Susan M. Lang, Our Community: Dealing With Conflict in our Congregation. Augsburg Fortress, 2001.
Referenced in: Church Conflict, Conflict Education
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This is part of the Congregational Leader Series published by Augsburg, an extension of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). It is designed primarily as a tool for educating the congregation on conflict dynamics. Brief chapters cover subjects such as congregational perceptions of conflict, the identity of the people of God as it relates to conflict, family systems and congregational dynamics, community conflict, conflict skills, and surviving high level corporate conflict. It includes several usable tools and profiles that are designed to help participants apply the insights to congregation life.
This is not the most comprehensive resource covering theology, theory, and skills of conflict in churches. That is not its design. Nevertheless, Lang integrates each brief chapter with good knowledge of the best principles and practices in this area. This is especially true for the chapter on family systems and congregational dynamics, which unfolds their description of congregations as “a complicated mix of communities of spiritual formation, voluntary associations, and nonprofit organizations.” Its primary value could be as a mechanism for congregational education, and also as a generative resource for ministers who need a model on how to communicate about this subject to their congregations, provided it is complemented by the more extensive exposure to additional resources. In this respect, it is worth a good perusal, especially the chapter tools.
From the Publisher
Our Community begins by looking at what conflict is and who we are as people of God, then discusses ways that we deal with conflict, healthy and unhealthy conflict, life skills, the role of the pastor and lay leaders in conflict situations, and how to heal and rebuild community. This book looks at how our past affects the way we deal with conflict. It discusses how to prevent conflict as well as how to deal with it when it arises. This resource is a must for pastors and congregational leaders!
Who might find it helpful:
- Pastors
- Church staff members
- Council presidents
- Council members
- Committee members
About the Author
Susan M. Lang is a congregational consultant, pastoral mentor, and supply preacher and speaker/workshop leader for various churches. She is also a writer while working at home.
Ms. Lang holds a A.B. in History at Goucher College, a M.Div. from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, and then ordained by the Virginia Synod, LCA.
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- Church Conflict – Strategies for Congregational Trauma, Ministerial Misconduct
- Church Conflict – Strategies in Power Imbalanced Situations (Leadership in Subordinate Roles)
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