The Slippery Slope of Conflict (The Peacemaker)

I first heard about Peacemaker Ministries at a church planter's conference sponsored by ONA. It has since become my go-to book for conflict resolution. Ken Sande's central premise is that in most conflicts, winning or losing are not the best options, Rather, bringing restoration to the relationship is a goal that can be healthy for both sides.

Of course, I was thinking of this today, in light of events between my Alma Mater and Denomination. I can understand the motives behind actions on both sides, but board dissolutions and restraining orders are a mess no matter what side of the argument you're on!

Sande writes,

Conflict can make life very awkward. It often catches us off guard and leads us to say and do things we later regret. When someone offends us, we often react without thinking. Soon it is as if we are sliding down a slippery slope and things are going from bad to worse. As the illustration shows, this slippery slope can drop off in two directions.

Here's a link to a one page summary of "The Slippery Slope of Conflict." Here's a link to my sermon series on the same topic. Also, check out Sande's Four G's, especially #3 and #4.

Whether you're facing conflict in your family, business, church, or school, there is a higher goal than "being in it to win it."