FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

	FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who Makes Up the Conflict Management Network? What happens when a church needs the conflict management network? Who Gets Interviewed? Who Receives the Report? What Kind of Recommendations Might be Included? Will Anyone Help us Implement the Recommendations in the Report?

Who Makes Up the Conflict Management Network? The Network is a group of committed Christians who have received special training for working with churches in conflict. The Network includes clergy and lay people, men and women. The Work of the Conflict Management Network is: Unbiased and Neutral- Our Team works from a position of strict neutrality. Our only desire is that the results of our work help churches and the work of the gospel. Voluntary - Each church chooses to invite the Network, and chooses how to implement Network recommendations. Confidential - The church situation will not be shared with anyone outside the Team that is working with them and region staff. Biblical- Our Team bases all that we do on the guidance of Scripture. Free of Charge - This ministry is supported by United Mission and Region Mission Offering gifts to ABC/IN-KY. Churches are asked only to pay travel expenses of Team volunteers. What happens when a church needs the conflict management network? Church leadership votes to invite the Conflict Management Network to the church. The Interview Day is scheduled - A date is selected for the Team to interview church members. The church's "On-Site Coordinator" schedules the interviews. Who Gets Interviewed? All church staff Key church leadership Representatives of “all sides" in the conflict Those who are invested in the future of the church . Others as the schedule permits On the Interview Day - Two team members will interview each person in private. The Team Prepares a Report - The report will include a description of conflict issues AND a specific list of recommendations with resources for implementing them. The report will NOT include any comments attributed to a particular individual. We describe and summarize what is heard so that no one is specifically identified. *The Focus of the Report is the Future Health of the Church* The Team presents the report on a day scheduled for Team members to return, generally about three weeks after the interview day (s). Who Receives the Report? The Report is presented to the entire church family, with an opportunity for questions and answers. It may be presented to church leadership just prior to the report to the church. What Kind of Recommendations Might be Included? Recommendations are tailored to the specific needs of the church. Recommendations might include: A mediation between conflicted persons or groups The establishment of grievance procedures for the church Teaching in personal peacemaking Constitutional revisions Establishment of a Pastoral Relations or Congregational Life committee A church visioning process Will Anyone Help us Implement the Recommendations in the Report? Absolutely! Region staff and mediation team members will assist in providing tools, training and follow-up.

We are the American Baptist Churches of Indiana and Kentucky's Conflict Management Network “Turning Conflict into Opportunity"

Back HOME to ABC/IN-KY Questions? Comments? Contact us at abcin@abc-indiana.org 1350 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-2493 Ph (317) 635-3552/FAX (317) 635-3554 This page was last updated on February 18, 2008