting
- 26% of congregations experienced a conflict in the
last two years that resulted in people leaving their
congregations
- 9% of congregations experienced a conflict that led
leaders to leave the congregation
- 7% of congregations were classified as “persistently
conflicted”
                                                       
1
The method used to come up with the figures
given was to browse on the data, look under conflict and
dig into the data. National Congregations Study Wave II,
2006-2007 [online]; available from
http://www.soc.duke.edu/natcong/explorefrequencies2_07.ht
ml; accessed on 3 June 2010.
 16

- 35% of congregations reporting conflict indicated

that it was about clergy; 12% stated that their
conflicts were about church leadership, which may or
may not refer to clergy; 8% indicated that their
conflicts were about money; and 48% of congregations
surveyed selected the catch-all “other” category to
describe the nature of their conflicts.

One interesting finding about the congregations

classified as “persistently conflicted” is that they

accounted for 35 to 40% of all church conflict reported

over a four-year period.

The issues pertaining to the current practices of

conditions of corporations and churches have been

discussed. Therefore, an important thing that is to be

done is to be able to identify the causes of conflict.

FACT and CCSP Study

Faith Communities Today (FACT) and the

Cooperative Congregational Studies Partnership (CCSP),

not-for-profit entities of the Hartford Seminary and the

Hartford Institute for Religion Research, released a

report in 2005 titled, “Insights into Congregational

Conflict.”1 This report is based on a survey of 14,301

congregations and also makes reference to Christianity

Today’s 2004 pastoral survey.

                                                       
1
Hartford Seminary, Insights into Congregational
Conflict [online]; available from
http://fact.hartsem.edu/InsightsIntoCongregationalConflic
t.pdf; accessed on 11 September 2009.
 17

One notable finding of the said research is in

connection to the prevalence of conflict. Seventy five

percent of the congregations surveyed reported some level

of conflict in the past five years (1995 to 2000), and

20% reported that they were presently involved in active

conflict.

These findings indicate how important it is for

congregations to prepare for conflict so that it does not

negatively affect their health and effectiveness.

Indeed, this study states that “understanding how

conflict impacts congregations strikes us as an absolute

necessity.”1

Study by David and Diane Noble

In their most recent book, David and Diane Noble,

presents readers with statistics regarding the effects of

congregational conflict. They say that more than 19,000

congregations experience major conflict every year. 25%

of the churches in one survey reported conflict in the

previous five years that was serious enough to have a

lasting impact on congregational life.

                                                       
1
Ibid., 1.
 18

Only 2% of church conflict involves doctrinal

issues, while 98% of church conflict involves

interpersonal issues. Control issues ranked as the most

common cause of conflict (85%). Because of this, about

40% of church members who leave their churches do so

because of conflict.

In regards to the effects to the pastor, they say

that the average pastoral career lasts only 14 years –

less than half of what it was not long ago. Around 1,500

pastors leave their assignments every month in the United

States because of conflict, burnout or moral failure.

45% of the pastors terminated in one denomination left

the ministry altogether. While 34% of all pastors

presently serve congregations that forced their previous

pastor to resign.1

The next section will identify the causes of

conflict by looking at literature.

                                                       
1
David and Diane Noble, Winning the Real Battle
(Kansas City, MO: BHC Publishing, 2009), 171.
 CHAPTER 4

CAUSES OF CONFLICT
 

The discussions in the previous chapters have

shown us that the effects of conflict are sometimes

disastrous. There should be a way to come out of it, some

means to identify the causes.

This chapter will review related articles in

regards to identifying the causes of conflict in and

organization or the church.

The Core of Conflicts

In order for leaders to develop skills in

avoiding, analyzing, and addressing conflict, we have to

understand what lies at the center of the problems.

The authors of Unconditional Excellence, quotes

from Ken Sandy’s book, The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide

to Resolving Personal Conflict, regarding the three major

reasons serious differences arise:

1. Lack of Humility: Everything revolves around me, my

and mine. As long as we focus on ourselves, we’ll
always have disharmony.
2. Lack of Alignment: People are at variance because
they don’t know where they’re going. Either they
think they’re in agreement with others, or they
19
 20

don’t take seriously the minor issues that separate

them.
3. Lack of Good Communications: Too often we discover
this lack after contention has erupted.1

Because communications problem lie at the core of

many issues, leaders are to develop “Unconditionally

Excellent”2 problem-solving skills. Because self-

centeredness or self interest is also another basic

cause, only by living a covenantal life, continual

modeling of humility will make leaders effective

peacemakers.

Literature Review on Causes of Conflict

“Not all conflict is bad.” This is a statement

that is often heard uttered by church leaders and

conflict resolution experts. They say this with the

understanding of the two types of conflict, where

“managers should stimulate functional conflict and

prevent or resolve dysfunctional conflict.”3

                                                       
1
Alan M. Ross and Cecil Murphey, Unconditional
Excellence: Answering God’s Call To Be Your Professional
Best (Avon, MA: Adams Media Corporation, 2002), 254-255.
2
Ibid., 3. This begins when we make a choice to
commit ourselves to becoming the very best in our
workplace. It starts with a decision, then action.
3
Ronald R. Sims, Managing Organizational
Behavior, (Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group,
Inc., 2002), 246.
 21

The functional understanding of organizational

conflict perceives conflict as a productive energy, one

that can motivate members of the organization to increase

their knowledge and skills, and their input to

organizational innovation and productivity. Nelson and

Quick defines it as “a healthy, constructive disagreement

between two or more people” which can “produce new ideas,

learning, and growth among individuals,” that can

“improve working relationships.”1

Examples of positive conflicts, by contrast have

the following characteristics: Problem-Solving Mentality,

where everyone is at the table to solve the problem, not

to fight with each other; Going for Mutual Satisfaction,

all sides work for a solution; Everyone Syndrome, each

side recognizes that the other side has legitimate

concerns; and Just the Facts, where the discussion

centers on the facts of the problem, not on the feelings

of the people.2 The successful organization, then, needs

                                                       
1
Debra L. Nelson and James Campbell Quick,
Organizational Behavior: Foundations, Realities, and
Challenges, 2nd ed. (New York: West Publishing Company,
1997), 378-379.
2
Michael, W. Drafke and Stan Kossen, The Human
Side of Organizations, 8th ed. (Upper Saddle River, New
Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2002), 104.
 22

conflict so that diverging views can be put on the table,

and new ways of doing things can be created.

The dysfunctional understanding of organizational

conflict is rooted in the idea that organizations are

created to accomplish goals by making structures that

perfectly define job responsibilities, authorities, and

other job functions. This understanding of organizations

and conflict causes problems because it is “an unhealthy,

destructive disagreement between two or more people”

which takes focus away from the work to be done and

“places the focus on the conflict itself and the parties

involved.”1

Negative conflicts have the following

characteristics. The Feud Mentality, where conflict pits

one group against another; Going for Broke, where each

side wants it all, no compromise; Me Syndrome where

antagonists see only their side of the house; and You

Syndrome where the conflict is personalized and people

are attacked as individuals.2

                                                       
1
Nelson and Quick, 379.
2
Drafke and Kossen, 104.
 23

In the church, personal factors are probably the

main causes of conflict. These personal factors are:

skills and abilities, personalities, perceptions, values

and ethics, emotions and communication barriers.1

Jim Murphy, a well-known speaker and management

consultant, adds the following factors that also

contribute to the difficulty in identifying the correct

cause of conflict. They are, time, experience, faith,

ego, poor training and oversensitivity.2 He elaborates

further that behaviors cause conflict. The four different

behaviors that cause conflict are: intellectual,

emotional, interpersonal, and managerial.3

Leas and Kittlaus, in their book Church Fights,

distinguish three kinds of conflicts. The first is

Intrapersonal Conflict, second is Interpersonal Conflict,

and the third is Substantive conflict.4 A particular

conflict that arises may be a mixture of the above three.

                                                       
1
Ibid., 382-383.
2
Jim Murphy, Managing Conflict at Work (West Des
Moines, IO: American Media Publishing, 1994), 30-31.
3
Ibid., 36-40.
4
Speed Leas and Paul Kittlaus, Church Fights:
Managing Conflict in the Local Church (Philadelphia:
Westminster Press, 1973), 29-32.
 24

In the book Effective Human Relations in

Organizations, Reece & Brandt lists the following causes

of conflict: ineffective communication, value clashes,

culture clashes, work policies and practices, adversarial

management, noncompliance, and difficult people.1 While

all factors may become a cause of conflict in the church,

the last cause, difficult people, may be the number one

cause, due to the nature of the church. They continue to

describe the kinds of difficult people that exist in

organizations2:

The Tanks: Pushy and ruthless, loud and forceful,

they assume that the end justifies the means.
The Snipers: Identify your weaknesses and use
them against you through sabotage behind your back or
putdowns in front of the crowd.
The Know-It-Alls: Will tell you what they know—
for hours—but won’t take a second to listen to your
“clearly inferior” ideas.
The Grenades: Whey they blow their tops, they’re
unable to stop. When the smoke clears and the dust
settles, the cycle begins again.
The Yes Persons: They are quick to agree but slow
to deliver, leaving a trail of unkept commitments and
broken promises.
The Maybe Persons: When faced with a crucial
decision, they keep putting it off until it’s too
late and the decision makes itself.
                                                       
1
Barry L. Reece and Rhonda Brandt, Effective
Human Relations in Organizations (New York: Houghton
Mifflin Company, 1999), 333.
2
Ibid., 334-335, taken from Rick Brinkman and
Rick Kirschner, Dealing with People You Can’t Stand,
1994.
 25

The No Persons: Doleful and discouraging, they

say, “What goes up must come down.” And what comes
down must never be able to get back up again.
The Whiners: They wallow in their woe, whine
incessantly, and carry the weight of the world on
their shoulders.

Gangel and Canine added additional perspectives.

They identified confrontation, dogmatism, and efficiency

breakdown as causes of conflict.1 On the other hand,

McSwain and Treadwell, emphasizes on stress as the root

of conflict. They describe stress as an intrapersonal

conflict which “forces individuals to choose from among a

multitude of options in life how they shall live.”2 The

church sometimes creates stress because of “unmet

expectation and unfulfilled hopes, unrealistic demands,

failure in management, and contradictions in the church

with secular experiences.”3

Greenberg and Baron agrees with McSwain and

Treadwell when they discuss term as “role conflict” which

usually is a “stress from conflicting demands.”4

                                                       
1
Kenneth O. Gangel and Samuel L. Canine,
Communication and Conflict Management: In Churches and
Christian Organizations (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press,
1992), 180-184.
2
Larry L. McSwain and William C. Treadwell, Jr.,
Conflict Ministry in the Church (Nashville, TN: Broadman
Press, 1981), 59.
3
Ibid., 64-72.
4
Jerald Greenberg and Robert A. Baron, Behaviors
 26

Speed Leas complements to the previous arguments

when he adds fear, needs, and sin as three shortcomings

in people that cause church conflict.1 He continues in

another article that there are ten most predictable times

of conflict, it is during: Easter, stewardship

campaigns/budget time, addition of new staff, change in

leadership style, the pastor’s vacation, changes in the

pastor’s family, introduction of baby boomers into the

church, the completion of a new building, loss of church

membership, and increase in church membership.2 A church

leader should be aware of these activities and be on

guard.

Donald Palmer, looking from the perspective of

missionary and Christian workers, describes four

underlying causes of conflict. The first cause is when

territory is threatened or disputed. This is when two

parties want to occupy the same space, at the same time

_____________________ 
in Organizations 4th ed. (Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and
Bacon, 1993), 230.
1
Speed Leas, “Rooting Out Causes of Conflict” in
Leading Your Church Through Conflict and Reconciliation,
ed. Marshall Shelley (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House
Publishers, 1997), 104-106.
2
Leas, ”The Ten Most Predictable Times of
Conflict” in Leading Your Church Through Conflict, 45-53.
 27

or when two parties propose different goals or solutions

that cannot all be put in action at the same time.

The second cause is when expectations are not

fulfilled. This has been previously mentioned,

expectations are sometimes not realistic or not clarified

and the other party does not act according to the

expectation of the other party.

The third cause is faulty leadership and

administration. This happens when there is an unclear

relationship within the organizational structure, poorly

defined job responsibilities, poor planning, breakdown of

communication, leadership that is too autocratic or too

weak, or overly political.

The last is caused by attitudes and personalities

clash. There are prejudices and biases which are

reflected consciously and unconsciously, and there are

differences in temperaments, personalities and styles.1

Dudley Weeks in his book The Eight Essential

Steps to Conflict Resolution, reemphasizes needs as one

of the ingredients of conflict. Diversity and

                                                       
1
David C. Palmer, Managing Conflict Creatively: A
Guide for Missionaries & Christian Workers (Pasadena, CA:
William Carey Library, 1990), 7-11.
 28

differences, Perceptions, Power, Values and Principles,

Feelings and Emotions, are the remaining ingredients for

conflict. It is obvious that Weeks present a much broader

variety of causes of conflict compared to other authors.

After looking at the various causes of conflict,

we will then look at effective techniques in managing

conflict. First we will look on techniques offered from

the behavior science perspective, later on we will focus

on biblical methods of conflict resolution.

The next chapter will be the conclusion of this

paper, while offering personal assessment regarding the

subject of causes of conflict.

 CHAPTER 5

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES & STRATEGIES

In the previous chapters, discussion on the

various causes of conflict has been presented by looking

at what various authors’ understanding of root of

conflict. This chapter will now look at the various

theories for managing conflict which can be used by the

pastor or church leader in resolving conflicts in the

church.

We will begin by looking at several styles of

managing conflict that is generally practiced by managers

in corporations. The purpose of including them is for the

benefit of familiarizing the reader. The styles will be

categorized under two parts, the positive and negative

strategy.

Pondy’s Model of Organizational Conflict

Before looking at the conflict styles, it is

proper to understand one of the “most widely accepted

29
 30

models of organizational conflict” developed by Louis R.

Pondy.1 His model explains the stages of conflict:

Stage1: Latent Conflict-potential

Stage2: Perceived Conflict-realizes goals impeded by
another party
Stage3: Felt Conflict-growing anger
Stage4: Manifest Conflict-how to deal with it
Stage5: Conflict Aftermath-what would I do
differently?2

The first stage of this model has no actual

conflict. However there exist a potential for conflict to

arise because of the factors that become sources of

conflict.

In stage two, perceived conflict begins “when one

party becomes aware that its goals are being thwarted by

the actions of another party.”3 Each party will search the

origins of the conflict, find out why the conflict is

emerging, then examines the event that leads to its

occurrence.

                                                       
1
Louis R. Pondy, “Organizational Conflict:
Concept and Models” Administrative Science Quarterly,
Vol. 12, No. 2 (Sept. 1967), 296-320, 310 [journal on-
line]; available from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2391553; accessed on 30 June
2010.
2
George and Jones, Understanding and Managing,
660.
3
Ibid., 661.
 31

During the stage of felt conflict, “the parties

in conflict develop negative feelings about each other.”1

The groups are described to “close ranks, develops an us-

versus-them attitude, and blames the other group”2 as the

cause of the problem.

At the manifest conflict stage, “one party

decides how to react to or deal with the party that it

sees as the source of the conflict.”3 Here both parties

try to hurt each other and thwart each other’s goals.

Finally the conflict aftermath stage, which is

bound to happen sooner or later. In this stage “conflict

in an organization is resolved one way or another—someone

gets fired.”4

Popular Conflict Management Styles

To take a closer look at the various strategies

one can use in resolving workplace conflict, let us

review the five different conflict management styles

developed by Kenneth W. Thomas and Ralph H. Kilmann in

                                                       
1
Ibid., 662.
2
Ibid.
3
Ibid., 663.
4
Ibid., 665.
 32

1974,1 and another later model developed by Ron Kraybill

in 1990.2

The five styles of the Thomas Kilman (TKI) are

competing or forcing, avoiding, compromising,

collaborating, and accommodating. While the Kraybill

Conflict Style Inventory (KCSI) calls them Directing,

Avoiding, Compromising, Cooperating, and Harmonizing.

Both use a framework commonly credited to Mouton and

Blake, which maps out responses to conflict according to

the interaction of a horizontal and vertical axis. The

one axis is for assertiveness or focus on one’s own

agenda, while the other axis is for cooperativeness or

focus on the relationship.

The major difference among the two lies in the

cultural sensitivity of the models. While the TKI uses a

forced choice questionnaire and assumes all users have

similar cultural background, the KCSI uses a multiple

                                                       
1
Kenneth W. Thomas and Ralph H. Kilmann, Thomas-
Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (Tuxedo NY: Xicom,
1974).
2
Ron Kraybill, Style Matters: The Kraybill
Conflict Style Instrument (Riverhouse ePress, 1990) in
Mennonite Conciliation Service in Mediation and
Facilitation Training Manual, 4th ed., (Akron, PA: MCS,
2000), 64-66.
 33

choice questionnaire and allows the user to identify

whether they are from an individualistic or

collectivistic society.1

The TKI assesses conflict management styles on

two distinct levels: assertiveness and cooperativeness.

Since the KCSI is relatively new and contain similar

characteristics with TKI, we are just going look at the

five conflict management styles of TKI. They are as

follows:2

Avoiding Style

This is when you do not satisfy your concerns or

the concerns of the other person. This style is low

assertiveness and low cooperativeness. The goal is to

delay, to take no action on a conflict or to stay out of

a conflict situation. Overuse of this style results in

negative evaluations from others in the workplace.

                                                       
1
Thomas Kilmann and Style Matters Compared
[online]; available from
http://riverhou.dot5hosting.com/Joomla/index.php?option=c
om_content&view=article&id=64&Itemid=95; accessed on 30
June 2010.
2
The following descriptions of the TKI Styles are
taken from Reece and Brandt, Effective Human Relations,
342-343.
 34

However, this style can be used when an issue is

of low importance, to reduce tensions, or to buy time.

Avoidance is also appropriate when you are in a low power

position and have little control over the situation, when

you need to allow others to deal with the conflict, or

when the problem is symptomatic of a much larger issue

and you need to work on the core issue, trivial, or more

important issues are pressing; when potential disruption

outweighs the benefits of resolutions; and when you think

others can resolve the conflict more effectively.

Competing Style

A style that is very assertive and

uncooperative. Both parties always want to satisfy

personal interests and are willing to do so at the

expense of the other party. This is similar to the

win/lose strategy.

This style is best used when quick decisive

actions are vital; on important issues where unpopular

actions need implementing; and against people who take

advantage of non-competitive behavior.

 35

Compromising Style

This style is intermediate in both assertiveness

and cooperativeness, because each party must give up

something to reach a solution to the conflict.

This could be used when goals are important, but

not worth the effort or potential disruption or more

assertive modes; when opponents with equal power are

committed to mutually exclusive goals; and as a backup

when collaboration or competition is unsuccessful.

Collaboration Style

High on assertiveness and cooperativeness and

works toward collaborating that involves an open and

thorough discussion of the conflict and arriving at a

solution that is satisfactory to both parties. Designed

to help the conflicting parties work together to find

mutually advantageous solutions to problems so that each

person is satisfied with the outcome.

There are particular situations when it is best

to use this strategy. First is when it is vital to find

an integrative solution when both sets of concerns are

too important to be compromised. Second is when your

objective is to learn and to merge insights from people

with different perspectives. Third is to gain commitment

 36

by incorporating concerns into a consensus. And finally

to work through feelings that have interfered with a

relationship. This strategy has been given a lift in the

secular field of conflict resolution by Fisher and Ury.1

Accommodating Style

Accommodating strategy is a style in which a

party is concerned about the other party’s goals to be

met, but relatively unconcerned with getting your way.

This strategy is cooperative but unassertive. It is more

important for both parties to maintain harmony and keep

relationships intact.

This strategy is to be used when you find you are

wrong, when issues are more important to others than to

yourself, when you want to build social credits for later

issues, when you want to minimize loss when you are

outmatched and losing, when harmony and stability are

especially important, and when you want to allow

employees to develop by learning from mistakes.

There is always an appropriate moment to use the

following styles. Research done among managers regarding

                                                       
1
Roger Fisher and William Ury, Getting to Yes —
Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In 2nd ed., (New
York: Penguin Books, 1991).
 37

the use of the five strategies shows that managers, “have

the capacity to change styles as the situation demands.”1

The study also shows that “managers who used a

combination of competing and avoiding styles were seen as

ineffective by the engineers who worked under their

project teams.”2

Negative Strategies

Let us now look at some common strategies that

result in the increase of ugly conflict. Below are

strategies described by Bacal, a prolific author,

consultant, book author, trainer, and public speaker:

Ugly #1: Nonaction. The most common repressive

management strategy is nonaction—doing nothing. Most
of the time, people “do nothing” about conflict
situations for other reasons, such as fear of
bringing conflict into view, or discomfort with
anger. Unfortunately, doing nothing generally results
in conflict escalating, and sets a tone for the
organization..."we don't have conflict here".
Ugly #2: Administrative Orbiting. Administrative
orbiting means keeping appeals for change or redress
always “under consideration,” orbiting acknowledges
the problem, but avoids dealing with it. The manager
who uses orbiting will say things like “We are
dealing with the problem,” but the problem never gets
addressed. Common stalls include: collecting more
data, documenting performance, cancelling meetings,
etc.
Ugly #3: Secrecy. A common means of avoiding
conflict (or repressing it) is to be secretive. This
                                                       
1
Nelson and Quick, 398.
2
Ibid.
 38

can be done by employees and managers. The notion is

that if nobody knows what you are doing, there can be
little conflict. If you think about this for a
moment, you will realize its absurdity. By being
secretive you may delay conflict and confrontation,
but when it does surface it will have far more
negative emotions attached to it than would have been
the case if things were more open.
Ugly #4: Law and Order. The final "ugly
strategy". Normally this strategy is used by
managers who mistakenly think that they can order
people to not be in conflict. Using regulations, and
power, the person using the approach "leans on"
people to repress the outward manifestations of
conflict.1

Win/Lose Strategy

This strategy is only one winner solution,

domination whereby there is a victory of one side

over the other. As an often overused strategy for

solving conflicts, these methods include the use of

mental or physical power to bring about compliance.

Sometimes, this approach is done through socially

acceptable mechanisms such as majority vote, the

authority of the leader, or the determination of a judge.

However, in many occasions, it involves secret

strategies, threat, innuendo – whatever works is

acceptable, for example: the ends justify the means.

                                                       
1
Robert Bacal, Organizational Conflict - The
Good, The Bad & The Ugly [online]; available from
http://performance-
appraisals.org/Bacalsappraisalarticles/articles/orgconfli
ct.htm; accessed on 22 June 2010.
 39

There is often a strong ‘we-they’ distinction accompanied

by the classic symptoms of intergroup conflict. The

valued outcome is to have a victor who is superior, and a

vanquished who withdraws in shame, but who prepares very

carefully for the next round. In the long run, everyone

loses.1

Reece and Brandt suggest that this strategy, even

on the negative method, to be used “in situations where

two factions simply cannot agree on any solution or may

not even be able to talk to each other.”2

Lose/Lose strategy

The lose-lose strategy is exemplified by

smoothing over conflict or by reaching the simplest of

compromises. This strategy can basically be applied in

three ways.3

First, both parties involved can be asked to

compromise. Each party should “give-in” to the other and

                                                       
1
Ron Fisher, “Sources of Conflict and Methods of
Conflict Resolution” School of International Service, The
American University, 1977, Rev. 1985, 2000, 4 [journal
online]; available from
http://www.aupeace.org/files/Fisher_SourcesofConflictandM
ethodsofResolution.pdf; accessed on 29 June 2010.
2
Reece and Brandt, 336.
3
Ibid., 337.
 40

judge to what degree of compromise is acceptable for

both.

Second, an arbitrator, usually a neutral third

party, is called in to decide how the conflict should be

resolved. Normally arbitration process may take from both

sides as much as it gives in an effort to reach a final

settlement.

Finally, the third way is by going through the

rules. The disadvantage of this application is that it

leaves out the particulars of both parties. Each party

gets some of what it wants, and resigns itself to partial

satisfaction. Neither side is aware that by confronting

the conflict fully and cooperatively they might have

created a more satisfying solution.1

Positive Strategies

First of all we have to understand that there are

two levels of conflict, individual level and group level.

Sometimes a conflict may arise because of an individual

level conflict which escalated to a group level conflict.

In resolving individual level conflict, it is

suggested by Nielsen to use techniques “designed to

                                                       
1
Fisher, 5.
 41

change the attitudes or behavior of those involved in the

conflict.”1 If the conflict is on the group level,

techniques in changing attitudes or behavior of groups

and departments in conflict should be used.2

Win/Win Strategy

The win-win approach is a conscious and

systematic attempt to maximize the goals of both parties

through collaborative problem solving. The conflict is

seen as a problem to be solved rather than a war to be

won. The important distinction is we (both parties)

versus the problem, rather than we (one party) versus

they (the other party). This method focuses on the needs

and constraints of both parties rather than emphasizing

strategies designed to conquer. Full problem definition

and analysis and development of alternatives precedes

consensus decisions on mutually agreeable solutions. The

parties work toward common and superordinate goals, i.e.,

ones that can only be attained by both parties pulling

together. There is an emphasis on the quality of the long

                                                       
1
Jennifer M. George and Gareth R. Jones,
Understading Organizational Behavior, 2nd ed. (Reading,
MA: Addison-Wesley, 1999), 667.
2
Ibid.
 42

term relationships between the parties, rather than short

term accommodations.

Steps in Conflict Management Process

The organization, when faced with conflict, will

eventually respond to the conflict. There are two models

of response in managing a conflict. The first model is

the Five As and the second one is the March and Simon

Steps.

Victor and Borisoff 5 Steps

Victor and Borisoff1 identified five steps in the

conflict management process, which they call five “A”s:

assessment, acknowledgement, attitude, action, and

analysis. They emphasize that these five steps allow for

a continual process of problem-solving conflict

management.

The first step is assessment step. In these step

the parties gather appropriate information regarding the

problem. They select which of the conflict-handling modes

                                                       
1
Deborah Borisoff and David A. Victor, Conflict
Management: A Communication Skills Approach (Englewood
Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1989). This section
draws heavily from the article by David A. Victor,
“Conflict Management” Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd Ed.,
[online]; available from
http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Clo-
Con/Conflict-Management.html; accessed on 30 June 2010.
 43

would be most appropriate for the situation and determine

what is and is not at the heart of the problem, what they

might be willing to compromise on, and what each party

actually wants.

The second step, acknowledgement step is one in

which each party attempts to hear out the other.

Acknowledgement allows both parties to build the empathy

needed for the motivation of a synergistic solution to

the problem.

The attitude step, the third step, attempts to

eliminate sources of pseudoconflict. Prejudices regarding

cultural differences or gender-linked communication

styles are recognized. Differences in communication

styles (written, nonverbal, or verbal) are examined in

the attempt to remain objective to both parties' concerns

simultaneously.

Action step, the fourth step, is the carrying out

of the conflict-handling mode which was selected. If that

is the problem-solving mode, one communicates the

possibilities for a solution while building trust and

continually soliciting feedback on positions reached. At

the same time, one must read cues in the other party to

anticipate concerns while remaining conscious of one's

 44

own communicative behavior and seeking productive

solutions.

Finally, in the analysis step, decisions are

reached, summarized, and then reviewed to establish that

the needs of all parties have been met (if possible).

Additionally, the analysis step sets the process side of

conflict management into motion as something that is

ongoing by attempting to anticipate and check for short-

term and long-term effects from the solution reached.

Reece and Brandt also offers a similar five step

process in order to go through conflict resolution: (1)

decide whether you have a misunderstanding or a true

disagreement; (2) define the problem and collect the

facts; (3) clarify perceptions; (4) generate options for

mutual gain; and (5) implement options with integrity.1

March and Simon’s Four Process

In 1958, March and Simon published a book where

they described four basic process on how an organization

responds to a conflict.2

                                                       
1
Reece and Brandt, 344-347.
2
J. March and H. Simon, Organization (New York:
John Wiley and Sons, 1958).
 45

The first is problem solving. Because problem

solving assumes that objectives are shared, problem

arises with the difficulty of identifying a solution

“that will meet the criteria in which all participants

agree.”1

The next one is quite different than the first.

Persuasion assumes that individual or group goals may

differ, where objectives are ultimately shared at some

level. However, this process is “constructive in the

sense that it attempts to secure true agreement among

participants.”2

The third and fourth processes are bargaining

and politics. Both of these processes seek to secure

only a tactic resolution of the conflict. While

bargaining “takes disagreement over goals as given and

unalterable”3 politics however goes one step further where

the bargaining area is expanded.

                                                       
1
Organ and Bateman, 506-507.
2
Ibid.
3
Ibid.
 46

Examples of Conflict in the Bible

After looking at the various styles, strategies

and steps in conflict resolution. We will now look at the

Biblical references1 and principles of conflict

management.

In the Old Testament we see situations of

conflict. For example Genesis 13:6-7 tells the story of

how a conflict situation arose among Abraham and Lot’s

herdsmen and Genesis 31 records the conflict between

Laban and Jacob. 2 Samuel 14:1-15:37 narrates King

David’s mismanagement of his conflict with his son

Absalom.

The Greek word for conflict is agon which bears

the meaning “contest,” “fight.” There are several NT

passages that use this word. The first two verses is

Philippians 1:30 and Colossians 2:1 have the meaning

“fight.” While 1 Thessalonians 2:2 conveys the meaning

“contention” and athlesis which literally means, “combat

in the public games.” Finally in Hebrews 10:32 carries

the meaning “fight.”2

                                                       
1
For further study on conflict situations in the
Bible, see Palmer, Managing Conflict Creatively, 40-57.
2
James Orr, General Editor, “Definition for
‘CONFLICT’” International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
 47

The New Testament records conflicting situations

of Jesus’ disciples encounter with Pharisees in Matthew

9:34 and Luke 22:24. Also of Paul and Barnabas

differences regarding the qualifications of John Mark

(Acts 15:38-39).

While the Bible contains many more passages that

depict conflicting situations and conflict resolution,1

there are however important principles that can be used

for conflict resolution.

As Job 5:7 shares, “People are born for trouble

as readily as sparks fly up from a fire.” When this

happens automatically conflict will spark up like fire.

The Matthew 18:15 method is a simple method, but requires

the person practicing this to have the following

prerequisites:

Humility. This is so important because we have to

look to ourselves and to our own weaknesses and
feelings to keep things in proper perspective. We
need humility to keep from exalting ourselves or
arguing from the vantage point of supposed
superiority. Keep in mind Galatians 6:1

_____________________ 
1915 [online]; available from http://www.bible-
history.com/isbe/C/CONFLICT/; accessed on 30 June 2010.
1
See Prv 20:31; Ps 51:17; Isa 6:1-8; Matt 18:15-
18; Rom 14:19, 1 Cor 14:33; 2 Cor 13:11; 1 Thes 5:13;
12:18; Eph 4:1-3; Jn 4:24, 13:25;
 48

Love. If you don't love the person you don't have a

right to confront them. If you don't have love for
the person you confront you won't have the attitude
of desiring God's best for him or her. Keep in mind
Romans 15:1-2.

Patience. We need patience in order to have proper

self-restraint and we need patience to hear the other
person out. Impatience is a source of anger and
intolerance—and it has no place in conflict
resolution.

To be without hypocrisy. If we are living a deluded

lifestyle, contrary to God's purposes for our lives,
we can't see clearly enough to qualify for correcting
other people. If we want to confront somebody about
an area of sin (or even of non-moral issues) we must
first have demonstrated victory in this area
ourselves.1

It is fitting to close this study by presenting

what Rush summarized as the proper way to end conflicts.

1. A conflict provides excellent opportunity to serve

others.

2. Be committed to resolving the conflict quickly.

3. Take initiative in confronting those involved.

4. Even though hostility and anger are present in

conflict, avoid angry arguments.2

                                                       
1
Biblical Conflict Resolution [n.d.] [online];
available from
http://www.biblicalresources.info/pages/pastoral/Conflict
s/conflict1.html; accessed on 30 June 2010.
2
Myron Rush, Management: A Biblical Approach
(Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2003), 206.
 49

and also to remember the principles Sande proposes in his

book, The Peacemaker: Glorify God, get the log out of

your eye, gently restore, go and be reconciled and

finally keep in mind that we are to forgive as God

forgave you.1

                                                       
1
Ken Sande, The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to
Resolving Personal Conflict (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker
Books, 2004).
 CHAPTER 6

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

While conflict can have its positive effects in

the church, most of the time it exhibits the negative

effects. It would be ideal for a church to have no

conflict at all. But alas, this will never be the case.

A state of utopia1 can only be achieved when we

all get to heaven.2 Ironically, heaven is where the first

conflict started, when Lucifer drooled: “I will ascend .

. . I will raise my . . . I will sit enthroned . . . I

will ascend . . . I will make myself like the Most High”

(Isaiah 14:12-14). The use of “I” statements is one of

the causes of conflict inside the church.

                                                       
1
Utopia is a name for an ideal community or
society, coined by Sir Thomas More in 1516 describing a
fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean, possessing a
seemingly perfect socio-politico-legal system.
2
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the
leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the
young lion and the fatling together; and a little child
shall lead them. Isaiah 11:6

50
 51

When we look at the statistics given in chapter

three, it is evident that the level of congregational

conflict is the same today and in 1998. And what is more

interesting is today’s level of congregational conflict

is the same as it was in colonial times! According to

Emory University historian E. Brooks Holifield, between

1680 and 1740, 122 of 400 (28 percent) of

Congregationalist and Presbyterian ministers in New

England and on Long Island

had serious trouble with their congregations: 48 had

financial disputes, thirty two became embroiled in
conflict over division of a parish... twenty fought
theologically with members, and the rest had
personality conflicts.1

Because of the ensuing problems, 32 ministers had to

leave the church.

Personal Analysis

Ultimately, looking from the perspective of human

relations, the main cause of conflicts lies in the area

of communication. Lack of communication effects

relationships. Since humans rely on the ability to

express themselves through the means of communication,

                                                       
1
E. Brooks Holifield, God’s Ambassadors: A
History of Christian Clergy in America (Grand Rapids, MI:
Eerdmans, 2007), 87.
 52

when this is distorted a negative reaction will be the

outcome. For that reason, as leaders in the church we

should be able to maintain proper communication inside

the church.

As pastors and leaders, we are expected to play a

role in preventing conflict within the church in the

personal and interpersonal levels. We cannot escape the

fact that conflict is bound to happen, however if leaders

can downplay the causes of conflict, then a small

disagreement can be kept from becoming a conflict.

I would like to propose a positive intervention

method by Peter Roy, in James Autry’s book The Servant

Leader. A simple technique he calls “affirmations,” is a

method to end a meeting that had been contentious and

held the possibility of later conflict. “Before

adjourning the meeting, he [Peter] would ask his

executives to go around the room and ‘affirm’ one

another.”1 This can be done in Church Board meetings and

other forms of meetings that happen in a church setting.

By communicating the affirmation of each other eliminates

any hard-feelings accumulated during the meeting.

                                                       
1
James A. Autry, The Servant Leader (Roseville,
CA: Prima Publishing, 2001), 174.
 53

Another method to help prevent conflicts in our

church is to have pluralism as a trait. What is

pluralism? Pluralism, according to Suzan and Thomas

Kuczmarski is “having an openness and nonjudgmental view

toward the differences in individuals.”1 It basically

means that a leader believes in equality for human

beings. It requires a leader not to be discriminative or

to label people according to their beliefs, attributes,

or externally perceived common characteristics. Do not

judge someone based on attributes they cannot change such

as gender, age, skin color, or sexual orientation, nor

religious affiliation or ethnic rituals.2

In the church setting, being able to identify a

potential conflict is a skill that should be developed.

Pastors and church administrators should possess the said

skills. Even when conflicts are bound to happen, the

proper way in handling it will spell a difference between

having positive or negative results.

                                                       
1
Susan Smith Kuczmarski and Thomas D. Kuczmarski,
Values-Based Leadership: Rebuilding Employee Commitment,
Performance, & Productivity (Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall,
1995), 255.
2
Ibid., 256.
 54

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Armstrong, Richard Stoll and Kirk Walker Morledge. Help!

I'm a Pastor!: A Guide to Parish Ministry.
Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2005.

Associated Press, Obama Quits Controversial Church After

Conflict with Pastor [newspaper online]. Available
at
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/U.S._Election/10217695
.html. Accessed on 5 May 2010.

Autry, James A. The Servant Leader. Roseville, CA: Prima

Publishing, 2001.

Bacal, Robert. Organizational Conflict - The Good, The

Bad & The Ugly [online]. Available from
http://performance-
appraisals.org/Bacalsappraisalarticles/articles/orgc
onflict.htm. Accessed on 22 June 2010.

Baker, Delbert W. “The Story of Pastor Alpha,” Ministry:

International Journal for Pastors. July-August 2005,
11-14.

Beatty, Dana. Pastoral Burnout and “Brown Out.” October

27, 2004 [online]. Available from
http://www.ctlibrary.com/newsletter/newsletterarchiv
es/2004-10-27.html. Accessed on 11 September 2009.

Borisoff, Deborah and David A. Victor, Conflict

Management: A Communication Skills Approach.
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1989.

Brown, Bettina Lankard. “Educational Resources

Information Center.” Conflict Management: Trends and
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