Monthly Archives: September 2014

Trust is shattered when a pastor is caught in deception and overt sin.

Posted on September 20, 2014 by Dave Edling & Tara Barthel

All pastors are sinners, just like the rest of us. But some pastors sin in particularly brazen ways. These sins sometimes stay hidden for a certain period of time, but sooner or later, the truth will come to light. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Conflicts involving church leaders, Conflicts with our youth pastor | 2 Comments

What Effect Does Church Discipline Have on Evangelism?

Posted on September 20, 2014 by David V. Edling

I was teaching from Matthew 16:15-20 when a man in the audience asked: “What effect does such a plan of accountability and church discipline have on evangelism?”  I was a bit stunned for a moment, especially as he continued to … Continue reading →

Posted in Church discipline | Leave a comment

Five Really Bad Reasons to Leave Your Church

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Tara Barthel

Worth the read! Five Really Bad Reasons to Leave Your Church (HT: The Aquila Report)

Posted in Disappointment in the church, RedeemingLINKS, When is it valid to leave a church? | Leave a comment

Cap’n Dave Signing Books at the Peacemaker Conference

Posted on September 15, 2014 by Tara Barthel

I enjoyed this view of Dave right before he and his lovely wife, Pat, took me out for lunch and thought you might enjoy it too. Off to teach our two workshops now …

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Seven Reasons Very Active Church Members Drop Out

Posted on September 13, 2014 by Tara Barthel

An article worth the read as you consider the importance of redeeming your church conflicts: Seven Reasons Very Active Church Members Drop Out

Posted in RedeemingLINKS, When is it valid to leave a church? | Leave a comment

The Difference is the Congregational Focus

Posted on September 9, 2014 by Dave Edling & Tara Barthel

We are grateful to Dr. Carlus Gupton of Life and Leadership for this review of Redeeming Church Conflicts: “Few ministries have done as much to equip churches and church leaders to respond to conflict biblically than Peacemaker Ministries. In this book, Peacemaker educators … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews of "Redeeming Church Conflicts" | Leave a comment

Must a Church Also Be a Court?

Posted on September 5, 2014 by Tara Barthel

As Christian conciliators, Dave and I agree with all four of the Peacemaker Ministries distinctives. Today, I would like to draw your attention to the second distinctive: The Responsibility of the Church: We believe that peacemaking is an essential ministry of … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical peacemaking in the church, Church discipline, Justice and peacemaking, Lawsuits and Church Conflict, RedeemingLINKS | Leave a comment

Embracing Church Conflict: The Implications of Doctrine

Posted on September 4, 2014 by David V. Edling

Tara and I recently had the joy of serving at the 2014 Peacemaker Conference on the topic of “Embracing Church Conflict: The Implications of Doctrine.” I prepared a handout with several attachments for our two-hour long workshop. In many ways, this document is “the … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical peacemaking in the church, Change in the Church, Excerpts from "Redeeming Church Conflicts", Strengthening the Church, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

What should we do when our church’s leadership is boldly rewarding and promoting their own “inner circle”?

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Tara Barthel

Q: We have all heard of “cliques” in the church, but what should one do when it becomes obvious that the church’s leadership culture boldly rewards, acknowledges, and promotes their own elite “inner circle?” This is occurring while at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Conflicts involving church leaders, Conflicts with our youth pastor | Leave a comment

When to Leave a Church

Posted on September 2, 2014 by David V. Edling

A few weeks ago in response to my blog about church membership, member vows, and what might be a valid reason to leave one’s church, a reader wrote that she didn’t think I answered the question. She also expressed her opinion that … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment