JoHannah has made some great comments. Conflict must be handled among those affected by it. Usually that means dealing with it in private, with a few people--at least as a starting point. But if it spills over into a larger group or the whole congregation, it must be dealt with head-on and with courage. It will not go away on its own.
JoHannah (Guest)
Posted: September 14, 2007
Having been in church leadership for the last 22 years, I've seen a lot of damage done when conflict has been pushed under the rug or brought too much into the forefront. If the conflict is personal, it should be restricted to those it involves. If it is obviously affecting the whole church, it should be dealt with as clearly and precisely as possible, with a limited time for questions and answers. The time to do this is at a congregational or specially called meeting, not on Sunday morning during the worship service (I know of a church that did this, which tore it apart). It is also helpful if the congregation is informed of the core issues in writing before that meeting. Get someone with great communication abilities and wonderful people skills to write it and to lead the meeting.
