CLE2117: Conflict Management in Ministry – 3 Hours
April-June, 2021
Every Tuesday, 7:30 -10:00 pm
Rev. Abraham Chiu
achiu@Crosspointchurchsv.org
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A study of various types of conflict found in the local church and the dynamics of ministering in the midst of conflict. Emphasis will be placed on examining a biblical approach to understanding conflict, identifying causes of conflict, and developing strategies in preventing and resolving conflict. Tools for assessing individuals and systems that contribute to conflict, creating pastoral care interventions for redemptive management, and minimizing the destructive consequences of church conflict will be studied.
REQUIRED COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Appreciate the value of resolving conflict in the church.
- Identify reasons for conflicts within the church.
- Explore what scripture says concerning conflict management.
- Demonstrate basic skills in conflict negotiation and resolution.
- Evaluate appropriate strategies in resolving conflict.
- Develop a personal philosophy of confronting conflict.
- Commit themselves to being ministers of reconciliation
COURSE COMPONENTS
The student will be exposed to the following basic subject areas:
- The nature and causes of conflict
- Basic conflict response modes
- Biblical and spiritual resources for conflict transformation
- The dynamics of how communication both prevents and creates conflict
- Basic confrontation skills for conflict resolution
- Barriers to reducing and resolving conflict
- Creation of firewalls for reducing the possibility of conflict
The student will be expected to develop a conceptual framework for:
- Understanding structural and systemic factors in congregational conflict
- Analyzing and diagnosing conflict within the church setting
- Developing strategies for preventing and reducing conflict in the church
- Utilizing effective confrontation in resolving conflict
- Resolving conflict between individuals as pastoral care
- Developing strategies for resolving conflict within the church body
The student will demonstrate affective growth in the following areas:
- Analyzing and diagnosing conflict situations
- Moving between conflict response modes in order to resolve conflict
- Effectively confronting others to bring about conflict resolution
- Using communication patterns that reduce the possibility of conflict
- Commitment to being a minister of reconciliation
