CLDR-310 Presentation

1. HOW TO MANAGE
CONFLICT IN A CHURCH
LYDIA VOLLAND

2. • PROBLEM TO SOLVE:
How to be an effective leader in a situation where
sometimes we do not see eye to eye with others. It is
important for us to have good conflict management skills
to help get through these conflicts whether with those
we work with or those who attend the church.
• CRISIS TO AVOID:
We need to avoid handling conflicts in the wrong ways as
to not offend people and have people potentially leave
the church over a conflict which was not handled
correctly.

3. MAJOR CONCEPTS
• Communication
• Respect
• Understanding Roles
• Introspective Thinking

4. JOSHUA HATFIELD
ADMINISTRATIVE PASTOR AT NEW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY
CHURCH

5. INTRODUCTION OF JOSHUA
• He graduated from Riverview community High School in 2003.
He was called into ministry in his late teen years and has
striven to make positive steps in the area. He attended college
at the University of Michigan, then transferred to William
Tyndale University, finally graduating from Lee university as a
Pastoral Major. He has been active in full time ministry for over
six years and is currently serving as the administrative pastor
at New Heights Community Church. He began his ministry as a
youth pastor, gleaning valuable knowledge along the way from
other mentors in his life in order to make his own ministry
more effective. He attempts to follow God’s plan for his life in
all decisions and carefully and prayerfully seek Him when
making his next move. He is currently enrolled at Pentecostal
Theological Seminary.

6. WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF EFFECTIVE
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT?
• Conflict management is effective when a mutual goal
has been reached by both parties that is both fair and
just. I am not naïve enough to believe that every
decision that arises from a conflict will make both
parties happy, but both can be satisfied in a
compromise. When dealing with conflict, if one of the
offending parties gets mad or defensive, I see this as a
loss and not very effective. It is slowly, meticulously,
and intelligently finding a solution to a problem in a
very humane way.

7. IN YOUR OPINION, HOW DOES A LEADER MANAGE CONFLICT
IN A WAY THAT DISTINGUISHES HIM/HER FROM OTHERS IN
THE ORGANIZATION?
• A leader will distinguish himself from
others in the way in which he handles the
resolution. A leader will remain neutral
and calming. A leader will place himself
outside of the situation and handle it
with grace and care. He is not to have an
agenda or to place personal desires into
the resolution, but help the conflicting
parties to find common ground which
leads to compromise.

8. DO YOU BELIEVE THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY
LEADERS MANAGE CONFLICT COMPARED TO THE WAY
MANAGERS AND FOLLOWERS MANAGE CONFLICT?
• Whereas a manager and follower could do well at managing
conflict, most times they are much too close to the situation in
order to be truly neutral and/or effective. The leader has the
distinct advantage of seeing all sides as she has a “birds-eye
view” of the goings on and can more effectively handle a
situation that may arise. The manager and follower are not
necessarily bad at conflict management, they are coming at it
with the disadvantage of being a peer to the conflicting
parties.

9. WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF CONFLICT
MANAGEMENT? WHAT CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
PRINCIPLES GUIDE YOU?
• If a compromise can be had or a decision
can be made in which both parties leave
satisfied, I view that as my philosophy in
conflict management. Typically, when
conflict arises, it is due to the lack of
communication between the parties,
allowing frustration to fester and grow. If we
remain open and honest and show adequate
communication skills, conflict will not be the
norm.

10. HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE YOUR CONFLICT
MANAGEMENT STYLE: AUTHORITARIAN, DEMOCRATIC, OR
LAISSEZ-FAIRE (HANDS OFF)?
• My style is a cross between democratic and laissez-faire. I tend to allow minor
things to work themselves out as the parties involved will usually talk and
work out any problems. If leadership is to authoritarian, conflict can arise
simply from not giving people enough space to work it out themselves. When
a problem becomes bigger than intended is when I would step in and begin to
resolve said conflict in a very democratic way. (listening, communication,
honesty, etc.)

11. WHO DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE GREAT LEADERS WHO
ADMINISTRATED WELL? WHY?
• Typically I look toward CEO’s or Presidents
during times of crisis to witness good conflict
management skills. I may not always agree
with either their policies or the outcome, but
watching them work and balance both sides
is often inspiring and educational. To handle
both employees, shareholders, and the
public is the pinnacle of conflict management
and we can learn quite a bit from these folks.

12. CONCLUSION OF INTERVIEW
• Joshua is well liked by the other pastors on the staff that he works with as well
as the members of the church. He is very well organized and is great at
delegating tasks to others so that the church can continue to run smoothly.
There are a lot of behind the scenes tasks that Joshua has which are not seen
by the members of the church but are vital to the churches function.

13. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. LINK
• http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/martin-luther-king-jr/videos
• Bloody Sunday
• On March 7, 1965 around 600 people crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in an
attempt to begin the Selma to Montgomery march. State troopers violently
attacked the peaceful demonstrators in an attempt to stop the march for
voting rights
• Martin Luther King Jr. was a great example of how to solve conflict peacefully
in a situation when people did not want to listen or be open to change.

14. RANDY LOWRY LINK
• http://www.mediate.com/articles/lowrydvd04.cfm
• Randy Lowry discusses us conflict management from colonial times to present
day
• In colonial times when a problem arose and couldn’t be solved, you could just
move and start a new colony.

15. COMMUNICATION
• The pastor interviewed
believes that
communication is very
important. It is important to
for people to know what is
expected of them when
given a task and also to
avoid conflict based upon
being misunderstood.

16. RESPECT
• The pastor interviewed
greatly values respect.
Respect must be a factor
between the other staff of
the church as well as
between the members and
staff relationships.

17. UNDERSTANDING ROLES
• Joshua believes it is
important to understand
roles amongst the staff to
know who is to do what
tasks. As well as members
understanding their roles
because sometimes if a
member steps out of the
role they have it can cause
conflict in the church.

18. INTROSPECTIVE THINKING
• It is important in any
conflict situation to be
able to look inward to
see what hand you
played in a conflict. As
well as being able to
change behaviors that
you possess that may
cause conflict in the
future.

19. CONCLUSION OF POWERPOINT
• Leaders in the church know how to communicate well with others on
their staff as well as members in their church. It is important for
everyone in the church to understand their roles, communicate with
each other, and respect each other. Leaders in the church need more
than anyone to have introspective thinking as they hold a higher
position in the church and are often held to a higher standard.

20. THE END