EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AS AN IMPETUS FOR COMFLICT MANAGEMENT IN A MULTI-STAFF PASTORAL MINISTRY

Abstract

he paper titled “Effective Communication as an Impetus for Conflict Management in a Multi-staff Pastoral Setting” is descriptive research that explore the conflict management models, communication tools in Multi Pastoral setting. Knowing fully well that the work of ministry is enormous, there is therefore the need to engage more than one pastors in a local church to effectively facilitate ministerial assignments. Accomplishing this comes with several changes, conflict inclusive. Hence, the researcher interest in engaging meaningful communication to salvage conflict among members of pastoral staff. Thus, the paper clarifies the concepts, multi-pastoral Staff ministry, effective communication, and Conflict management. The work further probes into nature of conflict in multi-pastoral staff ministry and addresses the issue of managing conflict using effective communication principles. The research discovered that conflict among members of pastoral team can be managed when all pastoral team prepared to communicate well and clearly; they are ready to not only seek to be understood but to also understand, they are mindful of their tones as well as the basic content of the message; they consult with others whenever major decisions are to be taken, among others.