Church conflict in the Bible Belt

Mennonite Central Committee
Thursday, 29 March 2001

The note in her mailbox was not one of encouragement. "You absolutely ruined worship for me today," it said, criticizing her for the way in which she had lead singing the previous Sunday. Fortunately for Mary (not her real name), she had been approached by the author of the note before she read it and the two had an honest and open discussion about music and worship. But the potential for conflict was not lost on Mary.

"I think that (meeting before reading the note) was divine intervention," Mary says. "If I had simply read that note, I would have been reduced to tears. The note was written in haste and was harshly worded, but when I spoke with my critic in person, we were able to have a meaningful discussion about what had happened that Sunday and about worship in general."

It has been said that where two or more are gathered there can be conflict, and the church is no exception. Churches have split over seemingly trivial issues like the colour of the carpet in the sanctuary or what kind of songs can be sung on a Sunday morning. Churches have also had to deal with hurtful conflict such as a change in leadership direction or a pastor's misconduct. But large or small, conflict exists within congregations and is a normal part of human relationships. Resolving conflict is a challenge facing many churches today and a conference to be held in Abbotsford this April is designed to equip churches with skills for successful resolution of conflict in their congregations.

"Conflict Resolution in Today's Church" will run April 6&7 at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford. Keynote speakers are Ryan Dahl, a worship leader and consultant in intergenerational worship and Ron Claassen, a peacemaking and conflict resolution mediator and professor of Fresno Pacific University. The first session will deal with conflict in worship preferences and the other three sessions will provide participants with practical tools for understanding and resolving conflict. Workshops will focus on dealing with urgent crises, community resources and chronic conflict as well as a workshop for youth on resolving conflict with friends.

The conference is sponsored by Columbia Bible College, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Mennonite Church BC, the Mennonite Brethren conference, and Emmanuel Mennonite Church. Cost for the conference is $30, $15 for students with ID, $25 per person for groups of 5 or more. Cost includes lunch and coffee breaks.

For more information, or to contact Mennonite Central Committee, see their website at: www.mcc.org