Churches thrive on communication; they are stifled by conflict. Renowned Christian educator Kenneth O. Gangel joins his colleague Samuel L. Canine to bring good news to the church – communication skills can be learned and conflict can be managed. The church need no longer hide conflict nor excuse itself for poor communication, but can instead acknowledge where it has problems and seek transformation.
The authors offer scriptural strategies for overcoming conflict and for building trust in relationships – even relationships among deacons or between deacons and pastors. Drawing from recent studies in the social sciences, Gangel and Canine show the church how to manage strife and foster dialogue so that the church can flourish.
Chapter titles include Learning To Listen, Power in Conflict Management, Negotiation and Bargaining in Conflict Management, Organizational Causes of Conflict, Coalitions in Conflict Management, Managing Conflict Destructively or Constructively, Stress: Cause And Cure, and The Workaholic Syndrome.
This book is a valuable resource for training church leaders. It is also an important resource for those who are already pastors, for whom the issues are daily realities and not just academic theory. Through its use in churches and seminaries, the book is designed to lead God’s church through its conflicts to renewed vigor in ministry and growth.
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Dr. Samuel L. Canine is Professor of Pastoral Ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas. He is a graduate of Cedarville College, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Bowling Green State University (Ph.D.). He was Chair of the Department of Evangelism at Moody Bible Institute where he taught from 1977-85. Dr. Canine was a contributing editor for ‘Toward a Harmony of Faith and Learning’, edited by Dr. Kenneth O. Gangel, and co-author of ‘Interpersonal Relations and Conflict Management in Christian Organizations’, a taped program study by the Institute of Theological Studies which is used in over twenty seminaries.