Conflict resolution has been a topic that I have been passionate about ever since I heard those two words when I started learning about the importance of resolving conflicts in intentional communities. That was 44 years ago!
Why are we not taught about this in churches? Why are we not taught about this topic in schools? Learning how to resolve conflicts and be a peacemaker is really the basis of learning how to love God and love our neighbor!
I am going to immerse myself in these teachings, and anyone who wants to be part of Wellspring Tiny House Village will need to learn these things before they become a full member.
I hope that my neighbors will want to apply these lessons as well. I already have some hopeful signs that at least one leader in our neighborhood is receptive.
I hope these resources are helpful. Leave a comment below if you have other resources to share, thoughts, or questions.
Here is a link to the book, Peace Makers, A Biblical Guide To Resolving Personal Conflicts where you can read excerpts.
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Here are two podcasts that talk about the book, Peace Makers:
Here is a chapter from the book to complement the above video:
Here is a handout linked in the blog:
Peacemaker (chapter 5)
Stephen Rodgers
3/26/2011
Conflict Starts in the Heart
- Introduction
- “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:1-3)
- Also Matthew 15:19 and Luke 12:13-15
- The root cause of conflict is unmet desires in our hearts.
- The Progression of an Idol
- I Desire
- How can we avoid ungodly desires?
- Trust God and seek fulfillment in Him (Psalm 73:25)
- Ask God to help you despite the other person (James 1:2-4)
- Pray for the other person (1 John 4:19-21; Luke 6:27)
- God will bless this approach (Romans 8:28-29)
- I Demand
- What is an idol?
- Something we set our hearts on (Luke 12:29; 1 Corinthians 10:19)
- Something that motivates us (1 Corinthians 4:5)
- Something that masters and rules us (Psalm 119:133; Ephesians 5:5)
- Something we trust, fear, or serve (Isaiah 42:17; Matthew 6:24; Luke 12:4-5)
- Something we love and pursue more than God (Philippians 3:19)
- I Judge
- Remember the bumper sticker that says, “I know two things for sure: 1) there is a God, and 2) I am not Him.”
- I Punish
- James 4:1-3 again. Inflicting pain on others is a good sign that an idol is ruling our hearts.
- The Cure for an Idolatrous Heart
- Deliverance from Judgment
- The Gospel
- Deliverance from Specific Idols
- The Bible (Hebrews 4:12)
- The Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10-15; Philippians 2:13)
- The Church (Galatians 6:1; Romans 15:14)
- Replace Idol Worship with Worship of the True God
- Repent before God (1 John 1:8-10; Psalm 51:17; Isaiah 66:2)
- Fear God (Proverbs 1:7; Matthew 10:28; Psalm 130:3-4)
- Love God (Matthew 22:37; Psalm 34:10; Matthew 6:33; Psalm 73: 25-26)
- Trust God (Psalm 118:8; Psalm 37:5-6; 2 Peter 1:3-4)
- Delight in God (Psalm 37:4; Psalm 71:8; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
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Here is the website where you can learn more about the author’s work:
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More podcasts based on Peacemaker from Saddleback Church
Here is another website that has lots of great resources as well.
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Training for peacemakers
https://learn.peacemaker.training
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Talk by Rick Warren. I like how he defines what peacemaking is NOT in the beginning.
