Constructively Managing Program-related Conflict In Local Churches: $hDavid R. Dunaetz

Interpersonal conflict surrounding church programs is a major source of distress for both pastoral staff and lay members of evangelical churches. Such conflict, when destructive, may severely hinder the achievement of program objectives. However, conflict when managed constructively may lead to a mo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Christian education journal
Main Author: Dunaetz, David R. ca. 21. Jh. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage Publications [2019]
In: Christian education journal
IxTheo Classification:KDG Free church
NCB Personal ethics
RB Church office; congregation
RF Christian education; catechetics
Further subjects:B Church
B Christian Education
B Conflict
B conflict goals
B Conflict Management
B Program Evaluation
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Summary:Interpersonal conflict surrounding church programs is a major source of distress for both pastoral staff and lay members of evangelical churches. Such conflict, when destructive, may severely hinder the achievement of program objectives. However, conflict when managed constructively may lead to a more effective program and strengthened relationships. This empirical study seeks to understand the conditions under which program-related conflict in evangelical churches leads to detrimental outcomes and those which lead to constructive outcomes. In a role-playing, survey-based experiment of American church attenders (N = 276), participants' satisfaction with conflict outcome was measured in a scenario with various outcomes concerning their program-related goal (maintaining the starting time of a mid-week children's program) and their social goals (e.g., having a better relationship with the director of the children's program, being affirmed in their Christian identity, and ensuring that decisions are made fairly). The study indicates that, in a conflict concerning a children's program, church attenders who have a salient social goal achieved, but not their program-related goal, will be more satisfied than church attenders who have their program-related goal achieved but not a salient social goal.
ISSN:2378-525X
Contains:Enthalten in: Christian education journal
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0739891319842252