How to Resolve Conflict and Preserve Unity in Your Church

You’ve never known a church without conflict. That’s because there’s never been a church without conflict. Yet many churches remain under-equipped with the tools to make peace.

Curtis Heffelfinger offers one of those tools in his new book, The Peacemaking Church: 8 Biblical Keys to Resolve Conflict and Preserve Unity, published by Baker Books. Since 2003 Curt has served as the pastor-teacher of Orlando Grace Church in Florida. He joins me on The Gospel Coalition Podcast to explain how churches can make peace, why this work is especially difficult for Reformed believers, how we can head off conflict before it starts, and why trouble so often starts with music leaders and youth ministers, among other topics.

Advertise on TGC

Related

The Difficult Call to Promote Peace and Unity in the Church (Curtis Heffelfinger)
Redeeming Church Conflicts (Matt Smethurst)
5 Reasons Ministry Staff Conflict Can Be Good (Rebecca Hannah)

Free Book by TGC: ‘Before You Lose Your Faith’

Many young people are walking away from Christianity—for reasons ranging from the church’s stance on sexual morality, to its approach to science and the Bible, to its perceived silence on racial justice.

TGC’s book Before You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in the Church is an infusion of hope, clarity, and wisdom in an age of mounting cynicism toward Christianity.

For anyone entering college or the workplace and looking for a timely reminder of why Christianity is good news in a skeptical age, make sure to get your FREE ebook Before You Lose Your Faith today!

Get instant access to your FREE book »

Collin Hansen serves as vice president for content and editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition, as well as executive director of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. He hosts the Gospelbound podcast, writes the weekly Unseen Things newsletter, and has written and contributed to many books, including Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation and Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential. He has published with the New York Times and the Washington Post and offered commentary for CNN, Fox News, NPR, BBC, ABC News, and PBS NewsHour. He edited the forthcoming The Gospel After Christendom and The New City Catechism Devotional, among other books. He is an adjunct professor at Beeson Divinity School, where he also co-chairs the advisory board.