Conflict

I recently read a heartbreaking yet encouraging article in Leadership Journal titled “War and Peace” http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2011/fall/warpeace.html. In this article, Drew Dyck interviews Tullian Tchividjian, pastor of Coal Ridge Presbyterian Church, about surviving a “leadership coup” when several church members circulated a letter calling for his removal.

The referendum and subsequent power struggle began a mere four months after Tchividjian accepted the senior pastor position in April of 2009 following the death of Coral Ridge’s beloved founding pastor Dr. D. James Kennedy in the fall of 2007.

In this interview, Pastor Tchividjian stated that he knew the transition would be difficult but he never expected it to be as difficult as it was. He knew there would be problems, but he never dreamed that transition of leadership would cause him, his family, and the church so much pain.

As I read this article, I could empathize with Pastor Tchividjian. Not that I have encountered anything nearly as difficult as he has faced, but I have faced difficulty and so have you.

The reality is that very few of us will have the opportunity or the responsibility to follow such a high-profile leader in ministry. But no matter whom we follow, most of us will follow someone. And no matter what we do, someone will not be satisfied with it. Because we deal with people, we will have to deal with conflict.

Hopefully very few of us will have to endure coup attempts. But the reality is that all of us will walk through the valley of conflict at some point in our ministry. But no matter the intensity, conflict in ministry is inevitable.

This month, Pastors Knute Larson and Dennis Moles will be talking about how to handle conflict. As pastors, we do not need to settle for merely getting through conflict or enduring hardship. We should make it our aim to come out of every conflict more conformed to the image of Jesus. It’s not about just making it through. It is about finding deeper levels of effectiveness and intimacy as a result of suffering.

One Response to “Conflict”

1. halo4u says:

   February 7, 2012 at 7:45 pm

   its so funny that to day i decided to log in and make a comment, but nothing just happen…i got so angry because a family member (i know i should not ve allowed this to happen) got me so angry, ok i will own up …i allowed my self to this sort of behaviour, it involved character assination..i must iwill get out ofadmit , i lost it but thank God i am able to recover from this situation knowing that good always conquer evil..i pray for more tolerance..i will say of this im walking out of the valley of despair