A searchable, downloadable PDF of the original review appears below. Greg Dallimore is a student at Regent College, Vancouver.
Biblical Models for Handling Conflict. Roy D. Bell. Burlington: Welch Publishing Company, 1987; 115 pp.
Conflict is a dirty word in the church. As Christians, we try to find any number of ways to mask the fact that it exists and that church relationships often break down because of it. We applaud conflict-resolution techniques in the world, but sugar-coat anything that looks like tension or friction in the Christian community. Dr. Roy Bell, currently Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Calgary, is therefore no stranger to conflict in the church.
This book is a blend of scriptural insight, practical example and trim homily. Rehoboam, for example, is typified by the phrase “Nobody is going to push me around!” He failed to listen to advice offered and entered into debate and rebuttal. He was a reactor, not a listener. Elijah, when confronted with Jezebel after the defeat of the Baalists, became depressed and ran away from trouble. Bell suggests that Elijah cut off his support systems and thus lost perspective. Jehoshaphat relied on practical wisdom in his alliance with Ahab but did not recognize the spiritual reality of God’s hand in the situation. However, he did learn the valuable lesson of believing God will act, even if all the “rational” arguments say otherwise. Thus, from Old Testament material, Dr. Bell alerts the reader to biblical alternatives to handling conflict.
Christ, in the New Testament, is the model for our services and life-view. Yet, Jesus has sometimes been depicted as “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild.” Dr. Bell suggests that Jesus knew conflict and pain, humiliation, anger and agony, especially in the Garden of Gethsemane. He openly conflicted with the Pharisees, the hyper-religious people of his day. How did Jesus contend with conflict? Bell proposes that Jesus either 1) withdrew, 2) sidestepped the issue or 3) faced it head on. Jesus, however, knew exactly where people stood and therefore could pinpoint which course of action would best fit. Finally, “It can be assumed, however, that Jesus loved people, even when they created conflict for him and with him” (p. 69).
Dr. Bell talks about conflict in the church and suggests that much conflict is caused by a lack of clarity over issues. It is absolutely imperative to pray about divisive issues, but the author contends that the issues must be clearly defined for all. Dr. Bell makes a very strong and pertinent argument that, in a zealous effort to fight liberalism, we tend to fall into legalism, not unlike the Pharisees. He suggests that “we become better known for what we are against than for what we are for. What a travesty of the Gospel.” This is a crucial comment to deflate what has often been a tri- umphalist and smug “Evangelical” position. Bell also deals with unresolved conflict, often over many years, and suggests that most of these conflicts centre around personalities. It is the bitterness of these historic conflicts that lasts and has the potential to split the church, if not physically, then silently. Reconciliation, under the work of the Spirit, is the only solution.
Finally, Dr. Bell deals with angry confrontation and asks: Is it ever justified? This section is hard-hitting for the evangelical, because it suggests we are not even asking the right question — Is it “truth” we are defending or entrenched ideas or personality e differences? Are we fighting over insignificant differences in what is personally satisfying for us, while we ignore deep spiritual issues which will alienate us from God? Bell comments:
There is a real danger, in Canada, that we could end up failing to deal with issues which reach the heart of the Christian gospel, compromising, in the end, so willingly and in such a way that no one will hear the gospel itself, (p. 103)
This message is one which needs to be articulated clearly to every congregation, for if we show to the world that conflict and alienation tears the church apart in its relationships, then the world will not have seen the difference the gospel should make.
I should indicate that this work is a series of sermons, one of the Canadian Pulpit Series. As such, they are rhetorical in presentation and lack a deep investigation into any one area.
However, this is a small criticism in light of its strengths. This work is Canadian! It is refreshing to be able to read about Toronto and Mulroney, rather than Washington and Reagan. Dr. Bell should be congratulated for not allowing denominationalism to affect the message of the book. This is, therefore, not a Baptist work, but an ecumenical one. Dr. Bell also uses current concerns of the 1980’s to point the reader in thinking about conflict; there are references to the Iran/Iraq war and concerns with the societal norms. This work is easy to read and is written in a positive and encouraging way.
For those who have despaired that the church will never learn to deal with its internal conflicts, this book will give you a base for change. For those who have despaired that the church has not addressed the issues of relationship and true love, this book is for you. If you are searching for a book which will introduce you to biblical and applied theology of conflict resolution, then Biblical Models of Handling Conflict will be a valuable resource.