My husband is a Civil War buff. In fact, as I write this we are sitting on a plane and he is watching a Civil War DVD. We are flying to vacation in the south, which will include stops at significant battlefields. The Civil War era was a horrific and heartbreaking time in our country’s history. Our nation was divided, families were devastated, lives were lost, and everyday life was in turmoil. War has a way of doing that to people and to nations. Taken to the extreme, war is the result of unresolved conflict—communication gone bad.

While nobody wants it, many times within the church silent wars are waged all around us in the form of unresolved issues, unmet expectations, and poor communication. We see this manifested in many ways, usually the result of some form of change in music or service times, changes in the community that require a change within the church, or change resulting from church growth.

“What doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger.” As communities grow, so do their problems and challenges. It’s just a part of the ebb and flow of life. We must learn to embrace the challenges and allow them to make us better, stronger, and healthier.

When faced with conflict, define it. Peel away to the heart of the matter. Can you break the conflict down into manageable parts? Can you assign various tasks to other individuals to allow them to be a part of the solution? Perhaps it requires better communication or stronger leadership. Above all else, pray and seek wise counsel. Then move.