Organizational Development: Prevention & Response, Part 2

In Acts 6:1-7, the apostles or early church leaders were faced with a predicament. Greek-speaking widows were being neglected during the daily distribution of food within the Christian community. It was proving to be quite a distraction as they were called to preach the Gospel. Rather than downplaying the issue or instituting a quick-fix rule, the apostles prevented a church split by raising up more leaders to meet this pressing need.

Church conflict and splits can be prevented by:

1. Leaders who set an example as selfless servants of the flock and not “lords” who rule over people (1 Peter 5:1-3). These leaders empower and train others in their model when the needs around them increase.
   
2. Developing a culture that promotes unity and respect. One must learn how to disagree in a Christ-like manner, “agreeing to disagree agreeably.” A key question for all parties in a conflict to ask themselves is, “How can I honor, glorify, and please God in this situation?”
   
3. Teaching and training followers on the importance of unity and loving one another. The “Golden Rule” applies to everyone. Leaders ought to be coached on what it means to be a serving leader—thinking of others first as they go about their duties, develop plans, and make decisions.
   
4. Emphasizing the “Fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23) as the character traits of all Christians and their standard of conduct.
   
5. Building a culture of trust through honesty and transparency.
   

[Next week we will look at a response to organizational conflict based on a case study from the Book of Acts.]