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ARTICLE TOPICS
Introduction to Biblical Peacemaking
- Conflict an Opportunity? I Hate Conflict! - by Ted Kober, Senior Ministry Consultant at Peacemaker Ministries. A good summary of the basic principles of Biblical peacemaking, complete with real-life stories.
- Conflict Provides Opportunities - by Gary D. Friesen, Executive Vice President of Peacemaker Ministries. A parable about conflict, communicating how the turning point in conflict usually comes when individuals take responsibility for their own actions through repentance, confession and forgiveness.
- A Time to Confront - by Ken Sande, President of Peacemaker Ministries. Introduces the basic principles of biblical peacemaking through the story of a real-life conflict between two teachers.
Principles of Peacemaking
- Polemic Theology, or How to Deal with Those who Differ from Us - by Dr. Roger R. Nicole, Visiting Professor of Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando. Gives an in-depth look at the universal principles for relating to those who differ from us, helping us understand how to contend earnestly for the faith without being contentious.
- Hiding God's Word in your Heart - by Ken Sande. Not only discusses the relevance and importance of Scripture memory, but also gives a practical plan for incorporating it into your life.
- The Cross and Criticism - by Alfred J. Poirier, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Peacemaker Ministries. A helpful discussion of how we, as Christians, should thoughtfully, mercifully, and humbly give and receive criticism.
- Asking for Correction - by Ken Sande. This article challenges us to ask people we trust to tell us the truth about ourselves—to help us grow to be more like Christ.
- Portrait of a Peacemaker: A Study of Barnabas - by Jim Soft. A detailed study of Barnabas and how he exemplified the character traits of a peacemaker.
- Keeping the Peace - by Carolyn McCulley, a freelance writer for Christian and mainstream media. Derived from an interview with Ken Sande, this article gives practical advice for communicating via email in a way that is clear and that prevents conflict.
- Taking Up the Challenge - by Alfred J. Poirier, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Peacemaker Ministries. A thorough critique of a "scientific" view of forgiveness and a discussion of the role of psychological empirical research in Christian counseling.
- Curse or Consecrate - by Ken Sande. When faced with the conflicts and struggles of life, we are faced with a choice, just as the Apostle Paul was. Will we curse those struggles or consecrate them?
Peacemaking & The Church
- The Key to Revival - by Alfred Poirier, pastor and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Peacemaker Ministries. Relates the experience of God's amazing work of reconciliation in a conflicted church.
- Counseling a Church in Conflict - by Dave Edling, Senior Ministry Consultant for Peacemaker Ministries. Gives wise counsel and a foundation for action to pastors/mediators who are in the midst of church conflict.
- How We Treat Each Other in the Church - by Ted Kober, Senior Ministry Consultant at Peacemaker Ministries. While this article's original purpose was to speak to the root causes of conflict within a specific denomination, it also applies to anyone who wants to see the church—the bride of Christ—healed of unresolved conflict.
- Strike the Shepherd - by Ken Sande. When conflicts involve the pastor, the whole church suffers. In this article, Ken looks at the pressure that pastors face and how to prepare and protect them from conflict.
- Holding Leaders Accountable in a Culture of Peace - by Ken Sande. Every year hundreds of churches and ministries are thrown into turmoil when someone criticizes or raises serious questions about the conduct of a pastor or ministry executive. In this article, Ken discusses the best way to provide church leaders with loving accountability.
- Cultural Renewal - The Church's Responsibility - by Dave Edling, Senior Ministry Consultant for Peacemaker Ministries. How does a church follow the biblical admonition to be in the world but not of it? One way to address the culture within the church is to be intentional about how it prepares for and handles conflict.
- The High Cost of Conflict Among Christians - by Ken Sande. In an eye-opening look at several empirical studies, Ken estimates the staggering financial cost of conflict in the church today.
- Caring Enough to Confront - by Donald L. Bubna, who is on the Board of Directors for Peacemaker Ministries. This article gives a brief overview of the approach and purpose of biblical church discipline.
- How Churches Can Preserve and Heal Marriages - by Ken Sande. Drawn from a chapter Ken wrote for the book Pastoral Leadership for Manhood and Womanhood, this article encourages pastors and layleaders to rescue their people from divorce by exercising loving, restorative church discipline.
- Can the Church Be A Peacemaking Forum? - by David Edling, Jeffrey Dodd, and Molly Routson. This article makes the case that according to Scripture, the church, in fact, MUST be a peacemaking forum.
- The Harvest is Great but the Laborers are Grumbling - by Donald L. Bubna, who is on the Board of Directors for Peacemaker Ministries. In this article, Don identifies the divisive spirit that characterizes many churches today, and then shows how a church can change to become unified for the glory of God.
- Lawsuits in the Church - by Ken Sande, President of Peacemaker Ministries. Points out the dangers that lawsuits pose to churches today, and gives specific actions that churches can take to protect themselves.
- What is Truth? The Fight Against Practical Relativism - by David Edling and Molly Routson. This article addresses some of the impact of postmodernism on the church today, particularly in the area of peacemaking.
Peacemaking & The Family
Marriage
- Hope for Troubled Marriages - by Ken Sande. Do you think that your marriage is beyond hope? Ken reminds us in this article of the power of God to raise dead marriages to life.
- The Myths of Divorce - by Ken Sande. Ken discusses five myths that people in the midst of divorce are often fooled into believing.
- Love and Respect in Marriage - by Ken Sande, President of Peacemaker Ministries. A helpful study of the scriptural principles surrounding the role relationship of husbands and wives.
- How Churches Can Preserve and Heal Marriages - by Ken Sande. Drawn from a chapter Ken wrote for the book Pastoral Leadership for Manhood and Womanhood, this article encourages pastors and layleaders to rescue their people from divorce by exercising loving, restorative church discipline.
- Reclaiming the Church's Jurisdiction over Marriage: The Marriage Covenant with Binding Arbitration Clause - by David A. Sims, Director of Biblical-Theological Content for FamilyLife Ministries. In partnership with Peacemaker Ministries, David Sims and FamilyLife address this critical issue of divorce in the church, offering an innovative and strategic solution—a Christian Marriage Covenant. (This article is long, so it has been divided into four parts)
- Why Christians Divorce - by Chuck Colson, Chairman of Prison Fellowship Ministries. In this article, Chuck Colson describes a common pitfall faced by many Christians considering a divorce.
- The Effects of Divorce on America - by Patrick F. Fagan and Robert Rector. An in-depth report that details current research on the sociological effects of divorce.
Parenting
- The Four Promises of Forgiveness - by Corlette Sande. From the perspective of a school teacher and mother, Corlette unpacks the concept of forgiveness and how necessary it is to help our children be true peacemakers.
- The Crucible of Family Conflict - by MaryAnne Moran. How God uses the "heat" of family conflict to mold the very character of his children.
- Peacemaking: A Key to Socializing Children - by Ken Sande. How is it that children learn to get along with each other? The same way as adults—by learning to be a peacemaker!
Home Schooling
- Peacemaking and Homeschooling - by Annette Friesen, Home School Specialist for Peacemaker Ministries. Annette here introduces the concept of peacemaking, especially in the context of the family and homeschooling.
- Preparing Homeschoolers for Conflict - by Annette Friesen. Excited about the idea of helping to prepare homeschoolers in your family or region to respond well to conflict? Annette gives some solid ideas here for leaders regarding what to do next.
- Written on Their Hearts - by Annette Friesen. Even in life's pressures and "failures", Annette brings us back to the most important things we can teach our children.
- All I want for Christmas... is a Peaceful Family! - by Annette Friesen. Annette discusses the misguided expectations that often accompany the holidays, and then introduces three helpful responses to conflict.
- Home School Ambassadors - by Annette Friesen. Relationship struggles are often a part of the home school experience. In this article, Annette discusses God's purpose for our relationships—to be ambassadors of the message of reconciliation.
Peacemaking in Business & Ministry
- Peacemaking Can Preserve Staff, Money, and Mission - by Ken Sande. Ken outlines four basic steps that every christian business or ministry should consider—for their own good and for the good of the kingdom.
- Being Equally Yoked - by Wayne Myrick. As a business owner who works frequently with churches, contractors, and other professionals, Wayne shares his insights related to resolving (and avoiding) conflicts in business relationships.
- It Only Takes a Spark: Managing Conflict in Christian Camps & Conferences - by Dean Ridings, communications manager for Christian Camping International/USA and editor of the Christian Camp and Conference Journal. Contains engaging stories and thoughtful considerations related to conflict in the Christian camp and conference setting.
Christian Schools
- The Matthew 18 Principle for Solving School Problems - by Dr. Paul A. Kienel, former president of Association of Christian Schools International. In this article, Dr. Kienel encourages Christian School personnel to look to the principles in Matthew 18 to solve their interpersonal conflicts.
- Binding Arbitration Agreements That Work - by Burt Carney, ACSI Director, Legal/Legislative Issues. In the context of using a "Christian conciliation clause" in Christian school employment contracts, this article (the most recent on the topic from ACSI) gives a summary of the impact of recent court cases, other factors to consider in using such agreements, and the recommended language for contracts.
- Conciliation/Arbitration Agreements: A Case Study - by Burt Carney, ACSI Director, Legal/Legislative Issues. In a related article, Burt gives a real life example of use of a conciliation agreement in a Christian school employment contract.
- Mediation/Arbitration Clause Update - by John L. Cooley, of Wooten & Hart, Roanoke, Virginia. This related article includes the definition of the important terms used in the discussion of conciliation clauses as well as other considerations in using these clauses in contracts.
- Conciliation Clauses and Insurance Coverage for Schools and other Christian Ministries - Thoughts from Gary Friesen, Executive VP of Peacemaker Ministries, on issues related to the use of conciliation clauses and their impact on insurability.
Christian Conciliation
Real Life Applications of Peacemaking
- Waves Not Made of Water - by Ken Sande, President of Peacemaker Ministries. In this article, Ken shares his thoughts in the aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia.
- War and Peace - by Ken Sande, President of Peacemaker Ministries. In this article, Ken weighs in with a balanced analysis of the Christian's proper response to the 2003 war in Iraq.
- A Time for Peacemaking or a Time for War: A Peacemaker's Response to Terrorism - by Ken Sande, President of Peacemaker Ministries. In this article, Ken shares his thoughts on what our response as Christians and peacemakers should be to the events on and after September 11, 2001.
- 9-11 Warns Us: Don't Wait to Make Peace - by Ken Sande, President of Peacemaker Ministries. On the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Ken writes a challenging article on the danger of waiting to seek reconciliation with a loved one.
- A Better Way to Handle Abuse - by Ken Sande, President of Peacemaker Ministries. Ken shares some timely insights in this article on how best to address the issue of sexual abuse in the church.
- Walking in Peace amid Holiday Strife - by Tara Klena Barthel. In this article, Tara offers some great reminders on how to make sure the holiday season is one filled with peace rather than filled with conflict.
- Brothers Because of Bloodshed - by Dr. Francis Nigel Lee. Dr. Lee shares his testimony of how God's grace and the difficult act of forgiveness transformed the heart of the man who murdered his father. (Link to external web site—opens new browser window)
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