Managing Church Conflict Halverstadt Summary

"Managing Church Conflict," by Hugh F. Halverstadt, addresses the question of whether conflicts can be "Christian." He argues that the key to making church conflicts "Christian" may be found in providing a faith-based process for differing parties to use; and he defines a "Christian" conflict as depending on which process is chosen for resolution, rather than the actual resolution of the issues.

Therefore, Halverstadt argues that one's conduct during conflict management is central to bringing about peaceful resolution in a Christian manner. Halverstadt creates a three-step model, which includes how to become a conflict manager, how to appraise conflict situations, and finally how to manage conflicts. This model prescribes working with conflicting parties by encouraging and applying behavioral standards such as respectfulness, assertiveness, accountability, and a focus on the common good.

Halverstadt distinguishes his work from other books on church conflict, which outlines the following: a way of approaching conflictive situations that are theological and ethical; using communal attitudes and goals while intervening in conflictive situations; applying communal power for managing the conflict; finding common ground between the parties on an ethical process as a means to work through their differences;
While serving on the mission field over the last five years, I have found that when people feel threatened concerning their place and influence in the ministry, the anger and emotional intensity can escalate and can contribute to conflict becoming more complicated. Conflicts between Christians tend to be driven by a struggle between their head and their heart. In other words, Christians will commonly deal with conflict as if it is all about principle, when in reality the force driving the conflict is more likely the unresolved emotions