Conflict Among Church Leaders in Nairobi: Sources, Communication Strategies Used and Indicators Of Successful Management
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Date
2002
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Daystar University, School of Arts and Social Sciences
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the sources of conflict among selected church leaders in Nairobi, the communication strategies the church leaders used to manage conflict among themselves and what they perceived as indicators of successfully managed conflict. The respondents were 19 church leaders from five purposefully selected churches in Nairobi. The participants were asked to recall and narrate two episodes of conflict that they had experienced and which they perceived to have been resolved successfully; and two others which they perceived not to have been resolved successfully. The data, which were audio recorded, were coded and analyzed using the thematic coding method.
The study found that the main sources of conflict among the leaders were struggles for leadership positions, financial control and mismanagement, prejudice against women leaders and differences in ethnic backgrounds. Competitive communication strategies such as threats, intimidation, position, underground schemes and canvassing were mostly used to manage conflict among the leaders. Prayer and Scripture were rarely used. Most women leaders used assertive communication strategies. Indicators of successfully managed conflict included remorsefulness, repentance and forgiveness; restored relationships; positive change of behavior and use of third parties.
The study recommends, inter alia, that more culturally appropriate communication strategies such as discussions should be used in conflict management than letters, which are a one-way communication method. It also recommends that training in communication skills for conflict management and transformation should be made compulsory in Bible schools and other in-service courses for church leaders
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Master of Arts in Communication
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Citation
Wang'ombe, P. W. (2002). Conflict Among Church Leaders In Nairobi: Sources, Communication Strategies Used And Indicators Of Successful Management.Daystar University, School of Arts and Social Sciences