Pilgrimage

Conflict can be defined as a “circumstance in which two (or more) persons have incompatible needs, desires, or goals” (Shaffer 2005, 281). This is an issue from which the church is not immune. In addition to preaching, teaching and counseling, pastors often serve as initiators, moderators and terminators of church conflict. It is not surprising that there are many Christian books and journal articles to help ministers successfully navigate conflict. Crisis and conflict have been part of the social fabric of the local church since its genesis in scripture. It has been said that conflict is inevitable; therefore, professional ministers and local lay leaders have an obligation to clearly understand conflict origins, conflict management, and how to bring healing once conflict has ended.
Types of Conflict
Researchers have identified several types of conflict. First, intrapersonal conflict occurs when there are competing ideals within oneself. It is “a conflict that occurs solely in the psychological dynamics of the individual’s own mind”(Intrapersonal conflict n.d.). The second type of conflict is interpersonal conflict. This type of conflict occurs mainly because of personality differences. “Interpersonal conflict is a situation in which one or both persons in a relationship are experiencing difficulty in working or living with each other. This usually occurs due to different or incompatible needs, goals or styles” (Fisher 2000, 1). Finally, substantive conflict occurs when there are significant disputes over “facts, values, goals, and beliefs” (Willimon 1994, 187).

Levels of Conflict
Speed Leas in his article Conflict in the Parish: How Bad is It? identifies five escalating levels of conflict in churches. In the first level of conflict, problems to solve, “actual differences exist, people understand one another, and they have conflicting goals, values, needs, action plans, or information.” The second level of conflict is disagreement. In this level, concern shifts from the problem to making sure that one is not personally “besmirched” in any way. In level three, contest, the priorities shift from “self-protection to winning.” In this level, distortion of the facts and of ones perception of self and others is significant (Leas 1984, 186-188).
The fourth level of conflict identified by Leas is “fight, fight.” “The objectives in this level of conflict change from winning to hurting and/or getting rid of the other.” The escalation of conflict in this level is so significant that the individuals involved “believe the only option open to them is elimination of the other from their environment.” Finally, the fifth level of conflict is “intractable.” “Level five conflicts are not within the control of the participants to manage; they are conflict run amok.” People in this level of conflict see themselves as “fighting for universal principles” (Leas 1984, 188-190).
Positive Aspects of Conflict
While it may seem counterintuitive, conflict can have a positive role in the local church. Often, opposing viewpoints can yield a plethora of new insights and ideas. Conflict often requires us to examine our traditions and methodologies. In doing so, we are more aware of the need for change as well as the “changing trends in our community” (Anthony 1993, 156). In a sense, the role of a pastor and church leadership is to initiate a new paradigm for the way things could be. By default, this will bring conflict from the ones who are entrenched in the way things currently are. “Where there is absolutely no dissatisfaction, no vision of anything better, and no pain, there is little chance of action. A church with a healthy amount of tension and conflict is a church alive” (Willimon 1994, 188). The pastoral role then is not to avoid conflict, rather, to help channel it in the right direction.
There are several other positive benefits that can arise from interpersonal and group conflict. Particularly in a group situation, conflict can prove helpful because it may eliminate ideas and solutions that are unnecessary or ineffective. It may also help to identify potential problems areas in administrative procedures and the practical application of a proposed vision. Creativity can often spring from properly addressed conflicting viewpoints (Willimon 1994, 189). Conflict can also helps one become more self-aware and develop positive strategies for addressing conflict in the future.
Sources of Conflict
In the local church there may be several triggers of conflict; however, most conflict can be traced to four rudimentary sources. Personality differences are by far the most common type of disagreement and challenge in the local church (Anthony 1993, 158). “Within the church, [there] are often sincere, well-meaning saints, but they leave ulcers, strained relationships, and hard feelings in their wake” (Shelby 1985, 11). Often these disagreements are settled quickly and rationally, but sometimes they can become explosive and require external intervention.
The second type of challenge that may bring conflict in the local church is the struggle for power. Michael Anthony in his text The Effective Church Board quotes renowned conflict-resolution author, Norman Shawchuck as stating, “The local church is an association of volunteers ‘owned’ by all the members, and each feels he controls a portion of decision-making power. They do not perceive a single boss sitting at the top from which power and authority originate. Rather, these originate at the greassroots of the entire membership base” (Anthony 1993, 159). Peter Jarvis, who has extensively studied the relationship between professional clergy and laity, observes that there are actually two sub-cultures at work—pastors and congregants—in the church. Whereas pastor’s notions of theology have often been shaped by their specialized education or training, lay-people usually have no such pool to draw from. In the local church there is an understanding that God speaks to and through the laity in much the same manner that He does the clergy. “This potential conflict situation is basic to the three old established professions of medicine, law and religion. The practitioner always demands the confidence of his clients, but in medicine and religion the client may feel that he knows as much as the professional about his particular situation” (Jarvis 1976, 74-76; 77; 79). This often sets the stage for theological debate and power struggles between the cleric and the congregant.
If members have a narrow perspective on the ministry of the local church, this can be a third source of conflict. As members are involved in activities and birth ministries through the local church, they develop a sense of “parental pride” over the investment they have made. Sadly, when this happens, the focus is upon the individual ministry effort and not the entire mission of the church. Anthony observes, “In churches where there is a high level of involvement, it is not uncommon to find this form of conflict” (Anthony 1993, 159). Understanding this, churches that are able to break the commonly mentioned barrier of 20 percent of the congregation doing 80 percent of the work may find themselves addressing this source of conflict at an increasing rate.
A fourth source of conflict can stem from the purpose of the church. Local congregations should periodically examine what they are doing and the means with which they are doing it. Through this process, an evaluation of the church’s alignment to the God-given vision will help to place people and financial resources in the areas most needed rather than those “with the greatest attendance, flashiest promotion, or loudest supporter.” “Changes in our cultural environment, economic trends, demographics, and countless other forces” bring the need to evaluate the methodologies employed by the local church (Anthony 1993, 160).
Biblical Response to Conflict
Jim Van Yperen in Making Peace: A Guide to Overcoming Church Conflict states that all conflict is about leadership. He observes that the traditional styles leaders utilize to address conflict—passive, evasive, defensive and aggressive—“fall short of biblical peacemaking principles.” Knowing ones conflict response style, however, is helpful to address common pitfalls that may plague a pastor or church leader as they respond to myriad day-to-day interpersonal issues. “Recognizing and owning your…response style is the first step to understanding your part in conflict, and how your response may actually be making the conflict worse” (Van Yperen 2002, 90). Establishing deep-seated principles of biblical peacemaking in order to avoid prolonging and possibly escalating church conflict is an essential mastery for Christian leaders.
Van Yperen’s premise that conflict is always an issue of leadership finds its solution in the person and example of Jesus Christ. He states that one of the indispensible qualities of Jesus was that he was a submissive leader (Van Yperen 2002, 188-196). Jesus is the sole prototype for leadership development particularly as it relates to conflict and conflict resolution. Christ’s methodology and practical applications are affirmed –often unwittingly-by leadership theorists in almost all professional industries.
The writers of the New Testament emphasize Jesus’ conviction that godly submission is essential to the Christian faith and in turn essential to godly conflict resolution. The apostle Paul encourages submission to God, submission to governmental leaders, and submission within the family in his letters to Rome, Ephesus and Colossae. Peter also encourages Christian leaders to live in submission to the Lord and others. He states “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (I Peter 5:5, KJV). The early church leaders understood that God’s mechanism to produce and reproduce leaders was keenly designed in humanity’s willingness and ability to submit to the Father and to one another. This is a basic, yet essential building block of God’s kingdom on earth.
Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol and Ken McElrath elaborate on this notion in The Ascent of a Leader. They state:
When we reflect on the nature of our Creator, we gain a sense of these deeper needs of our heart. The degree to which we entrust ourselves to the Supreme Being demonstrates the level at which we have understood the character of that being. Each of us must ask, Is God good or capricious…If we trust that God is good by nature, we will honor God’s authority and power in our lives (Thrall, McNicol and McElrath 1999, 68).

By honoring God’s authority and power in one’s life, there is a realization that egocentric behaviors that produce and prolong conflict fail to further the divine plan. Individualism must submit its will to the kingdom prerogatives. Van Yperen observes, “Most church conflict is about submission, not obedience. With out submission there is no church” (Van Yperen 2002, 196). With this principle in mind, one must seek to establish God’s headship in one’s personal and professional life. Personal goals are to be measured by one’s desire and willingness to submit to God’s kingdom plan.
Personal Reflections and Conclusions
Leadership that reflects the submission and humility of Christ is not void of conflict. The temporary instability experienced by diverse ideas is often helpful as long as it is resolved in the spirit of Christian unity. Kenneth Gangel addresses this concept in Feeding and Leading. “Leadership style affects every aspect of administrative behavior and certainly looms large in the area of human relations. Conflict often starts here because autocracy can produce resentment…”(Gangel 1989, 207). One who feels a need to be right in all points of a conflict will find quickly that they are psychologically isolated from parishioners and peers. If a leader “thinks” he is right all the time and the congregation accepts that premise, it will make it very difficult for that leader to have an open and honest relationship with the people whom he serves (Engstrom and Dayton 1980). “The goal is not absence of conflict; disequilibrium in the organization often leads to creative results. How we resolve the conflict demonstrates whether we are advancing the cause of Christ or our own personal careers and goals” (Gangel 1989, 207).
Submission to Christ, humility of heart and integrity in deed are a means for God’s grace to be manifest in one’s life. It is through these virtues that God is glorified and His kingdom is advanced. The times when these qualities are least present are times when God is not a priority. These aspects of Christian leadership are something one cannt learn or achieve through a traditional scholar-student approach. Submission, humility and integrity are qualities that can only be manifest in their purest form through diligent, consistent relationship with Christ. Through this, negative conflict will decrease and God’s kingdom will advance.
When Christ is the singular priority, His grace imparts these virtues, and other people are valued and respected. As Marshall Goldsmith has noted, one of the key characteristics of great leadership is the ability to listen and show respect to others. “To learn from people, you have to listen to them with respect…the ability to make a person feel that, when you’re with that person, he or she is the most important (and the only) person in the room is the skill that separates the great from the near-great” (148,153). Listening to and respecting others assists people in feeling they are valued as part of the team. It also affirms the image of God reflected in each individual and lowers the risk in any unconstructive conflict that might occur.