“Why Can’t We All Just Get Along:” A New Norm for Managing Conflict in the Church.

ABSTRACT The Jesus Model of conflict management has important implications for the future of the church. If we can make this the standard operating practice in our congregations, then we can manage potentially destructive situations. This essay presents a definition of conflict: An expressed struggle between two interdependent parties over perceived scarce rewards, incompatible goals, or unfulfilled expectations. There are several important ideas about conflict: it is unavoidable, sometimes unresolvable, but manageable. There are three basic components of conflict: ego, stasis, and pseudo. Reproach and forgiveness are two essential elements of the four parts of the Jesus Model of conflict management.