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A Study of the Conflicts Within Churches That Lead LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY A STUDY OF THE CONFLICTS WITHIN CHURCHES THAT LEAD TO THE TERMINATION OF PASTORS WITHIN THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION, ACCOMPANIED BY A PROPOSAL OF PREVENTIVE AND INTERVENTIONAL SOLUTIONS A Thesis Project Submitted to Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY Donald Q. Hicks Lynchburg, Virginia May 2010 Copyright © 2010 Donald Q. Hicks All Rights Reserved ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This paper is dedicated to the Southern Baptist pastors, church members and denominational leaders who have gone before me and who have journeyed with me in my endeavor to help churches and pastors be at peace with God and each other and work out church conflict through Biblical resolution before it leads to termination of a minister. My best friend, supportive wife and partner in ministry, Tricia, who has always believed in and encouraged me since we were in high school. She encouraged me, gave advice and edited this paper. My children, Matthew, Mark and Melody who prayed and gave encouragement. My friend, Steve Gatlin who has encouraged me to follow God’s direction. My assistant, Mindi Hollingsworth, who helped me with proofing and typing. Dr. Adrian Rogers, who taught me to preach, ordained me to the ministry and was my friend, mentor and Pastor. Dr. W.A. Criswell who was my spiritual grandfather in the ministry. Dr. Jerry Falwell, Sr. – my friend, mentor and pastor who gave me an opportunity to come back to Liberty to start a ministry to help pastors and churches. Dr. Elmer Towns, my friend, mentor and professor who taught me church growth and has encouraged me in my journey. Dr. Dave Earley, friend, colleague, encourager, and my mentor for this paper. My father and friend Floyd Hicks, who taught me how to live by faith and how to lead people to Christ. iii A STUDY OF THE CONFLICTS WITHIN CHURCHES THAT LEAD TO THE TERMINATION OF PASTORS WITHIN THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION, ACCOMPANIED BY A PROPOSAL OF PREVENTIVE AND INTERVENTIONAL SOLUTIONS RESEARCH PROJECT APPROVAL SHEET ______________________________ GRADE ______________________________ MENTOR, Dr. Dave Earley Associate Professor, Liberty University ______________________________ READER, Dr. David Wheeler Professor of Evangelism and Student Ministries ______________________________ READER, Dr. Jerry Sutton Associate Professor of Christian Proclamation and Practical Theology iv ABSTRACT A STUDY OF THE CONFLICTS WITHIN CHURCHES THAT LEAD TO THE TERMINATION OF PASTORS WITHIN THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION, ACCOMPANIED BY A PROPOSAL OF PREVENTIVE AND INTERVENTIONAL SOLUTIONS Donald Q. Hicks Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, 2010 Mentor: Dr. Dave Earley Since 1984, LifeWay of the Southern Baptist Convention has collected data through the Pastoral Ministries division of LifeWay from state conventions to determine how many pastors were being fired each year from their churches. They discovered that approximately two hundred pastors were being fired from their churches each month. Leader Care was formed in 1996 in order to find solutions to this problem. Throughout the last decade some progress has been made educating and helping churches and ministers in conflict, as well as ministers and their families who were terminated from the churches they served. In 2008, LifeWay disbanded LeaderCare, thereby ceasing support to pastors and their families currently experiencing personal and professional crisis. This project will be a study of the conflicts within churches that lead to the termination of pastors within the Southern Baptist Convention, accompanied by a proposal of preventive and interventional solutions. Abstract Length: 146 Words v CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………………………iii ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………………v CONTENTS……………………………………………………………………………...vi TABLES………………………………………………………………………………….x CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................1 Statement of Purpose ...................................................................................................6 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................7 Special Terminology ...................................................................................................8 Basis for Topic Choice ..............................................................................................11 Statement of Limitations ...........................................................................................12 Theoretical Basis .......................................................................................................12 Statement of Methodology ........................................................................................13 Review of Related Literature .....................................................................................13 Thesis Construction ...................................................................................................15 CHAPTER TWO BIBLICAL/THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION ..................................17 Conflict and Sin .........................................................................................................20 Biblical Portrait of a Peacemaker ..............................................................................23 Summary ....................................................................................................................25 CHAPTER THREE CHURCH CONFLICT ....................................................................27 Church Conflict Defined ...........................................................................................27 vi Causes of Conflict .....................................................................................................31 Conflict Possibilities within the Church Organization ..............................................36 Churches and Pastors can Expect Conflict ................................................................37 Levels of Conflict ..............................................................................................38 Types of Conflict...............................................................................................38 Characteristics of Constructive Conflict ...........................................................40 Characteristics of Destructive Conflict .............................................................40 Benefits of Responding to Conflict Biblically ..........................................................41 Summary ....................................................................................................................41 CHAPTER FOUR THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM ....................................................43 Historical Termination Data of All Pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention ......49 Historical Southern Baptist Convention Remedies ...................................................54 Wounded Heroes .......................................................................................................55 LeaderCare ................................................................................................................59 Consequences of the Problem ...................................................................................60 Pastors Out of Ministry .............................................................................................61 Physical Health ..........................................................................................................64 Emotional Health .......................................................................................................66 Pastor’s Family ..........................................................................................................68 Churches ....................................................................................................................69 Church Family ...................................................................................................69 Evangelism ........................................................................................................70 Church Growth ..................................................................................................72 Summary ....................................................................................................................73 vii CHAPTER FIVE CAUSES OF TERMINATION IN SBC CHURCHES .......................75 SBC Top Reasons for Church/Staff Termination ......................................................78 Southern Baptist Reasons for Leaving Ministry .......................................................80 Pathological Antagonists ...........................................................................................86 Clergy Killers ............................................................................................................87 The Most Common Congregational Toxins ..............................................................88 Summary ....................................................................................................................89 CHAPTER SIX PREVENTIVE SOLUTIONS ................................................................91 Training of Seminary Students ..................................................................................94 Training for Churches ................................................................................................97
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