Leadership in a church needs someone who is courageous enough to stand up against external forces such as political leaders and lead according to the principles of the word of God. Someone like a pastor needs to practice what they are preaching to the congregation, which means they have a moral responsibility. In case they fail, then the whole church and thus the society has failed due to the fact the latter depends on it for guidance. The church sheds light on issues such as social injustice and racial discrimination. A case of a man being killed by officers of the law resulted in a conflict in a church after a member represented the accused. This paper consists of information obtained from an interview about the situation and how the pastor responded to the issue.
Interview Questions
- Describe two challenging instances of conflict in churches or organizations you have experienced or led.
- Did they involve social issues?
- Are there scriptures in the Bible that indicate how social issues were handled?
- What did you do to lead through the conflict?
- Is there similarity between how you handled the issue and how Jesus Christ did in the Bible?
- What is the impact of the church on society?
- What mistakes did you make, and what insights did you gain?
- Describe the two most significant change initiatives you have experienced or led.
- What mistakes did you make, and what insights did you gain?
A Summary of the Situation
Pastors are also considered leaders in the churches they serve since they are in charge of many congregation issues. For instance, in one of the Pentecostal churches in the country, a conflict arose on whether the church should allow lawyers who defend accused police officers in Court. Before the conflict, an African American woman was grieving her late husband’s death. Mr. Tomlin died at the hands of two policemen who shot him on his back after stopping him for overspeeding. The two officers were white and thus, created an assumption of discrimination in the eyes of the church members.
Defending the two was part of Miss Jessica as she was paid to represent them in Court. After a month of the two legal parties going against one another, the accused were set free as they were found to be not guilty. Additionally, the evidence was not enough to ensure that the accused spent any time in jail. The church leaders, upon pressure from the members, approached the pastor and asked him to ban Miss Jessica from the church. The community believed this was the chance for the lady to help destroy a pattern of social injustice.
Pentecostal churches are known for their diversity which meant that not every member had the same opinion on the issue. Some individuals, mainly white members, supported Miss Jessica’s decision to represent her clients at the best of her ability. They argued that everyone is entitled to their own decisions regarding their careers and should not be coerced to act in any particular way. The church was nearly split into two, and the pastor had to offer a solution that would be fair to all parties.
To lead through the conflict, the Senior Pastor of the Pentecostal Church set meetings with the various parties involved in the issue. It is important to note that he was African American, and therefore, any decisions or solutions he provided would have to be measured against the scale of bias. The first thing he did was to ask Miss Jessica whether her intentions were purely professional. She explained that she does not condone social injustice against any individual in the community regardless of background. However, she has the responsibility of taking care of her family. Thus, she is willing to use her skills to ensure that her family’s situation is stable.
It is understandable that when approached by a client for a job, she has the right to accept the responsibility of representing them in Court. However, the pastor advised that it was proper for her to understand how her decisions could impact the whole society, as suggested by Bolsinger (2015, p.25). A policeman who killed a black person not being punished means that such cases would continue. This is why some of the church members were angry and demanded that she should be banned from the church. Every individual member of the church has a chance to change how things happen in the community. The pastor explained how Jesus Christ used his influence to change situations in His community. For instance, He ensured that people would not take it upon themselves to kill others due to the fact that they may have committed some mistakes, for example, the prostitute. This was a message to everyone since church members wanted to punish the lawyer without looking at the situation from her point of view. The instance helped the pastor gain more insight into how he could approach similar issues in the future. It is important for all the parties involved in an issue to meet on their own and discuss their grievances. If they fail to reach a solution, then that is the only time a pastor can be involved. This method would save a lot of time and ensure that members can always discuss amongst themselves, which forms a bond between them.
Specific Strategies Used in the Change Process
The pastor, in the wake of the conflicts, decided to start two initiatives that would ensure such issues cannot emerge in the future. The first one involved participating in the campaign against social injustice at least once every month. The second one involved participating in team building activities regularly. The two were determined to help with bringing church members together regardless of their racial differences and commit to bettering the society (Rendel, 1998, p.19). Racial discrimination has been present in the United States for a long time. Many groups have committed efforts and resources to bring light to the issue but have failed due to various reasons. For instance, some of the perpetrators in various departments have either threatened or paid some of those groups’ leaders and made them quit in their quest for justice.
It is unethical for a leader who has the moral responsibility to people under them to quit due to pressure from external forces. It is important that individuals understand the impact of the decisions they make while being viewed as a leader. Lack of principles forces people to lose trust in the leader, which means that they abandon their course. The pastor claims that through the social injustice campaigns, the church will be able to set a positive example to the community. Even politicians look up to religious leaders for spiritual and moral guidance, which means that it is wrong for the latter to fail in their work.
The campaigns would offer a chance for people from different backgrounds, for instance, white, black, or Latino, to interact and understand the challenges each other faces in their lives. Some of the issues that emerge whenever an incident of discrimination happens are due to misunderstanding. Various white Americans believe that the black community uses its minority status to demand what they do not deserve at times. For example, when someone is suspected of a crime and arrested as well as punished according to law, individuals claim that their punishment is due to the reason they are black. When an individual resists arrest and endangers the life of officers of the law, and the latter has to use force, it is viewed as discrimination while it should not.
Through the campaigns, the individuals will meet understand what the other group feels about a situation and how they reach their conclusions. The thought process of the white people on such issues would be helpful for the black community. The latter would be in a better position to comprehend why the former have different opinions on some of the cases. Additionally, the campaigns would be an opportunity for the non-minority groups to understand why the minorities reach conclusions they do and have the opinions they have about the justice system. The country has a history of black oppression, and thus, it is fair to claim that black people have no reason to trust the system. However, to be able to move forward, all people need to unite and fight the social evils in society. It is only through the principles of the church that the society can change, and thus, it is important for it to participate in campaigns about social justice.
The second initiative aimed at improving the relations between members of the church. Every organization or institution allows for team-building activities due to the fact that they help in causing connectedness. A church is a religious institution that needs this more than any other. It is the foundation on which the community and the surrounding cling when there is trouble in the society. As suggested earlier, political leaders seek guidance from their religious counterparts to understand how to react to the issues of the people they serve. They depend on the scriptures explained by pastors to help them gain courage and confidence when they encounter difficulty (Genesis 1, 2019, p.121). For this institution to fail, it means that the entire society is in trouble.
Team buildings activities such as sporting activities ensure that the morale to continue serving God and the community remains high. Part of serving God is doing good to others which includes charity work. Without high morale, it is difficult for individuals to participate in charity activities that help the unfortunate in society. Someone in a low mood would see it as time-wasting endeavor and, thus, cannot commit to such. Additionally, part of serving the community means teaching them the principles of the church with the intention of changing how various things are done in the society. For instance, a member serves by enlightening friends and family that it is wrong to view others who are different as not deserving of the same treatment. For example, a white American individual would educate the immediate people around them that God created all in His image and, thus, everyone is equal. This means that an action against a fellow human being is one against Him.
An African American member will help the people around them to understand that it is unfair to reach a conclusion without weighing all the facts about a situation. For instance, if an individual is sentenced to an extended period in prison due to committing a crime, others from their community should not see it as discrimination but as law taking its course. The bible teaches about how in the end of times, sinners will be punished. This means that there are consequences to the actions people do. It is wrong for someone to hurt the innocent in the society and expect no punishment. Law enforcement agencies exist to ensure that everyone is treated fairly. High morale among members would ensure that they enlighten the community with the right information.
The pastor, through these efforts of starting the initiatives, that the people love and respect one another. However, lack of closeness creates a level of misunderstanding that when conflicts arise, it becomes difficult for them to find a solution, as suggested by Yperen (2002, p.72). The people of color’s opinions are misunderstood, while the whites’ views are seen as non-compassionate. By finding activities that bring them together and forcing them to tackle certain problems, they become closer and understand each other better. A leader is supposed to be solving issues amongst people they are leading, but it is also more essential to find a way to make them find the solution on their own. This does not mean that he or she is neglecting his or her responsibilities but empowering others to be better, which is also part of the job. As long as someone helps the people to reach certain goals, the method involved should not matter much unless it is unethical.
Lessons Learned by the Leader
When faced with adversity is when a leader realizes lessons he would not have in a peaceful period. Conflicts amongst people one is leading help in understanding new ways to handle various situations. For instance, it is during a war that a leader understands which tactics are better than others or which weapons to use to neutralize the enemy. During a conflict that emerged from a case of social injustice in the society, the pastor was able to bring together the fighting parties. How one part of the society views an incident is different from how the other sees it. An African American man was killed by officers of the law, and instead of a church member supporting the punishment of the accused, she represented them and helped them get acquitted. This was concerning to the church and even caused a rift between members.
The pastor, through this conflict, learnt that despite having a moral obligation to do good for the community, the members also have a personal obligation to their families. The lawyer was approached by individuals she looked at as clients, which meant it was a professional interaction. She provides for her family by using her legal skills in a Court of law, which suggests that she had to take the case. At this point, the only guidance the religious leader could give is advising them to continue with the case if they believe their client is innocent. Even though many in the society may believe that the accused is guilty, it is right to follow the due process to ascertain that. This leads to a conclusion that it is wrong to use the church to prevent someone from using their God-given skills to feed their families.
The church is there to help but not destroy, which means that the lawyer was right for accepting the job offer. Individuals are given talents not only to serve them and their benefits but also to help others in need. This is part of serving others, and this situation helped the pastor understand that. Another lesson learned by the leader is that dialogue is the best method of solving issues at the church. During one, members are able to share how they feel about a certain position taken by others on a particular issue. For instance, white members in the church shared during a discussion how they felt about people of color’s opinions on the law enforcement and the entire justice system.
Due to the history of the law enforcement discriminating against black individuals in the community, it is difficult for the people to trust that the policemen acted to defend themselves against a hostile arrestee. Additionally, there have been cases in the past that suggest that officers of the law, especially those who are white, cannot be trusted to serve fairly. For instance, in 2020, a video went viral on the internet about a policeman killing a black man by placing his knee on his neck until he collapsed. Such incidents scare the people and lead them to negative conclusions about the system. Through dialogue, the group that was in support of the lawyer taking the job understands why others became upset with her decision.
The two groups are able to discuss the issue and find a permanent solution that impacts the whole society. To find such a social evil, all people need to be in support of the mission. It is argued that the main reason discrimination continues to happen in certain areas of life is due to the white people not helping in the fight against it. For Instance, in sports leagues such as NFL and MLB, black head coaches are denied a fair chance to coach. Recently, a former coach for the Miami Dolphins filed a lawsuit against the football league and a few teams. He argued that the position of the head coaching job was already given to another candidate before he interviewed. White players and coaches are asked to join the fight against racist team ownerships to ensure that there is too much pressure to cause change.
Overall Assessment of the Leader and the Situation
According to the information from the interview session, it is safe to declare that the pastor is aware of the diversity in his church and applies ethics to approach issues that arise. He is an exceptional leader who, despite being from a minority group, is willing to listen to all parties and understand their points of view on various matters. An issue such as racial discrimination or social injustice usually divides the people and results into groups that are bitter with one another. In this situation, the leader understood the task at hand and aimed to bring people together while also helping the society bring attention to a social evil.
Other leaders at his position would have used the opportunity to attack the government carelessly, but he did not. Through the information from the interview, it is clear that even though he has opinions on how things could be better, the pastor respects authority over him. In the bible, it is taught that individuals be respectful to the authority over them, as suggested by Langberg (2020, p.54). This shows that he is not only preaching but doing as well. There have been many cases of religious leaders failing to adhere to what they teach. The pastor, in this case, shows that he is capable of honoring the word of God by faith and action.
Asking all the parties involved in the conflict to meet him and try to find a solution is a great way of leading since there is transparency. This shows that the pastor is applying the principles of ethics in his efforts. Without openness, one party can fail to be satisfied by the decisions made. The issue has its roots in the matter of social discrimination, which means that if only one party is involved, it will appear as if the leader is discriminating against the absent party. His intervention methods of preventing such issues in the future are also good. Different people need to understand how others reach certain conclusions, and this can only be possible if they grow close to one another. Participating in activities such as sporting events or social justice campaigns can help create better relationships amongst them.
Looking at how the pastor responded to the issue, it is difficult to imagine a better way. However, instead of calling for meetings only when there are conflicts, I would ensure that people met in various groups that comprised people from different races. This way, people will have the information they need about each other so that when a case arises, they are better equipped at handling the issue. The reason for this is due to the fact that the rift between different sections of members could have led to more serious issues. Churches have split in the past due to differences in ideas and opinions. It is wrong for a leader to let that happen by failing to establish foundations for solving such issues early.
References
Genesis 1, King James Version (KJV) | The Bible App. (2019). Web.
Bolsinger, T. (2018). Canoeing the mountains: Christian leadership in uncharted territory. In Google Books. Web.
Langberg, Diane. (2020). Redeeming Power: Understanding authority and abuse in the church Brazos.
Rendle, G. (n.d.). Leading change in the congregation spiritual and organizational tools for leaders. Web.
Yperen, J. V. (2008). Making peace: A guide to overcoming church conflict. In Google Books. Web.