Prague, Czech Republic, June 2003
Groups and individuals within churches, organizations, and families develop needs in conflict. Many conflicts reflect clashes between unaddressed needs.
A. Acts 6:1-7 Three needs surfaced.
1. Grecian widows needed material provisions.
2. Apostles needed their time for ministries of prayer and teaching.
3. The church needed additional administrative structures and processes.
B. Acts 15:36-41 Four needs were in conflict.
1. Missionary action in difficult circumstances.
2. Paul: mature companions to work with.
3. Barnabas: use of his gift of encouragement.
4. John Mark: more on-the-job seasoning.
II. Relational needs: one is usually dominant in most people.
A. Achievement.
B. Belonging.
C. Influence.
D. Power. Mark 10:35-45
III. Motivational needs.
A. To be creative.
B. To develop.
C. To manage.
IV. Preferences rather than needs may be sources of conflicts.
A. Examine the self-interest factor. Philippians 2:1-4.
B. Seek statements descriptive of a condition rather than statements of want.
V. Expectations, unrealistic and/or unarticulated, are a source of conflicts and
may represent real needs.
VI. Spiritual gifts (Romans 12) may generate a need for their use.
VII. Solution or management of needs in conflict.
A. Include in meetings representatives who have needs.
B. List all needs that should be met in an ideal resolution.
C. Prayerfully brainstorm for solutions that will meet all those needs.
D. Select a solution that seems best.
E. Assign responsible people to carry out the decision.
F. Measure the
results at given points in time: monthly, weekly.
