The unpleasant reality of church ministry is that sooner or later there will be conflict with a team or individual. People are messy and we often need to have tough conversations to coach and correct for better ministry outcomes. While it\u2019s tempting to just ignore these issues, they can cause huge problems down the road regardless of how big or small they might appear now.<\/p>\n
So don\u2019t send an email or a text\u2026schedule a time to meet and engage in a face-to-face conversation. Even if it may be difficult.<\/p>\n
Here are five tips for handling tough conversations:<\/em><\/p>\n 1. Speak the truth in love<\/strong>. Ephesians 4:15 calls us to speak truth in loving ways. Now, this verse doesn\u2019t imply we can say mean things if we use a sweet tone of voice. Tough conversations happen best within the context of authentically loving relationships. So a question to ask is who is the best person to have this direct talk? Is your relationship with the person in question close enough and healthy enough for an exchange of difficult words? Do they trust and respect you? Or is someone else better suited to have this conversation? Your job is to ensure that truthful words are spoken in a loving environment, between two people who desire the best for everyone.<\/p>\n 2. Know the goal going in<\/strong>. Be clear on the purpose for the conversation. Is it to gather information? Do you wish to obtain a commitment for a change in behavior? Will the desired outcome be simply to share perspectives and positions on a difficult issue? Knowing the desired outcome will help you determine the direction to take.<\/p>\n