Relationships between pastors and churches can be as intense as a marriage. Church hate to admit emotional conflicts since they are supposed to love one another. In most cases (except for moral misconduct) the conflicts can be resolved if the participants would talk to each other.
President Carter’s Baptist church in Plains, GA, was rent by a schism in 1977 when the pastor adopted a Hawaiian child after a big conflict over letting blacks in the church.
Four stages of conflict:
1. Pastor not given a raise; he preaches on taking care of each other.
2. Each side cries for help in terms that other side sees as threats.
3. Each side becomes angry. Factions become explicit. Attendance declines.
4. The pastor resigns – or is fired.