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MIDWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
THE PROACTIVE PURSUIT OF PEACE:
EQUIPPING CHURCH MEMBERS OF THE NEW LIFE BAPTIST CHURCH IN
LIMA, PERÚ, FOR THE PROMOTION OF INTERPERSONAL UNITY
THROUGH PURPOSEFUL CONFLICT STEWARDSHIP
A PROJECT DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO
THE FACULTY OF MIDWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
BY
DAVID LILES
MAY 1, 2010
To those I serve in Perú
We cannot always procure peace, but we can always pursue it.
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x
ABSTRACT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
CHAPTER ONE: DEFINING THE MINISTRY SETTING AND PROBLEM . . . . . . . 1
Ministry Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Candidate Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Identifying the Need. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Validating the Problem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Personal Observations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Statistical Information Regarding Family Violence and Discord . . . . . . . . 5
Opinions of a Peruvian Sociologist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Field Research Methodologies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Field Research Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Research Results Regarding How Often the Respondents

Experience Harmony in Their Relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Research Results Regarding Where Conflict Stewardship

Is Learned. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Research Regarding Views of Peruvian Society vs.

One’s In-Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Shadows of Collectivism Revealed in the Field Research. . . . . . . . . 12
Field Research Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Purpose Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
v
CHAPTER TWO: BIBLICAL RATIONALE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Jesus’ Desire for Interpersonal Unity among His Disciples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Peter’s Exhortation to Proactively Pursue Peace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Paul’s Exhortation to Proactively Pursue Peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
The Author of Hebrew’s Exhortation to Proactively Pursue Peace . . . . . . . . . . . 37
The Kiss of Righteousness and Peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
James’ Peaceful Farm of Righteousness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Exegetical Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
CHAPTER THREE: PROJECT OVERVIEW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
History of Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
A Business-Centered, Social Psychology Approach

to Training Adults for Conflict Resolution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
A Spiritual, Biblical, Psychology-Sensitive Approach

to Training Adults for Conflict Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
A Religious (Perhaps Christian), Experience-Centered Approach

to Training Adults in Conflict Transformation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
A Bible-Centered Approach to Training Adults

in Conflict Stewardship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
The Candidate’s Approach: A Bible-Based, Culturally-Specific,

Spiritual-Growth Campaign for Training Adults for
Conflict Stewardship in Latin America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
This Approach Is Bible-Based . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
This Approach Is Culturally-Specific. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
This Approach Is Designed as a Spiritual-Growth Campaign . . . . . . 67
This Approach Gives Central Regard to Conflict Stewardship . . . . . 68
vi
Project Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Purpose Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Goals and Subgoals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
The Plan for Teaching the Proactive Pursuit of Peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Description of the Treatment Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
A Broad Description of the Training Sessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Logistics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Outline of the Lesson Plans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Measurement Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Assumptions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Limitations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Key Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
CHAPTER FOUR: PROJECT REPORT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Implementation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Sunday Morning Churchwide Motivational Sessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Weekly Training Modules for Leaders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Weekly Small Group Sessions in Homes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Sunday Evening Values-Training Sessions and

Children’s Church Sessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Results of Measurement Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Pretest vs. Posttest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Follow-up Interviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Follow-up Evaluations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
vii
Unforeseen Causes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Unforeseen Effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
CHAPTER FIVE: PROJECT EVALUATION AND ANALYSIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Purpose Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Goals 1 and 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Goal 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Goal 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Goal 3 and Subgoals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Goal 4 – To Conduct an Effective Training Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Summary Assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
On a Ministerial Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
On a Personal Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Prospects for Future Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Future Research in Human Psychology with Regard to Christian

Conflict Stewardship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Future Research in Social Psychology with Regard to Christian

Future Sociologically-Related Research with Regard to Christian

Future Research in Business Practice with Regard to Christian

Future Research in Third-Party-Regulated Conflict Stewardship. . . . . . 134
Future Biblical Exegesis Research and Christian Conflict

Stewardship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
viii
APPENDIX
1. PRECAMPAIGN HARMONY SURVEY TO ESTABLISH NEED . . . . . . . . . . 139
2. TEN BIBLICAL MOTIVES FOR PURSUING PEACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
3. PRAYER REQUESTS REGARDING THE PROACTIVE

PURSUIT OF PEACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
4. PROVERBS ON BEING SWIFT TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK,

AND SLOW TO ANGER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
5. EXPOSITORY SERMON OUTLINES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
6. TRAINING MODULE #2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
7. TRAINING MODULE #3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
8. TRAINING MODULE #4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
9. TRAINING MODULE #5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
10. TRAINING MODULE #6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
11. TRAINING MODULE #7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
12. PRETEST/POSTTEST QUESTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
13. POSTCAMPAIGN INTERVIEW QUESTIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
14. POSTCAMPAIGN EVALUATION QUESTIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
15. HARMONY CAMPAIGN DEVOTIONAL NOTEBOOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
16. TABLES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
17. ILLUSTRATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
BIBLIOGRAPHY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to my ministry partners at Mayorazgo, Tonya Liles, Brian and Mychelle
Garrison, Daniel Caballero, Christian Torres, Jonatán and Cinthya Rafael, and Juan
Velásqez; my colaborer in Santa Clara, Frank Cuya; and my colaborers in Villa el
Salvador, Pastors Walter Mattos and Antonio Quispe, and Edison Perez – all faithful
servants who have responded well to God’s desire that they pursue peace. Their
obedience to God in these matters is an inestimable reward. And thanks to hundreds of
unnamed supporters from the Baptist Bible Fellowship who enable a mission to Perú,
inspired by the Prince of Peace.
x
ABSTRACT
For Christian conflict-stewardship training to be helpful, it should be designed as
Bible-centered and culturally sensitive. Here, a local-church, spiritual-growth campaign
is employed in Lima, Perú, to address Latin American collectivist cultural dynamics for
pursuing interpersonal peace. James’ command, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to
speak, slow to wrath” is presented as the three-part framework for listening, assertion,
and emotional control skills and perspectives.
xi
CHAPTER ONE
DEFINING THE MINISTRY SETTING AND PROBLEM
Ministry Setting
This project will be implemented in the Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva (New Life
Baptist Church) of Mayorazgo, Lima, Perú, and two of its daughter missions. The Iglesia
Bautista Vida Nueva is fifteen years old and, under the leading of the present pastors, has
conducted three 40-day spiritual growth campaigns. This project will constitute the fourth
such campaign. Each of the prior campaigns was well received and resulted in a growth
in church energy and attendance.
The Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva has an average weekly attendance of 175,
with 110 of the attendees being youth or adults. It consists of more than fifty spiritually
mature adult believers and the new Christians they have led to follow Christ. The Iglesia
Bautista Vida Nueva has initiated two church plants, which are partially dependent on her
for finances, leadership, planning, and worker preparation. Each mission has a weekly
attendance of forty to fifty, of which seven to ten are spiritually mature adult believers.
Both of the church plants will be participating fully in the project.
The motivational elements for pursuing peace will be presented by multiple
teachers in a Sunday morning church setting. The additional training sessions for the
treatment groups will be conducted solely by the candidate.
Small group sessions will play a role in the project. Therefore, small group leaders
will be required to attend the training sessions where they will be familiarized with the
training materials. These materials are designed to allow small group leaders to train the
members of their groups in some peace-pursuing skills that they have personally practiced
1
2
under supervision of the candidate during the week prior to the small group session. The
mother church and the two missions have a culture of promoting small groups and are
expected to experience an enthusiastic response to the small group sessions.
Lima is the capital of Perú, and, as in any metropolitan city in Latin America,
migration over the last thirty years has changed the nature of ministering.1 This church
is typical of many churches in Lima in that it is composed of people from various
socioeconomic and subcultural backgrounds. The training programs for this project,
therefore, need to take into account the variety of people who make up the church.
Because some reading assignments will be used, the reading habits and abilities
of most Peruvians will need to be considered. Assigning the reading of an entire book
to a Peruvian is an enormous commission. Peruvians do not read much, and what they
do read, they often do not understand. UNESCO estimates that 80 percent of Peruvian
students do not understand what they read. By international standards, Perú has the
lowest reading comprehension scores in South America with over half of its student
graduates only being able to read at a primary level.2 Daily devotional readings will be
1. Since 1972, the population of Lima has increased from 3.4 million to almost 8 million
and now comprises nearly a third of the population of Perú. In 1972, 59.5 percent of the population
lived in urban areas, but as of the 2007 census, 75.9 percent now live in the major cities. This is
due to several factors. Poor economies in outlying areas, terrorism and resulting displacement of
families in the 1980s, higher birth rates in Lima, better health care, and the conveniences of the
modern city have resulted in a migration disproportionate to the population growth. This results
in a mixture of Perúvian subcultures living together in Lima. Statistics from Instituto Nacional de
Estadistica e Informatica (National Institute for Statistical Information) http://www1.inei.gob.pe/
Anexos/libro.pdf (accessed January 6, 2009). A translated version of this information is located in
appendix 16, table 1.
2. These statistics were reported in El Comercio, the most prestigious newspaper in Perú
on July 4, 2008, in an article titled, “Unesco firmó convenio para promover comprensión de lectura
en el país” (“UNESCO Signs an Agreement to Improve Countrywide Reading Comprehension
Levels”), El Comercio.com.pe (July 4, 2008), http://www.elcomercio.com.pe/ediciononline/
HTML/2008-07-04/unesco-firmo-convenio-promover-comprension-lectura-pais.html (accessed
November 26, 2008).
3
short, and it is expected that many, if not most, of the members will only read half of the
daily readings during a 40-day campaign.
Candidate Information
The candidate has served in Perú as a missionary with the Baptist Bible
Fellowship International since 1994. He is the son of missionaries Ken and Carrie
Liles, and has spent more than half of his life on the mission field. He has pastored or
copastored the Iglesia Baptista Vida Nueva, in which the project will be implemented,
for seven of the last ten years, and enjoys the full cooperation of the congregation and his
ministering missionary partners, Brian and Mychelle Garrison.
The candidate has a MDiv with emphasis in Biblical Counseling, and has served
as a marriage and family counselor in a cross-cultural setting since 1996. In addition, he
has conducted forty multiple-session marriage or parenting seminars. This experience
has provided the opportunity to regularly deal with interpersonal conflict.
Identifying the Need
From his personal experience of counseling in Perú for more than twelve years,
the candidate has observed few people in Perú who habitually practice skills that promote
long-term peace.3 It appears on the surface that avoidance of necessary confrontation
seems to be the norm, gossip is common, the courage and gentleness necessary to
3. Here, the candidate means to make reference to the conflict resolution skills of
confession of wrong attitudes and actions, expressions of forgiveness, gentle confrontation, and
dealing with or expressing anger in a way that can build the relationship. From the observations
of the candidate, what is normally practiced in Perú can be regarded as peace-faking skills. Peace-
faking skills are those that pretend that the conflict is not important enough to address. They are
overlooking, avoiding necessary confrontation, internalizing anger, redirecting anger to others not
involved, passive-aggressive delaying, and making indirect comments, all the while denying the
existence of a problem.
4
confront are scarce, personal discipline is rare, confession of faults to another even rarer,
ecclesiastical discipline is selective and often mishandled, and the expression of anger
usually follows flight or fight patterns. Additionally, he has not found many Peruvian
models of peace-pursuing behaviors to applaud as examples to follow.4 The desire of this
project’s designer is to provide Bible-centered, culturally-specific training for Peruvian
Christians to help them be better stewards of the conflicts God allows in their lives.
Validating the Problem
To discover the extent of the need for peace-pursuing skills in the ministry setting,
a combination of personal observation, statistical research, an interview with a Peruvian
sociologist, and field research in the ministry setting will be presented.
Personal Observations
It is this candidate’s observation that Peruvians in general seem to view conflict
negatively and rarely consider it something to be stewarded. It seems widely believed that
conflict should be avoided when possible. Conflicts among Peruvian Christian spouses,
family members, and church members seem to often cause permanent interpersonal
relationship change for the worse instead of producing harmony and unity as God intends.
Hundreds of hours of counseling by this candidate has shown that Peruvian
homes and churches are often characterized by discord and estrangement. Few marriages
and, for that matter, few relationships among Christians are exemplary of the harmony
4. In more than fifteen casual surveys conducted by this candidate, congregations have
responded similarly to the following questions, “Do you admire your parent’s marriage?” and “Do
you know of a marriage that you would like yours to be like?” Overwhelmingly, the respondents
indicate that neither their parent’s marriage is enviable nor can they mention more than one or two
couples who have an enviable marriage.
5
that God intends for his people to enjoy. Many counselees seem to think that God is
pleased with their interpersonal relationships because they are not currently engaged
in open fighting, but they themselves are not pleased with the lack of intimacy in their
relationships (which is made possible by weathering the storms of conflict together).
Statistical Information Regarding

Family Violence and Discord
When considering statistical information regarding conflict resolution in the
wider context of Peruvian families, one discovers an immense need for training in
conflict resolution. Family violence statistics from Peruvian society (and those of Lima in
particular) paint a picture of widely practiced abuse and maltreatment.
According to the most recent data available by Perú’s Center for the Protection of
Women, in 2003, family violence (physical, sexual, or psychological) was experienced
by six out of ten Peruvian women. In Lima, one of three women reported having been
physically or sexually abused, including 14.8 percent saying the abuse occurred during
pregnancy. Of those Peruvian women who experience some form of abuse, 69 percent
reported the abuse to be physical or sexual in nature, and 31 percent reported the abuse to
be psychological in nature. Of all adult Peruvian women, 41 percent reported having been
pushed, hit, or physically abused by their spouse or companion.5 Each of these statistics
shows an alarming trend of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse that reflects a need
for peace-pursuing skills training in the wider culture.
5. Ivonne Macassi León (coordinator) and Milagros Casaverde Dammert (statistician) in

the 2003 Flora Tristan Report on Family Violence, Sexual Violence, Abortion and Reproductive
Rights (Lima, Perú: Flora Tristan Center for the Perúvian Woman, 2004), 56-57.
6
According to the latest Peruvian census (2007), the population in Perú has been
growing by a rate of 1.6 percent annually for the last seventeen years.6 During that
same period, while the percentage of married people has grown merely by the rate of
0.7 percent annually, the rate for divorce has grown by 3.9 percent annually,7 and the
percentage of marital separation has grown by 7.1 percent annually.8 This increase in
divorce and separation rates indicates that the general population is not handling conflict
any better than it was seventeen years earlier. The need for conflict resolution skills is
increasing.
Additionally, societal views toward marriage seem to indicate a fear of the
commitment of marriage. Married adults composed 35 percent of the adult population
in 1993 but reduced to 28.6 percent in 2007. Cohabiting adults composed 16.3 percent
of the adult population in 1993 and increased to 24.6 percent in 2007. This shift of
marital vs. cohabiting couples shows a lower view of the more secure and permanent
arrangement of marriage.9
6. Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (National Institute for Statistical

Information), http://www1.inei.gob.pe/Anexos/libro.pdf (accessed December 13, 2008). A
translated version of this information is located in table 2.
7. This reflects a divorce percentage rate of more than twice as much as the population
growth and five times more than the marriage rate.
8. This reflects a marital separation rate that is four times as much as the population growth
and ten times the marriage rate.
9. Marriage is a God-ordained and God-blessed institution whose permanent nature

encourages the consistent pursuit of peace. Without a permanent and formal agreement like
marriage, couples are likely to think of bailing out of their union sooner and more often. A
temporary arrangement such as cohabiting provides little security to either of the pair. Selfishness
is encouraged over togetherness, the good for one over the good for both. Such insecurity and
selfishness then breed unnecessary conflicts.
7
Opinions of a Peruvian Sociologist
In addition to the personal experience of the candidate and statistical data, a
Peruvian sociologist was questioned regarding his opinions about Peruvian’s skills for
promoting harmony. In the interview with researcher, author, and professor of sociology,
Dr. Julio Alberto Chávez Achong, the question of whether or not there might be a
subculture or socioeconomic class of Peruvians that was better prepared to handle conflict
than another was posed. Dr. Chávez answered that “no subculture of Peruvians was
adequately prepared for resolving conflict.” He further approximated that “80 percent of
marriages suffered from a lack of intimacy due directly to a lack of skills regarding the
resolution of conflicts.”10
Field Research Methodologies
The field research for this project was designed to discover the opinions of church
members of the Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva de Mayorazgo regarding interpersonal
relationships. The hope was to identify a felt need within the ministry setting that
mirrored what is observed to be true of the society in general.
In order to discover the felt need for more instruction regarding harmonious
relationships, a survey was conducted among the adults of the church and its two church
plants. On Sunday, December 7, 2008, the congregation of the Mayorazgo church was
10. From an interview conducted with sociologist Julio Alberto Chávez Achong on
September 26, 2008. Dr. Chávez noted that while Perúvians from richer subcultures might be better
prepared because of higher education (advanced vocabulary and ideological development), they
still largely lack the skills necessary for peaceful conflict resolution that would result in harmony.
He also mentioned that while members of Andean cultures (people from the mountains of Perú)
might be better prepared than some because they are organized around strictly observed traditions,
they did not generally have the skills they needed for intimate relationships.
8
surveyed. One hundred and seven adults submitted answers to the twenty-five-question
survey translated to English (see appendix 1).
The same survey was conducted on Sunday, December 14, 2008, in the Villa El
Salvador where twenty-nine adults participated. On Sunday, December 21, an additional
eight adults from the Santa Clara Mission were surveyed. The sum number of adults
questioned in the ministry setting totaled 144.11
The candidate presupposed that what is true of the society in general is generally
true of most segments of the society, though perhaps to a differing degree. At the
beginning of the survey, special attention was given to define and illustrate the difference
between harmonious relationships (characterized by unity and goodwill) and peaceful
relationships (marked by the mere absence of conflict).12
The survey consisted of twenty-five questions and was administered by the
candidate or a designated leader in a large group setting at a casual pace covering the
questions one by one and occasionally asking the participants if they needed more time.
Each person was allowed the same amount of time to answer each question. Participants
were instructed not to write their names on their survey. When asked if they could name a
11. Of those who responded to the survey, 49 were single, 64 were married, 8 were
separated, 6 were cohabitating, 2 were widowed, and 12 did not register their marital status. Sixty-
eight were women, 65 were men, and 11 did not register their sex. Twenty-five were between the
age of 15-21, 31 were 21-30, 43 were 31-45, 29 were 46-60, 12 were 61+, and 4 did not register
their age.
12. Perúvians pride themselves in maintaining relationships that are as peaceful as possible;
that is to say, as conflict- and scandal-free as possible. Previous in-house research indicated that
those interviewed in the same church setting view relationships as “peaceful” because they are not
presently at war. However, such lack of conflict does not directly translate itself into harmony and
unity. For the purposes of the research and training of this project, there is a need to continually
emphasize the difference between peaceful relationships (that is, those that do not experience much
open conflict) and harmonious relationships (those that enjoy unity, understanding, and goodwill).
9
verse in the Bible with which they could help others have harmony, those surveyed were
provided with a Bible and allotted a little more than ninety seconds to respond.
The questions were designed to discover their opinions about family, marital,
and church relationships. Of particular interest were their opinions of whether or not
they experience harmony in their relationships, where they think people learn the skills
necessary for maintaining harmonious and intimate relationships, and how they compare
the harmony of those relationships in their in-groups vs. that of the society in general.
Field Research Report
This candidate hoped to establish the fact that there was a felt need for practical
biblical instruction on how to encourage harmonious relationships. Nearly a fifth (19
percent) of the congregation admitted to feeling they have not yet learned how to
maintain harmonious relationships.13
Research Results Regarding How Often the Respondents

Experience Harmony in Their Relationships
The survey asked three questions to discover if the respondents felt they
experienced harmony with their mother, with their father, and with their siblings. The
questions were presented in the following format, “Do you feel you have harmony, unity,
and intimacy with your mother (then father, then siblings)?” Using a six-point Lickert
scale of Never, Rarely, Occasionally, Often, Very Often, and Always, they responded
13. Noteworthy is the fact that they chose this option over, “I learned it from my mother”
or “I learned it from my parents.” This is quite an admission in a face-saving culture. See question
15 in appendix 1.
10
to the three questions successively regarding their relationship with their mother, their
father, and their siblings.14
Participants reflected feeling a closer relationship to their mothers than to
their fathers. Seventy percent reported having a harmonious, unified, and intimate
relationship with their mother Often, Very Often, or Always.15 However, only 54 percent
reported having such a relationship with their father.16 Sixty-six percent enjoyed such a
relationship with their siblings.17
Remarkably, 37 percent of the attendees reported that their family of origin was
characterized by harmonious relationships only Occasionally, Less Than Occasionally, or
Never.18
Research Results Regarding Where

Conflict Stewardship Is Learned
Without practical biblical instruction, people would have to learn how to relate
to others from their parents, from other relatives, from school, from books, or from
experience. Eighty percent of the respondents indicated that children learn to have
harmonious relationships from one or both of their parents,19 yet only 44 percent say they
14. Refer to questions 23-25 in appendix 1.
15. Twenty-four percent reported having a harmonious relationship with their mother
Occasionally, Rarely, or Never. Refer to question 23 in appendix 1.
16. This can be attributed to the fact that some may not have had a father in the home to
model harmonious relationships for them. However, 33 percent reported having a harmonious
relationship with their father Occasionally, Rarely, or Never. Refer to question 24 in appendix 1.
17. Twenty-nine percent reported having a harmonious relationship with their siblings
Occasionally, Rarely, or Never. See question 25 in appendix 1.
18. Refer to question 20 in appendix 1.

11
learned it from one or both of their own parents.20 They think that harmony and intimacy
skills should be learned in the home even when it was not in their own home.
What stood out as most significant to this candidate is the fact that when asked
where they learned how to have harmonious relationships, 27 percent of those surveyed
used the option “other” to write in that they learned what they know from “the Bible,”
“the church,” or their “pastors.”21 While the survey was designed to discover the family’s
role in teaching skills for harmonious relationships, 27 percent said they know how
to maintain relationships because of what they learned from their religious life. This
revealed that one-fourth of those interviewed thought that the instruction they received
from the church was more helpful and influential for their relationships than the influence
of their parents.
Research Regarding Views of Peruvian

Society vs. One’s In-Group
As might be expected in a face-saving society, the research reflected that people
esteem those in their immediate context or family to have more harmonious relationships
than the population in general. To measure their views of the society in general,
respondents were asked to respond to the following statement: “The people in our society
enjoy harmony, unity, and intimacy in their family relationships.” Given a six-point
Lickert scale of Never, Rarely, Occasionally, Often, Very Often, and Always, only 15
percent said that Peruvians enjoy harmony, unity, and intimacy Often, Very Often, or

12
Always. By far, most (71 percent) think Peruvians do so Occasionally, Rarely, or Never.22
This is a very negative view of the society in general. When asked what percentage of
Peruvian marriages is characterized by harmony and unity, 64 percent said that most
Peruvian marriages are not characterized by harmony and unity.23
In comparison, they were asked to respond to a similar statement about their
own personal relationships: “How frequently do you experience harmony and unity in
your current family?”24 Their answers reflected a dramatically more positive view of
those in their own life. Sixty-one percent said their current close relationships could be
characterized by harmony, unity, and intimacy, and only 34 percent said they experience
little harmony, unity, or intimacy.25
Shadows of Collectivism Revealed in the Field Research
In a collectivistic culture like the one in Perú, there is an intense need for saving
mutual face, an intense need for saving personal face, and a predominance of idealism.
Each of these is considerably different from individualistic cultures. Three research
22. Refer to question 17 in appendix 1. Only 24 percent said families in Perúvian society
experience harmony, unity, and intimacy often or more than often. To view their perspective in
other terms, it could be said that 72 percent of those asked think that they live among people who
Occasionally, Rarely, or Never experience harmony in their family relationships.
23. Sixty-four percent think that at the most two of five Perúvian marriages could be
characterized by harmony and unity. That is to say, 64 percent think that as many as three of five
Perúvian marriages are not characterized by harmony and unity. Refer to question 6 in appendix 1.
25. Sixty-one percent said they experienced harmony, unity, and intimacy Often, Very
Often, or Always in their close relationships. This statistic may be exaggerated because “close”
relationships might have been interpreted as those that are emotionally close (harmonious), rather
than close in family relation (as was the intent). This question was poorly worded on the survey.
However, it did reveal that a full third of the congregants feels as though they have harmony in
their relationships Occasionally, Rarely, or Never. Refer to question 19 in appendix 1.
13
findings represent the challenges instructors from individualist cultures face (when
training collectivists to have harmonious relationships).
First, with regard to mutual face-saving, respondents were asked, “In general,
when someone expresses something that bothers or discomforts them, are they thinking
more about getting the outcome of justice for themselves or about honoring the
other person?” The results were representative of a collectivistic culture. They were
purposefully only given two options and asked to only mark one of the options. With
regard to expressing such a grievance to a family member, 43 percent indicated they
would be looking primarily for justice, and 47 percent said they would be looking
primarily to show honor.26 This most likely reflects a balance in one’s own face need of
procuring justice with one’s family member’s face need of being honored. With regard
to an equal at work or at school, 45 percent indicated they would be looking primarily
for justice, and 47 percent indicated they would be looking primarily to show honor.27
Again, the results were balanced. Both family and companions at work and school
can be considered part of one’s in-group and the tension of having to choose between
one’s face (in getting justice) or another’s (by showing honor) is evident. However,
when asked the same question with regard to an authority (who obviously is not part of
one’s in-group), 57 percent said they would be looking primarily for justice, and only
37 percent said they would be looking primarily to show honor.28 This twenty-point
swing in percentage points is attributed to the in-group/out-group dynamic typical of a
26. Ten percent did not respond to the question. Refer to question 13 in appendix 1.
27. Eight percent did not respond to the question. Refer to question 14 in appendix 1.
28. Six percent did not respond to the question. Refer to question 12 in appendix 1.
14
collectivistic culture like the one in Perú.29 Since one’s authority is normally not a part
of one’s in-group, saving mutual face for them is not as important as procuring justice for
oneself. Adjustments will have to be made for interpersonal peace training to account for
collectivistic tendencies like this one.
Second, some hints of an intense need for saving personal face by overestimating
one’s abilities to conduct harmonious relationships were found. Such idealism is often
prevalent in collectivistic societies. Their idealism was reflected in their “ability to
help others.” When asked if they could explain to others from the Bible how to have
harmonious relationships, 36 percent of the respondents did not answer the question.30
This is remarkable given the fact that they were allowed two minutes to answer this
question (#9) and the following question (#10). Of those who did respond, 63 percent felt
like they “could” or “probably could” use the Bible to help another person to develop a
harmonious relationship. However, of this group, only 18 percent of them actually listed
such a verse that refers in any way to interpersonal relationships.31
29. More will be discussed on the influence of collectivism in Perú in chapter 3.

30. A 36 percent rate of choosing not to answer was interpreted to reflect the high personal
face-saving need of the three congregations. More than a third of the respondents are aware that
they could not help someone to have a harmonious relationship by using the Bible, but they did
not want to say so, or they were unwilling to demonstrate that they can help someone (which is an
unlikely scenario in a face-saving culture). Refer to question 11 in appendix 1.
31. Additionally, of those who said they “could” or “probably could” help someone
else with the Bible, 29 percent listed a verse reference that had nothing to do with interpersonal
relationships. They thought they might be able to help another with the Bible, but given ninety
seconds and a Bible to find a verse, they could only remember a generic reference of a verse that
did not direct itself to the topic at hand. They seem to largely overestimate their ability to use the
Bible to help others. This brings into question whether or not they overestimate their own ability to
promote harmony in relationships.
The avoidance of this question, coupled with the apparent inability to remember a helpful
Bible verse, is interpreted to reflect a large scale inability to help others. It is further extrapolated
that their ideas regarding harmonious relationships may not be based on careful treatment of the
Holy Spirit’s words, but rather on fuzzy memories of religious ideas. There is no doubt that God
has used the Bible in the past to help the congregants find interpersonal peace, but they do not
demonstrate an ability to remember what God said or where he said it.
15
Third, their idealism was reflected in the amount of in-church conflicts they
reported having. When asked, “In the last twelve months, how many disagreements,
uncomfortable outcomes, or interpersonal problems have you had with someone in your
church,” 33 percent of the participants did not answer the question.32 An additional 25
percent said they had none. This accounts for 58 percent of those surveyed. Only 31
percent reported having more than one interpersonal problem with someone in the church
within the last twelve months.
This can be interpreted as widespread disengagement from intimate relationships
at church, or as a reflection of the collectivistic tendency to prefer avoidance over
(individualistic) assertiveness to deal with conflict, or as a combination of the two.33
It seems a given that harmonious relationships require the resolution of some conflicts.
A steady diet of avoidance may bring peaceful conditions, but it rarely produces unity
and harmony, which are God’s goals for Christian relationships.34 Thus, this data is
interpreted by the candidate to reveal a combination of disengagement and collectivistic
33. Of course, it could be that they do not remember having an interpersonal problem, just
as they do not remember where the Bible talks of how to have harmonious relationships. However,
the candidate presupposes that intimate relationships consist of people who do have differences and
can remember them because of the pain involved.
34. If it were true that 58 percent of the congregants had not had any conflict with anyone
in their church in the last year, either they are a church where people are disengaged from one
another, or they think that people should have less fights in the church than anywhere else, or
they are in denial, or they are a near perfect church that needs no further training for harmonious
relationships. However, the leaders of the congregation are aware of the constant demands for
counseling on conflict resolution, so the near perfect scenario seems untenable.
16
idealism (what individualists might call denial), both of which indicate a need for further
training for establishing and maintaining harmonious relationships.35
Field Research Conclusions
Based on personal experience, data regarding violence in Peruvian society,
an interview with the sociologist Dr. Chávez, and previous informal research, it was
concluded that Peruvians in general need further training in biblical conflict stewardship.
The current research of this project indicates that this presupposition is valid with regard
to the immediate ministry setting as well.
First, the field research indicates that the congregants of the Mayorazgo church
and its church plants need more practical biblical instruction regarding the establishing
and maintaining of harmonious relationships. Many of the congregants did not receive
adequate instruction or modeling in their family of origin, and a third of them reported
currently having a relationship with their father that is less than harmonious.
Second, it indicates that the congregants are looking to the Bible to fill in the gaps
caused by a lack of prior conflict stewardship training. Everything indicates that they will
eagerly receive instruction regarding conflict stewardship if it comes from the church.
Many of them look to the church, the Bible, and pastors to provide them instruction and
help for establishing and maintaining harmonious relationships. Twenty-seven percent of
those who responded reported that the church has had more influence in their training for
harmonious relationships than their own family has had.
35. There is one other possibility. Perúvians, like other collectivists, emotionally engage only with
those in their in-groups (and they tend to have few in-groups). This would mean that they are not having
conflicts with people in their church because they do not consider the church to be one of their in-groups.
However, since collectivists do not generally attend faithfully to groups they do not feel a part of, the
regular attendance of the church belies the plausibility of few conflicts meaning low connection. It is far
more likely that face-saving dynamics (like “I do not want to make the in-group of my church look bad,” or
selective memory, i.e., “I can only remember the good times”) are in play.
17
Third, the congregants will benefit by learning how to help others steward
conflict. The congregants are surrounded by people whom they think do not know
how to have harmonious relationships. Even if they did not personally need help with
pursuing peace, they still need help helping others. Many of the respondents tended
to overestimate their ability to use the Bible to help others establish and maintain
harmonious relationships. A program of practical Bible teaching with memory verses and
skill development practice sessions should prove beneficial to their ministry to others and
to their ability to remember the words of God regarding how to pursue peace with others.
Finally, respondents seemed to lack harmonious relationships in the church.
More than 60 percent of them reported that they have not had any conflict with any other
members in their church in the last twelve months. While this may sound like a church
marked by harmonious and intimate relationships, it demonstrates a lack of stewarding
necessary conflict for God’s purposes. This calls into question how “close” their other
relationships are as well.36
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this project is to promote the proactive pursuit of peace in the
interpersonal relationships of the church leaders and selected members of the New Life
Baptist Church of Mayorazgo, Lima, Perú, and its affiliated church plants by providing
them with Bible-centered, culturally-specific instruction and opportunities to practice
skills that are vital to wise and loving conflict stewardship.
36. They esteem their “close” relationships to be harmonious, but they may be the kind
of harmonious relationships that are conflict-free. Conflict-free “harmonious” relationships are
vulnerable to being redefined for the worse by the first big conflict. It is far more likely that they
have contented themselves to having peaceful relationships (characterized by a lack of open
fighting) instead of harmonious ones (characterized by unity and goodwill).
CHAPTER TWO
BIBLICAL RATIONALE
With the pursuit of interpersonal peace, the stakes are high. Much is to be gained
by Christians proactively pursuing peace. However, as we shall see, much can be lost. If
Christians do not proactively and consistently pursue interpersonal peace, the glory of
their God will be tarnished, their own reputations will suffer, they will personally miss
out on many blessings, and the spread of the gospel will languish. It is the candidate’s
purpose in this chapter to establish the fact that the proactive (and consistent) pursuit of
peace is God’s will for all Christians in each of their relationships.
The God of Peace1 sent the Prince of Peace2 so that there might be peace on the
earth.3 The gospel brings peace – peace with God, peace with oneself, and peace with
others.4 Further, God wants the world to see the personal peace and interpersonal peace
that his followers enjoy so that unbelievers will want to have peace with him.
1. God is often introduced as the God of Peace. See Rom. 15:33, 16:20, Phil. 4:9, 1
Thess. 5:23, and Heb. 13:20. Related to this idea, Rom. 15:5 presents him as the “God of patience
and consolation” who brings like-mindedness, a manifestation of interpersonal peace. Second
Cor. 13:11 calls him the “God of love and peace” who accompanies those who live in peace. All
Scripture references are from the KJV (King James Version).
2. See Isa. 9:6 where Christ is called the Prince of Peace; In John 14:27, he promises to
“give his peace” unto and “leave his peace” with his followers; in Acts 10:36, Peter’s message
presents peace with God by Jesus Christ; Rom. 5:1-10 proclaims “we have peace with God through
Jesus Christ”; and Eph. 2:14-20 presents Christ as the one who brings peace with God and also
brings peace between the Jews and Gentiles.
3. Even at the birth of Jesus, the angels carried the message “on earth peace, goodwill
toward men.” Luke 2:14.
4. These three types of peace are interrelated and somewhat interdependent. For
example, peace with God is expected to result in peace with others and in peace within oneself.
Further, peace with God is impossible to maintain without pursuing peace with others or without
maintaining a clean conscience (peace with self). Peace with others is easier when one has peace
with oneself and with God, and peace with oneself is easier to maintain when one has peace with
God and others.
18
19
In this present chapter, the goal is not to define how to pursue, obtain, or maintain
interpersonal peace, but rather to establish that it should indeed be proactively pursued.5
This study intends to show that the proactive, consistent pursuit of peace by the followers
of Christ is an imperative. This will be done by reviewing how some of Jesus’ followers
conveyed the importance of the proactive pursuit of peace, and, particularly, attention
will be paid to the vocabulary and motives they used to prompt Christians to proactively
pursue interpersonal peace.
The candidate will begin with Jesus’ expressed desire that his followers
experience interpersonal peace (and its natural by-product, “unity among fellow
Christians”).6 Later, he will track the thinking of Jesus’ followers with regard to
the proactive pursuit of peace to understand how they understood every Christian’s
responsibility to proactively pursue interpersonal peace.
Each New Testament author consulted will offer different motives for the
proactive pursuit of peace. Underneath the surface of these various motives, a common
theme will be discovered. There is an intricate relationship between the practice of
righteousness (that is, doing right, or doing that which pleases God) and the proactive
pursuit of peace.
5. Chapter 3 and the teaching materials of this project will treat “how” to promote
interpersonal peace. For the purpose of this project, the focus is limited primarily on interpersonal
peace (peace between persons), rather than intrapersonal peace (peace within oneself), or even
peace with God.
6. Unity is the current presence of understanding, harmony, and goodwill – something that
is only possible within the context of a proactive pursuit of peace. Understanding is the intellectual
element involved, harmony is the emotional element involved, and goodwill is the volitional
element. Each of these elements is involved in interpersonal peace and the maintenance of unity.
20
Jesus’ Desire for Interpersonal

Unity among His Disciples
Jesus expressed his desire for interpersonal peace and unity among his followers.
He taught about it. He prayed about it.
The Beatitudes are one example of his teaching on unity. When Jesus pronounced
his beatitudes, no one listening that day could have imagined how much influence his
words would have. Untold numbers of Christians throughout the ages have been blessed
by taking heed to his counsel. He predicted special blessings and happiness for the poor
in spirit, for those who mourn their sinfulness, for those who meekly depend on his
strength, for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for those who are merciful,
for those who are pure in heart, for those who are peacemakers, and for those who face
persecution in spite of having some or all of the aforementioned characteristics. His
penultimate blessing was reserved for those who make peace.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children
of God” (Matt. 5:9). For the Jews, this was an entirely new concept. Jews considered
themselves the “children of God” because they kept the law and practiced righteousness.
Their version might have said, “Blessed are the doers of righteousness; for they shall be
called the children of God.” For them, people who did not practice righteousness could
not and should not be called “children of God.” Therefore, the “children of God” were to
oppose unrighteousness and injustice even if it resulted in a lack of peace because of their
poor choices of how to show opposition.
In the esteem of the Jews of Jesus’ day, the Roman government’s injustice
was considered an injustice that needed to be reversed and, if necessary, reversed by
force. It was common for them to laud the righteousness of resisting Rome’s political
21
injustice. Jesus’ claim that it is the peacemakers who enjoy happiness (blessedness) was
a countercultural message that most Jewish leaders did not espouse.7 In a day when
revolt against the “evildoers” was on the mind of most Jews, Jesus was suggesting that
those who would be known as the children of God would not be those who responded
energetically against injustice, but rather those who made peace.
The importance of pursuing peace among Christians is inestimable. With the
proactive pursuit of peace, followers of Christ have their future reputations at stake.
Jesus’ promise of blessing is regarded as a future one.8 They “shall” be called the
children of God. At some point in the future (after having made peace), they would enjoy
the blessing of being known by others as the children of their heavenly Father. But, by
whom? By other fellow children of God? Certainly not! Rather, they would be known as
children of God by someone outside the family of God. God’s children would be known
(recognized as) and publicly called his children because of the way they make peace.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt. 5:9).
Why shall they be called the “children of God”? They will imitate the God of
Peace and make peace as he does, and thus come to enjoy the benefits of interpersonal
peace. As they follow Jesus, they will be made into peacemakers. As they make peace,
they will gain a reputation for being God’s children.
But Jesus not only taught regarding the interpersonal peace of his followers; it
was also a theme of his prayers. He considered unity (brought about by those behaviors
7. Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers
Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1993, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems,
1997), S. Mt 5:9.
8. Larry Pierce, Tense, Voice, Mood (Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship, accessed
through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), S. TVM5776.
22
which promote interpersonal peace) to be such a desirable blessing that he asked the
Father to obtain it for his followers. In his high priestly prayer, just a few hours before
his trial and crucifixion, he was interceding for the unity of his followers. He asked the
Father to take an active role in keeping the peace and unity between them. Jesus wanted
his followers to experience unity with one another as he personally experiences it with
the Father. He said, “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast
given me, that they may be one, as we are” (John 17:11).
Jesus’ request is not so much that they become unified as though they were
starting from scratch by themselves, but rather that they be continually maintained as
unified.9 They are already united by God in Christ as his body, and they should come
to value this truth to such a degree that it affects their interpersonal relationships. Jesus
wants them to be supernaturally kept by the Father through his sanctifying Word so that
they receive a supernatural protection from evil and perhaps from any future disunity it
might cause.10
A little later in his prayer, Jesus returns to this theme of the unity of his followers,
but this time he broadens his request in three different ways. He prays,
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on
me through their word;
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that
they also may be one in us. that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may
be one, even as we are one:
9. Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987), 727;
Andreas Köstenberger, John, Baker Exegetical Commentary on The New Testament, ed. Robert
Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), 493-94.
10. Gary M. Burge, John, The NIV Application Commentary, ed. Terry Muck (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2000), 465-66. See Köstenberger, 493, for a presentation of the future benefit.
23
I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and
that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou
hast loved me. (John 17:20-23)
First, in verse 20, Jesus expands his petition to request that unity be experienced by
all of his future followers. He prays for those “which shall believe on me” through his
disciple’s word.
Second, in verse 22, he mentions the provision he has consciously, personally, and
purposefully made to ensure his followers’ oneness. He in essence says, “I have given
them the ‘glory’ that you gave me.” What is this glory?11 Is it something inherent to
them or something that comes as a part of the new relationship they have with Christ?12
This glory is none other than the manifestation of Christ in the believer. As J. H. Bernard
says, “To be able to say, ‘Christ only, always, living in us,’ is their glory.”13 Jesus was
conscious of purposefully having given each of them his own glory, and hoped that it
would motivate them to be unified in him.
11. D. A. Carson offers, “Jesus has given his glory to them in the sense that he has brought
to completion his revelatory task. . . . Glory commonly refers to the manifestation of God’s
character or person in a revelatory context; Jesus has mediated the glory of God, personally to his
first followers and through them to those who believe on account of their message.” D. A. Carson,
The Gospel According to John (Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1991), 568-69. However,
rather than interpreting glory here as a revelatory task of the Word, the more Cristocentric
interpretation of glory as the Word of incarnation himself being given to the believer seems
preferable, especially in light of Jesus’ immediate comment in v. 23a, “I in them, and thou in me.”
Carson’s tentative defense that Jesus continues speaking proleptically as he had earlier in vv. 4, 5
seems unrelated to the nature of the glory that he gives to believers and therefore it is unconvincing.
12. William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kristemaker, New Testament Commentary:
Exposition of the Gospel According to John, vol. 1-2 (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953-
2001, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), 2:363-375. The authors
say, “Believers become partakers of Christ, and in that sense, of the divine nature (cf. 1 John 3:2;
2 Cor. 3:18; Heb. 12:10; 2 Pet. 1:4). The glory which Jesus gives to believers means that they have
become one plant with him; that he cannot be conceived of apart from them; that he is the source
of all the blessings which they will ever receive; and that they, in turn, earnestly desire and strive
to do everything to please him.” This interpretation of the believers’ glory as consisting of the very
possession of the glorified Christ seems preferable.
13. J. H. Bernard, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to St.
John, vol. 2, ed. Alan Hugh McNeile (New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1929), 576-81.
24
Third, Jesus articulates two motives for asking the Father to actively intervene
in perfecting the future unity of his followers. Their unity, made possible by the Father’s
intervention, would have two considerable preevangelistic influences on the world.
Unbelievers would believe that God had sent his Son, and that he loved them.
Jesus’ initial motive for petitioning the Father’s help in producing and maintaining
unity is so that those of the world “may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21). The
faith of unbelievers can be kindled by the oneness of Christ’s followers. In a sense, the
oneness of the believers replicates the oneness of the Godhead and gives testimony to the
gospel story of Jesus’ coming to the world.
Jesus’ subsequent motive is that those of the world “may know that thou . . . hast
loved them as thou hast loved me” (John 17:23). Unbelievers, by observing the peaceful
harmony (unity) of believers, can come not only to believe that the Father sent the Son,
but that the Father loves them personally; he loves them enough to send his Son. The love
of the Father and the sending of the Son are inseparable affairs, the latter being the proof
of the former.14 As Jesus had earlier stated, “God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten son” (John 3:16a). This same unifying class of love that God has expressed
toward his Son and toward his future sons is to be expressed among his sons in order that
more in the world might want to become his sons.
By this prayer, Jesus models for us that one can plead to the Father that he grant
like-mindedness to his followers. But should one? Should a Christian today mimic this
prayer as Paul did in Romans 15:5-6 and ask the Father to grant unity and peace between
14. Morris, 736.

25
Christian brothers?15 Jesus prays for unity among his followers in order that those of the
world may catch a glimpse of his glory. Surely such a request is the will of God and can
and should be prayed with all confidence.16 Surely it is the will of God that Christians
repeat such a request.
Jesus asked the Father to do his part in making this unity possible.17 For the
Father to have rejected Jesus’ request and not done his part is unthinkable. In reality, the
Father always answers the prayer of Jesus and does his part in proactively promoting
unity among his children. The Holy Spirit does his part, and each individual Christian
must do his own part to maintain such unity.18 If this means we should pray for unity as
Jesus did, then let us do so. It is the right thing to do.
Jesus wanted his followers to be peacemakers. They would thus enjoy the benefits
of a peacemaking life. He taught to this end, and he prayed to this end. He even revealed
that his own reputation before unbelievers and the promulgation of the gospel depended
upon it. Peacemaking is the right thing to do.
But it was not just Jesus who proclaimed that making peace with others was
the right thing to do. Those very same followers for whom he prayed in the Garden of
Gethsemane and those followers who came after them encouraged their fellow followers
15. Rom. 15:5-6 – “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded
one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify
God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
16. In 1 John 5:14-15, this same author, John, offers confidence to Christians that any such
requests that are in line with God’s will are sure to be heard and answered affirmatively.
17. The weight of the prayers of Jesus cannot be underestimated. It is unthinkable that
Jesus prayed something that was not in line with the Father’s will. And if the Son’s request is in line
with the Father’s will, it is even further unthinkable that the Father would refuse to honor such a
request.
18. We are to walk “with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one
another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:2-3).
26
to proactively pursue peace. The New Testament writers used strong language to mandate
the proactive pursuit of peace among Christ’s followers. They also appealed to powerful
motives for living a lifestyle of pursuing peace. And beneath and through it all, they
demonstrated that the pursuit of interpersonal peace is not just a right thing to do, but
rather it is so intricately woven with the doing of righteousness so as to be inseparable. To
destroy the one is to destroy the other. Let us follow their language and logic.
Peter’s Exhortation to Proactively Pursue Peace
Peter, Paul, and the writer of Hebrews employ similar expressions to exhort
Christians to proactively pursue peace.19 Each of them also ties the proactive pursuit of
interpersonal peace to the practice of righteousness. The first of these we will consider is
Peter.
As one of Jesus’ closest followers, Peter’s understanding of peace pursuing is
especially significant. Peter was in the garden while Jesus was praying for unity. Peter
had been trained to minister by the Prince of Peace himself. Peter had participated in the
leadership of the Jerusalem church as it experienced unprecedented unity and exponential
growth (see Acts 2:42-47).
Peter’s refrain in 1 Peter 3 speaks of the pursuit of peace in the context of doing
righteousness.20 In 1 Peter 3:8-12, he says,
19. Each of these authors expresses ,

the need for “making” peace by using a form of
the verb διώκω/diōkō (to pursue) with ειρήνη/eirēnē (peace), to “pursue peace.” It is from this
construct that the title for this project, “The Pursuit of Peace,” is derived.
20. The emphasis of coupling righteousness and peace started in the Old Testament. For
example, Ps. 72:7 says, “In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long
as the moon endureth.” Psalm 85:10 says, “righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Isa.
32:17 says, “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness
and assurance for ever.”
27
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love

as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise
blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue
from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are
open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil
(emphasis added).
The last three verses here, vs. 10-12, are a quote of Psalm 34:12-16,21 a Davidic Psalm
that contains many parallels to the concepts of the Beatitudes.22 As they are writing,
David and Peter both share the context of persecution and opposition, so Peter borrows
more than a single phrase from the psalm to make his point about pursuing interpersonal
peace.23 He essentially copies the Davidic emphasis of coupling the doing of good with
the pursuit of peace.24
While this passage will require further treatment later in the project, of special
interest here is 1 Peter 3:11 where Peter says, “Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him
seek peace, and ensue it.” Sandwiched between (a) doing good vs. not doing evil (v. 11a),
21. Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72, The Tyndale Old Testament Commentary, ed. D. J.
Wiseman (London: InterVarsity Press, 1973), 141.
22. Gerald H. Wilson, Psalms, vol. 1, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 1993), 373; Morris, 150.
23. J. Ramsey Michaels, I Peter, Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 49 (Dallas: Word, Inc.,
2002, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), 173.
24. This observation is common. See Peter C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50, Word Biblical
Commentary, vol. 19, ed. David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker (Waco: Word Books, 1983),
280-81. Here, David is speaking of the context of persecution. See also Franz Delitzsch, Biblical
Commentary on the Psalms, vol. 1, trans. Francis Bolton (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1883), 412.
When Peter speaks here of peace (eirēnē) and quotes David as he speaks of peace (šalowm), they
are speaking of a corresponding concept. Gerhard Kittel, Gerhard Friedrich, and Geoffrey W.
Bromiley, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964-c1976,
accessed through Oak Harbor,
,
WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997) S. 2:411 says, “In the New
Testament the meaning of ειρήνη is much the same as that of the Rabbinic ‫םֹולש‬.”
28
and (b) reaping the rewards of having done good vs. having done evil (v. 12), Peter inserts
a double command for the proactive search for peace and the proactive pursuit of peace.
“Let him seek peace, and ensue it” may sound like options in English, but they are in fact
imperatives that require full obedience.25 They are not just another option for the Christian
who especially desires to “love life and see long days.” All Christians are to seek peace
and pursue it. Violating this command constitutes disobedience.
Is there a difference between seeking peace and ensuing it? To “seek” carries
the idea of “look for” or “to strive to find,”26 and is often used to refer to the search for
information.27 An energetic, purposeful, concentrated activity is in mind.28 The word for
“ensue” is often translated as “pursue”29 and conveys even more aggression than a simple
search might generate. When this word translated “ensue” is used in a negative sense, it
is translated “to persecute.”30 Christians are to seek peace in their relationships like they
25. Peter’s imperatives are aorist active imperatives to be exact. Larry Pierce says, “The
imperative mood corresponds to the English imperative, and expresses a command to the hearer to
perform a certain action by the order and authority of the one commanding . . . [it] is not at all an
‘invitation,’ but an absolute command requiring full obedience on the part of all hearers.” Pierce, S.
TVM5794. David’s imperatives in Hebrew (Ps. 34) are simple Qal imperatives and carry the same
essential meaning.
26. Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament, electronic
ed. (Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2000, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research
Systems, 1997), S. G2212.
27. Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New
Testament Based on Semantic Domains, vol. 1 (New York: United Bible Societies, 1988), 330,
S27:34.
28. The only other time Peter uses this term “seek” (ζητέω) is two chapters later when he
says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8, emphpasis added). Dare we recommend that Christians
“seek peace” with the proactive purposefulness of a lion that “seeks” its prey?
29. As with Darby, ASV, NASB, NKJV, and NRSV.
30. As in the KJV: Matt. 5:10-12, 5:44, 10:23, 23:34; Luke 21:12; John 5:16, 15:20; Acts
7:52, 9:4-5, 22:4, 22:7-8, 26:11, 14-15; Rom. 12:14; 1 Cor. 4:12, 15:9; 2 Cor. 4:9; Gal. 1:23, 4:29,
5:11, 6:12; Phil. 3:6; 2 Tim. 3:12; Rev. 12:13. As we shall later see, another verb (διώκω) is used in
reference to pursuing peace in Rom. 14:19, 2 Tim 2:22, and Heb. 12:14.
29
might seek important information that they need. They are also to pursue peace like an
unbeliever might pursue or persecute a Christian. Peter has proactive aggression in mind
as he exhorts to seek and pursue peace.
In the following phrase, there are two more imperatives. “Let him eschew evil”31
and (let him) “do good.” But Peter does not have in mind every kind of evil that one
could think of. Here, Peter is commanding all his lectors to purposefully avoid the “evil”
of responding poorly in actions (by rendering evil for evil) or with their tongues (by
railing, speaking evil, or speaking deceitfully). The idea is to purposefully avoid living in
this evil way.32 Instead, one is to do that which is good, namely, the good of speaking in
such a way as to pursue interpersonal peace.
So, if we understand Peter here, he commands all Christians to seek and pursue
because of their accountability to God. Christians who do not refrain their tongues may
become guilty of interpersonal evil. The evil committed by their loose lips is something
that will turn the face of the Lord against them. God is watching and will be evaluating
and responding to their actions. There is a promise of blessing for those who pursue
righteousness in their relationships (v. 9b, 12a) and a curse if they do not (12b).33
31. According to Kenneth S. Wuest, First Peter in the Greek New Testament for the English
Reader (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1942), 87, to “eschew” evil means to shun it, to avoid it, literally
“to lean out from” it; Zodhiates, S. G1578, says it can also mean to “incline, bend, turn aside or
away, recline.”
32. Marshall says, “Peter’s logic is: if you want to have God’s blessing, do not speak
evil or do evil, but do what is good.” See I. Howard Marshall, 1 Peter, The IVP New Testament
Commentary Series (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1991, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA:
Logos Research Systems, 1997), 1 Pet. 3:8.
33. See Scot McKnight, 1 Peter, The NIV Application Commentary, ed. Terry Muck
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), 202, for an interesting comment: “the fundamental point Peter
makes is that God is omniscient and omnipresent – he sees all, knows all and is always present.
People must not think that they can get by with evil behavior, for God is watching and evaluating,
his eyes are on the righteous. Moreover, he hears their prayers – that is, God is on their side,
protecting and shielding them. At the same time, the Lord’s face is turned against those who are
30
But why does peace have to be sought and pursued? Can we not just pray for it
as Jesus did and then wait for it to come upon us? Peace has to be sought and pursued
because in a fallen world it does not develop naturally. It is elusive and fragile.34 Peace
is easily breached. Since both words and actions can be employed to break peace, Peter
admonishes his followers to be careful with their words and their actions.35
In a similar line of thinking, Peter again couples the proactive pursuit of peace
with righteousness in his second letter. Second Peter 3:11-14 says,
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein
the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a
new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that
ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
In emotional anticipation of a judgment of this world and the new heaven and
a new earth where righteousness will dwell, Christians are to be diligent to “be found”
or discovered by God in peace.36 To be “found in peace” means to be found “in all
wicked.” Consider also Marshall’s application, “Christians are called by God to this non-retaliatory
way of life, which offers blessings to other people, as the condition or way by which they
themselves will receive blessing from God. Put otherwise, you yourself will not receive a blessing
from God unless you are willing to share his blessing with other people.” Marshall, 1 Pet. 3:8.
34. William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Hebrews–Revelation, vol. 12, The
Expositors Bible Commentary, ed. Frank Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Regency Reference Library,
1981), 139.
35. With regard to their words, they are to be courteous (v. 8), to not render railing for
railing, but rather blessing (v. 9), to refrain their tongues from evil (v. 10) and their lips are to be
refrained that they don’t deceive (v. 10). With regard to their actions, they are to show empathy and/
or sympathy (v. 8), to love as brethren (v. 8), to be tenderhearted and/or compassionate (v. 8), to be
courteous (v. 8), and to avoid doing evil, and rather do good.
36. Translated from σπουδασατε, an aorist, active, imperative, second person, plural verb
that means “to be eager to do something, with the implication of readiness to expend energy and
effort – ‘to be eager, eagerness, devotion.’” Louw and Nida, 298. Peter uses this same verb form for
diligence in 2 Pet. 1:10 – “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and
election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall” (emphasis added).
31
its aspects, towards God, your own conscience, and your fellow men.”37 In essence,
Christians are to be diligent to be found participating in peaceful relationships with men
and a righteous relationship with God, because God will one day judge.
So, then, from these two exhortations of Peter we can observe the following:
(1) the pursuit of peace is proactive, it is not a passive pursuit; (2) Peter’s exhortation
to “pursue peace” is in the form of a command; (3) there is an intricate relationship
between doing righteousness and making peace; (4) one motive for pursuing peace is that
God is watching how we conduct our relationships, and will respond appropriately; this
motivates us to pursue peace consistently; and (5) we are to be eager and diligent to do
that which will cause us to be found in peace; that is, participating in each of the three
interrelated kinds of peace (peace with God, peace with self, and peace with others).
Paul’s Exhortations to Proactively Pursue Peace
Paul provides us with two explicit commands to proactively pursue peace. The
first is found in Romans 14:19 and the second in 2 Timothy 2:22. Both use the verb
for pursue (διώκω/diōkō) with reference to the interpersonal pursuit of peace just as
Peter did.38 A third Pauline passage, Romans 12:18, also deserves treatment for our
37. Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, A Commentary, Critical and
Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments (1871, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos
Research Systems, 1997), S. 2 Pet. 3:14; Wuest, argues to the contrary saying it refers only to the
saints living at peace with one another. See Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek
New Testament: For the English Reader (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997, accessed through Oak
Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), S. 2 Pet. 3:14.
38. For the purpose of this study, we are primarily considering those,
mandates for the
pursuit of peace that use the construct of the verb διώκω (to pursue) with ειρήνη (peace), to
“pursue peace.” On several other occasions, however, Paul commands or beseeches his readers
to pursue peace, and each of these references by themselves would require a proactive pursuit of
peace without relying on a mandate that employs the verb διώκω (to pursue). For examples: Rom.
12:18 – “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men; 1 Cor. 1:10 – “Now
I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing,
32
study.39 Where Peter is translated to say that Christians are to “ensue” (pursue) peace,40
Paul is translated to say they should “follow” (pursue) the things which make for peace.41
However, both Peter and Paul use the same Greek words together – διώκω/pursue, +
,
ειρήνη/peace. In the mind of both authors, interpersonal peace is to be purposefully and
proactively pursued.
Paul consistently employs echoes of Jesus’ teaching on interpersonal
relationships.42 In Romans 14, Paul’s concern is that Christians do whatever is helpful
and healthful for the body of Christ.43 Some Christians (the “strong” ones) were still
eating meat offered to idols and thereby offending those brothers whose consciences
prohibited them from doing so. Paul exhorts the Roman Christians not to think of
and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind
and in the same judgment”; 2 Cor. 13:11 – “Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live
in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you”; Eph. 4:1-3 – “I . . . beseech you that
ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with
longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace”; Phil. 4:2 – “I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same
mind in the Lord”; and Col. 3:12-14 – “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one
another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave
you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”
39.
,
In Rom. 12:14, Paul employs an altogether different expression to encourage “making
peace” (ειρηνεύω/eirēneuō), but it useful to our understanding here because it explains Paul’s
mandates for the pursuit of interpersonal peace at a very practical level, namely that interpersonal
peace cannot always be obtained, but it can always be pursued.
40. From ζητησατω ερηνην και διωξατω αυτην in 1 Pet. 3:11. All Greek references taken
from Stephen’s Textus Receptus, 1550.
41. From αρα ουν τα της ερηνης διωκωμεν in Rom. 14:19.
42. James D. G. Dunn, Romans 9-16, vol. 38B, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word,
Inc., 2002, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), 815.
43. Ernst Käsemann, Commentary on Romans,

,
trans. and ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980), 378. Käsemann says ειρήνη has to do with the relationship of brothers in
the body.
33
themselves only, but rather they are to consider the influence of their behavior on other
members of the body.44
In Romans 14:17-20, Paul says,
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and
peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and
approved of men.
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and
things wherewith one may edify another.
For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it
is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
For our purposes here, we are primarily interested in verse 19 where Paul says
“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace.”45 This expression, “Let
us . . . follow,” is an imperative.
What is pursued (followed after) here is not interpersonal peace itself, rather
“those things which make for peace.” These “things” are those practices that promote
interpersonal peace.47 They are commanded to do whatever they can to promote
44. See Morris, 490; Dunn, 815. Both authors refer to a corporate and not primarily
individual dimension in Jewish thought. So, too, Moo says, “The strong believers will foster peace
in the community by making the interests of the church as a whole their priority.” Douglas Moo,
The Epistle to the Romans, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1996), 859.
45. The verb “follow” (διώκω/diōkō) is shared between “following” (pursuing) the things
that make for peace and “following” (pursuing) the things that make for mutual edification. On the
relationship between “the things which make for peace” and “the things whereby we may edify
one another,” Schreiner says edification specifies what kind of peace is envisioned. Thomas R.
Schreiner, Romans, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Moisés Silva (Grand
Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998), 742. Cranfield says edify “fills out” the idea of those things
which make for peace. C. E. B. Cranfield, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to
the Romans (London; New York: T & T Clark, 2004, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos
Research Systems, 1997), 628.
46. See Moo, 858. Moo notes that Paul turns from the indicative in v. 18 to an imperative
(hortatory) in v. 19, and an even stronger imperative (present active) in v. 20.
47. The peace of v. 17 is peace with God in righteousness. The peace of v. 20 is a peace
with others as noted by the context of vv. 18, 19b.
34
interpersonal peace. In this case, the Roman Christians were going to have to think of
others with regard to their eating habits.
Egocentric actions never bring peace. What Paul wants the “strong” members of
the Roman congregation to do is to be more interested in serving others than in pleasing
themselves. Personal preferences can destroy what God has built. The proactive pursuit
of peace demands that personal preferences be set aside when necessary.
In 2 Timothy, Paul again uses this verb for “follow” (διώκω/diōkō) with
reference to peace. He says, “Flee also youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith,
charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”48 Among things
like righteousness, faith, and love, Timothy is to follow (pursue) peace. This time the
imperative is even stronger than Paul had written earlier in Romans 14.49
Earlier in Romans 12:18, Paul had said, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you,
live peaceably with all men.” When Paul says “live peaceably” with all men, it could just
as easily be translated “be at peace” or “achieve peace” with all men.50 The idea is to do
everything in one’s strength to establish peace and keep it.51
48. From διωκε δε δικαιοσυνην πιστιν αγαπην ειρηνην in 2 Tim. 2:22.
49. The verb διωκε here is the present active imperative of διώκω. Pierce, S. 5720.
,
50. Zodhiates, S. G1514, G1517. Here, Zodhiates distinguishes our verb ειρηνεύω,
“to make peace
,
or to be at peace” (addressing itself to the attitudes of those involved), from its
synonym ειρηνοποιέω, which concerns itself with the cessation of hostilities. Thus, peacemaking
here should not be understood as the mere cessation of hostility, but as the establishment of
peaceful-like unity. Here, the pursuit of peace has resulted in peace.
51. This pericope (Rom. 12:14-23) lists various interpersonal responsibilities of those who
follow Christ. Christians are to bless rather than curse those who persecute them (v. 14), to identify
with others emotionally (v. 15), to be unified in mind when possible (v. 16), to be humble in attitude
and actions (v. 16), to leave vengeance in God’s hands (vv. 17, 19-20), to attempt to live peaceably
with all (v. 18), and, when mistreated, to overcome evil with good (v. 21). Each of these activities
promotes interpersonal peace.
35
The verses before and after Romans 12:18 supply the context of doing “that
which is right and good.” In the preceding verse, Paul says, “Recompense to no man evil
for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men” (Rom. 12:17). With this first of
two phrases, “recompense to no man evil for evil,” Paul is adding his own admonition
to the precedent already established in the Old Testament and by the teachings of Jesus
himself.52 Continuing the theme he began in verse 14a53 – “bless them which persecute
you” – he carries it as far as verse 21 where he concludes, “Be not overcome of evil, but
overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). Christians are to do the good thing and avoid
evil, even when they are confronted with evil. This “evil” which a Christian is to avoid is
that of responding improperly to another’s evil, i.e., another’s persecution (v. 14), or evil
actions toward the Christian v. 17, 21).
Even the children of the world know that seeking vengeance is not good.54 That
is why Paul compels his reader to “provide things honest in the sight of all men” in the
preceding verse. The “honest” things a Christian should provide for are those “honorable”
52. The Old Testament had already established the need to show mercy over justice in
Exod. 23:4-5; Lev. 19:18; Deut. 32:35; Ps. 94:1-3; Prov. 17:13; Prov. 20:22; and Prov. 24:17-19,
29. With regard to the Old Testament law of “an eye for an eye,” MacArthur makes a valuable
observation. “The Old Testament law . . . pertained to civil justice, not personal revenge. Not only
that, but its major purpose was to prevent the severity of punishment from exceeding the severity
of the offense. In other words, someone guilty of destroying another person’s eye could not be
punished with any greater penalty than that of forfeiting one of his own eyes.” Thus, if justice
demanded a punishment, it could not be too severe. This would promote peace rather than prevent
it. See John MacArthur, Romans 9-16, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago:
Moody Press, 1994), 201. To observe this in the teachings of Jesus, consult Matt. 5:38-43; Matt.
6:12, 14-15; Matt. 18:21-35; Mark 11:25-26; or Luke 6:37.
53. An observation made by Moo, 784.
54. MacArthur, Romans 9-16, 201, says these actions are obviously right to all men.
36
activities and responses that can be recognized as good by all men.55 The word “provide”
introduces the proactive element here. It means “to take thought of beforehand” or “to
plan for.”56 Christians are to plan ahead today so they can respond honorably tomorrow
when they may be treated poorly.57 Even common sense teaches us that planning one’s
response ahead of time is a good idea for consistent peace pursuing.58
So, then, from these three exhortations of Paul, we can observe the following: (1)
Paul, like Peter, perceives the pursuit of peace as proactive; it is not a passive pursuit; (2)
Paul’s exhortation to pursue peace (like Peter’s exhortation) is in the form of a command;
(3) Paul, like Peter, speaks of an intricate relationship between doing righteousness and
pursuing peace; (4) one motive for the pursuit of peace is to avoid damage to the body of
Christ; (5) Christians should avoid the “evil” of responding poorly to another’s evil; thus,
55. Here, some exegetes insist that “things honest in the sight of all men” cannot mean
something that is obviously honorable in the sight of all men because Paul has already mentioned
to the darkened minds of men who are outside the life of God. Cranfield and Morris argue that
Christians are not to do what seems right in the estimation of all men, but rather they are to do
what they know is right (in light of the gospel) in the plain sight of all men whether those men are
capable of perceiving it or not. Cranfield, 628, and Morris, 45. Others prefer the plainer sense of the
text and read “things honest in the sight of all men” as those works which all men see as honorable.
Moo, 785, Schreiner, 672, and MacArthur, Romans 9-16, 201, all postulate this meaning. This
plainer sense of the text seems preferable. However, both views are consistent with our primary
thesis here, that interpersonal peace should be proactively pursued in every relationship of every
Christian.
56. Zodhiates, S. G4306, “In the mid. voice, pronoéomai, with an acc. of the thing, to
provide, take thought, care for beforehand as in Rom. 12:17.” Also see Louw and Nida, 356,
S.30.47, where it is said to mean “to think about something ahead of time, with the implication
that one can then respond appropriately – to give attention beforehand, to have in mind to do,
foresight.”
57. The word καλός can be translated good; right, proper, fitting; better; honorable, honest;
fine, beautiful, or precious according to Barclay Moon Newman, Concise Greek-English Dictionary
of the New Testament (Stuttgart, Germany: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft; United Bible Societies,
1993, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), S. 91.
58. “Doing good to all is something to be planned and not just willed. Intention alone does
not suffice. It must be considered how the aim can be effectively achieved and with proper tact.”
Käsemann, 348.
37
the pursuit of peace can be seen in terms of righteousness: it is the right thing to do; (6)
peace-pursuing activities invite God’s blessing; and (7) peace-pursuing activities invite
man’s approval.59
The Author of Hebrew’s Exhortation to

Proactively Pursue Peace
The author of Hebrews also teaches us to proactively pursue peace with all men.
He says in Hebrews 12:14, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no
man shall see the Lord.” Once again, the Bible says to follow peace.60 Once again, the
Bible indicates that we are to seek peaceful relationships with all men – that is, within all
of our interpersonal relationships.61 Once again, the Bible ties the pursuit of peace and
the doing of righteousness together.
Hebrews 12:11-17 says,
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous.

nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto
them which are exercised thereby.
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned
out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
59. Just about anyone can serve as a judge as to whether an action or attitude might or
might not promote peace. A lot of the pursuit of peace is common sense. To do that which is
honorable in the sight of all men is to do that which in all probability will produce peace.
,
60. Here we have yet another combination of διώκω in its present active imperative form
with ειρήνη.
61. Moffatt parts with the majority here by claiming that “all men” is in reference to
all Christians. See J. J. Moffatt, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the
Hebrews (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1924, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research
Systems, 1997), 199-ff. However, the context does not demand nor suggest this and it seems his
interpretation is forced upon the text. John MacArthur has an interesting view. He says, in essence,
that when v. 14 says “holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord,” it means essentially that
because we are not living peaceably or holy, no one who is observing us will be able to see the
Lord. John MacArthur, Hebrews, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody
Press, 1983), 406. This also seems to be an unjustified stretch for which he offers no justification.
38
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall
see the Lord:
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root
of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one
morsel of meat sold his birthright.
For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the
blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place of repentance, though he
sought it carefully with tears.
Since peace and righteousness are so closely associated, it is impossible that peace
last for any duration without the practice of righteousness.62 Sometimes, therefore, the
pursuit of peace includes the act of rebuking or correcting. Pressure has to be applied to
the offending member so that righteousness will be practiced so that long-term peace can
be possible.
In verse 11 of the text, he says that people who respond well to the “training”
effects of correction reap the “peaceable fruit of righteousness.” Is this peaceable fruit
of righteousness (a) a double fruit of peace and righteousness,63 or (b) the fruit of
righteousness that comes from responding well (peaceably) to discipline?64 It seems most
likely that it is a harvest made up uniquely of righteous conduct that is produced from a
62. Here, McKnight and Church say that making interpersonal peace is an example of
the “making straight paths for your feet” of v. 13. See Edgar McKnight and Christopher Church,
Hebrews-James, Smith and Helwys Bible Commentary, ed. R. Scott Nash (Macon, GA: Smith and
Helwys Publishing, 2004), 294.
63. Kistemaker and Hendriksen hold this view, which is reflected in their commentary’s
translation. Simon J. Kistemaker and William Hendriksen, Exposition of Hebrews, vol. 15, New
Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953-2001), 375-ff. So, too, Guthrie
says, “Discipline form the Lord ‘produces a harvest of righteousness and peace by those who are
trained by it.’” George Guthrie, Hebrews, The NIV Application Commentary, ed. Terry Muck
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998), 402. The fact that the word “peaceably” is in adjectival form
and
,
righteousness appears in substantival form here seems to indicate otherwise. James 3:17 uses
ειρηνικός/eirēnikos as an adjective to describe the wisdom which comes from above.
64. This is the view held by Moffatt, Delitzsch, and McKnight and Church. Moffatt, 199-ff;
Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Clarks Foreign Theological Library,
vol. 2, translated from the German by Thomas L. Kingsbury (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1880), 323;
McKnight and Church, 293.
39
proper response to correction. The idea is that peace (with God and others) is experienced
as people come to an end of a period of correction, having responded appropriately to that
correction. Discipline among Christian brothers for wrongful attitudes and actions is in
mind here and forms an essential part of the pursuit of interpersonal and corporate peace.
It is important to remember that the writer of Hebrews is writing to the Jewish
church under pressure and persecution. He wants to impress upon his readers the
corporate responsibility of all Christians to care for one another so that no members
of the body should stray while under pressure.65 As he speaks of the correction that
God gives to his children, he emphasizes the responsibility of the members of the
body to correct one another. Specifically, they are to be on the watch for three different
scenarios that might disturb corporate peace if they go uncorrected. They are to correct
(1) those who fail or miss the grace of God,66 (2) those who cause trouble by a “root
of bitterness” springing up in them,67 and (3) those who are sexually promiscuous or
65. He had previously mentioned corporate responsibility in Heb. 3:13, 4:1, 4:11, 6:11, and
10:25. This corporate responsibility can also be seen here in the plural verbs of verses 12, 13, 14,
15, and 17.
66. Some commentators take “those who fail the grace of God” to refer to non-Christians
in the church who pretend to have faith. This is the position of Hendriksen and Kistemaker,
Hebrews-Revelation, 139; MacArthur, Hebrews, 407; and F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Hebrews
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964), 366. This is best supported by the heavy emphasis in Hebrews on
dealing with apostasy and influences the interpretation of all of Hebrews and in particular the final
two scenarios here where correction is needed.
Others take “those who fail the grace of God” to refer to Christians who do not take full
advantage of God’s grace because they live disobedient lives. See Delitzsch, Commentary on the
Epistle to the Hebrews, 332; McKnight and Church, 295; Hendriksen and Kistemaker, Hebrews–
Revelation, 139. The candidate understands “those who fail the grace of God” to refer to carnal
Christians who miss out on various aspects of the grace of God who, in spite of their belief in
Christ as Savior, do not live as though he is Lord.
67. Again, there is controversy here. Some take the “root of bitterness” to be logically
reflective of the obvious reference to Deut. 29:18, and thus consider “bitter root” to merely be an
example of how bad doctrine spreads its effect. Those who have the bitter root then are apostates.
So lean MacArthur, Hebrews, 407 (they are defiant and arrogant apostates), Delitzsch, Commentary
on the Epistle to the Hebrews, 333 (they are bitterly opposed to the Christian faith), Kistemaker
and Hendriksen, Exposition of Hebrews, 375-ff. (a bitter root is an example of an apostate’s effect),
40
profane (godless).68 In other terms, they are to care for those who might miss (1) the
grace, (2) the truth, or (3) the will of God for their lives.
Hebrews uses Esau as an example of the profane person.69 He was not spiritually-
minded, rather taken up with the things of the here and now.70 He was low-minded
and utterly lost to a sense of higher things.71 He had “no ethics or faith, no scruples, or
reverence. He had no regard for the good, the truthful, the divine. He was totally worldly,
totally secular, totally profane. Christians are to be vigilant that no persons such as Esau
and Guthrie, 404 (it is an apostasy that causes relational division). For them, the verse refers to
doctrinal apostates. In contrast, McKnight and Church, 295, and Hendriksen and Kistemaker,
Hebrews–Revelation, 140, treat the “root of bitterness” as an emotional reaction to disappointment,
something that could be true of Christians with sound doctrine. It seems that the root of bitterness
is not speaking solely of doctrinal issues but can also include practical issues. The language is
vague (perhaps intentionally) and the quote of Deut. 29:18 is not literal (which, if it were, would
indicate a closer tie to the original context’s emphasis on doctrinal issues). While one’s bitterness
in responding to the truth of God (that is, God’s doctrine) can infect many around oneself, so can
the practice of bitter emotional responses to the circumstances God chooses to allow (that is, God’s
sovereignty). Fortunately, neither of these positions is solely dependent on this verse as they are
clearly both true and found in many other passages. Apostates can embitter the church and so
can emotionally bitter Christians. No matter the exact meaning of this verse, we should be on the
watch for both (apostates and bitter Christians) and correct both so that there might be peace in the
church.
68. The language is confusing here as well. At question is what the author means by
apparently labeling Esau as immoral. For one view, see Guthrie, 405, or Delitzsch, Biblical
Commentary on the Psalms, 333. They claim that while the Old Testament did not refer to Esau
as an immoral person, the tradition of the synagogue presented him as such, probably in reference
to his marriage to two Hittite women, Judith and Bashemath (see Gen. 34). Thus, the reference is
made to his supposed immorality and to his obvious profanity. For McKnight and Church, 296,
the reference here to an immoral person can take on a metaphorical sense and is not specifically in
direct reference to Esau. Thus, for them there are two people: the immoral person and the Esau-like
profane person. In any case, the warning is double: watch out for people who miss God’s will by
fornicating and for people who miss God’s will because they profanely have their priorities out of
order like Esau did. Again, no matter the exact meaning of this verse, we should be on the watch for
both and correct both so that there might be peace in the church.
69. Profane, from βέβηλος, means unsanctified, like an unsanctified place that anyone may
enter. Interestingly, it is only elsewhere used in Paul’s writings (1 Tim. 1:9, 4:7, 6:20, and 2 Tim.
2:16), an argument for Pauline authorship of the Book of Hebrews.
70. Hendriksen and Kistemaker, Hebrews–Revelation, 140.
71. Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms, 334.

41
contaminate Christ’s body.”72 People like Esau completely miss the will of God and may
carry others with them.
So, here in Hebrews we see (1) that the pursuit of peace is a proactive activity –
Hebrews exhorts Christians to follow peace with the same construct that Peter and Paul
used, a form of diōkō (pursue) with eirēnē (peace);73 (2) as counterintuitive as it may
seem, correcting others is an essential part of pursuing peace;74 (3) another motive for
this kind of peace pursuit (the kind that involves correction) is so that others will not
stray from God’s grace, truth, or will; (4) gentle yet firm rebuking is the right thing to do
when people’s futures are at stake – ignoring the correcting part of pursuing peace allows
bitter roots to take hold and affect many people; and (5) the proactive pursuit of peace is a
requirement for all believers in all of their relationships.
The Kiss of Righteousness and Peace
We now briefly turn to review the intricate dynamic between righteousness and
peace. Psalm 85:10b says, “Righteousness and peace have kissed each other” (emphasis
added). While God’s demand for righteousness might create enmity between himself and
those who sin, the Bible presents a holy God who demands righteousness before him who
has also made provision for peace with him.
72. MacArthur, Hebrews, 408.
73. The Greek verb διώκω seems to be a relatively faithful rendering for the Hebrew
word ‫ ףדר‬in Ps. 34:14 as they are both translated “follow” or “pursue” when used positively and
“persecute” when used negatively. Perhaps Peter,
,
Paul, and the writer of Hebrews all were thinking
of Ps. 34 when they combined διώκω with ειρήνη.,
If so, they may likely have been following the
Septuagint’s rendering of Ps. 34:14, ζήτησον ειρήνην κα δίωξον ατήν.
74. The spirit of such correction is to be gentle, one that produces peace. See 2 Tim. 2:24-
26, Gal. 6:1-5, Phil. 2:3, 14, 2 Cor. 10:1, 1 Thess. 2:7, James 3:17-18, and 1 Pet. 3:8.
42
Each of the authors who have employed the “pursue peace” construct (a form
,
of διώκω/diōkō with ειρήνη/eirēnē) has also mentioned this pursuit in the context
of practicing righteousness. Practicing interpersonal righteousness before God and
practicing peace with men are inseparable in their thinking. Peace can only come as a
result of doing “right” by one’s neighbors.
Peter said we are to “eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it”
(1 Pet. 3:11). Paul said, “Recompense to no man evil for evil. . . . If it be possible, as much
as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Rom. 12:17-18). Later, Paul said, “For the
kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace. Let us therefore
follow after the things which make for peace” (Rom. 14:17, 19). To Timothy, Paul wrote,
“follow righteousness . . . [and] peace” (2 Tim. 2:22). In Hebrews, we read that God’s
correction “yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised
thereby” (Heb. 12:11), and that we are to “follow peace with all men, and holiness,
without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14).
What is the nature of this relationship between doing righteousness before God
and pursuing peace with men?75 Is interpersonal peace a result of doing the right thing or
is the pursuit of peace an essential part of “doing the right thing”? Common sense tells us
that just because one does the right thing interpersonally, there is no guarantee that it will
end in peace. Perhaps James explains it best.
75. MacArthur says, “Pursuing peace primarily relates to loving men, and pursuing
righteousness primarily to loving God. If we love men, we will be at peace with them, and if we
love God we will live righteously.” MacArthur, Hebrews, 405.
43
James’ Peaceful Farm of Righteousness
Jesus’ brother James dedicates much of his epistle to peace-pursuing dynamics in
interpersonal relationships.76 James motivates his readers to a lifestyle of pursuing peace
for yet another motive. Peter, Paul, and the writer of Hebrews mentioned that pursuing
peace and doing right have an intricate relationship, but it is James who best explains the
nature of this relationship.
In his third chapter, James concludes his pericope on worldly vs. heavenly
wisdom with a summary proverb. James 3:18 acts as a transition between chapters 3
and 4.77 He writes, “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make
peace.” The expression “the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace” is an interesting one.
Normally what is sown is the seed of something not the fruit of it. What could James
mean by “sowing fruit”?
This concept of the “fruit of righteousness” reflects the Septuagint’s rendering of
Proverbs 3:9; 11:30; 13:2; and Amos 6:12.78 Isaiah too speaks of a similar concept when
he says, “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness
quietness and assurance for ever” (Isa. 32:17).
76. Consider James 1:19-20; 2:1-7; 3:2-18; 4:1-12; 5:1-12, 16, 18-19.
77. Ralph P. Martin, James, vol. 48, Word Biblical Commentary, electronic ed. (Dallas:
Word, Inc., 2002, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), 124; D.
A. Carson, New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, electronic ed. of the 4th ed. (Leicester,
England; Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1994, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos
Research Systems, 1997), S. 2 Pet. 3:10; Simon J. Kistemaker and Hendriksen, Exposition of James
and the Epistles of John, vol. 14, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House,
1953-2001), 117.
78. James Hardy Ropes, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle of St. James
(New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1916, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems,
1997), 243.
44
Where Isaiah claims that if one sows righteousness he will reap peace, James
infers that if one sows righteousness (as it were “in the soil of peace”) he will reap
more righteousness.79 In Isaiah, the one who does righteousness reaps peace; in
James, he reaps more righteousness. This is what we will call James’ peaceful farm
of righteousness. It is a farm where the seeds of righteousness are sown in the soil
(ambience) of the proactive pursuit of interpersonal peace.
James’ strange phrase “the fruit of righteousness is sown” seems to indicate
that the righteousness to which he refers is at once the seed and the expected harvest.80
Consider Kistemaker and Hendriksen’s comment.
We would expect the writer to say that peacemakers sow peace and
reap a harvest of righteousness. But he says the exact opposite: righteousness
sown in peace yields a harvest of righteousness. In other words, what is sown
is also reaped. We ought not to fault James for inaccuracies when in common
parlance we do exactly the same. In the spring of the year a gardener may say,
‘I planted watermelons last week.’ He means to say that he sowed the seed in
springtime but hopes to harvest the fruit in summer.81
That is to say, if a follower of Christ wants to reap a harvest of righteousness in the
future, he must sow righteous acts beforehand and within the ambience of peace.
Or to say it another way, “righteousness capable of gaining its due reward must be
peaceable.”82
James is catching up with the metaphor in the previous verse regarding the fruits
of heavenly wisdom (which include purity, peaceableness, gentleness, approachableness,
79. The title of Isaiah’s how-to book might be “How to Reap a Harvest of Peace by Doing
the Right Thing.” James’ how-to book might be titled, “How to Reap a Harvest of Righteousness by
Doing the Right Thing in a Peaceful Way.”
80. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, S. Jas 3:18.
81. Kistemaker and Hendriksen, Exposition of James and the Epistles of John, 117.
82. Ropes, 243.

45
and mercy), all of which contribute to interpersonal peace. In James’ mind, the pursuit
of peace is necessary for the multiplying of righteousness.83 God is characterized by
righteousness and peace, and his children are to be characterized by both as well.84
Righteousness is “sown in peace of them that make peace.” Translation
committees are divided on how to treat this phrase.85 The phrase “of them” in the KJV
is rendered in some translations as “for them”86 – that is, the guarantee of a harvest of
righteousness is exclusively “for them” who do the actual sowing in peace.87 In other
translations the phrase is rendered as “by them”88 – that is, a sowing and harvesting of
righteousness can be expected “by them” who sow righteousness in peace.89
83. Ropes says, “The interpretation of v. 18 here given may be paraphrased, with a change
of figure, thus: ‘The foundation which righteousness lays for eternal life can be laid only in peace
and by those who practise [sic] peace.’ This is equivalent to saying that righteousness includes
peaceableness.” Ropes, 243.
84. This observation is made by David P. Nystrom, James, The NIV Application
Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997), 212; and by James B. Adamson, The Epistle of
James, New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. F. F. Bruce (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1996), 156.
85. The phrase “of them that make peace” is translated from τοις ποιουσιν ειρηνην.
86. As in the ASV, NRSV, Darby, and NASB, which prefer the dative of advantage to
translate τοις ποιουσιν ειρηνην as “for them.”
87. This is implied by Robertson’s explanation: “Only those who act peaceably are entitled
to peace.” See A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press,
1933, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), S. Jas 3:18.
88. As in the NKJV, NASB95, and ISV, which seem to prefer the dative of agent to
translate τοις ποιουσιν ειρηνην as “by them.” It is interesting that the NKJV chose “by them” and
thus parted from the KJV which employs the uncommitted rendering “of them.” In light of the
controversy, it would have been very easy and understandable for them to have followed the KJV
rendering “of them.”
89.Perhaps it would be clearer if we knew to what kind of righteousness James is referring.

Does this harvest of righteousness consist of the personal righteousness of the peacemaker, the
righteousness of all those around the peacemaker, or both? Is the harvest of righteousness to be
reaped during the peacemaker’s life or afterwards? Answers to these questions might further clarify
James’ intent.
46
Is this difference of translation important? What is the difference between
translating “for them” or “by them”? It seems to be one of motivation. The first rendering,
“for them,” seems to motivate the sower of righteousness to sow for the personal benefits
of sowing in peace, as in “for the benefit uniquely of them who sow in peace.” Thus, it is
an appeal to self-love. The second rendering, “by them,” seems to motivate the sower of
righteousness to sow for the common benefits it will bring to the community of the sower.
Thus, it is an appeal for one to love others.
The difference is a key to understanding how James models for us how to
motivate others to be peacemakers. James’ appeal is either based on self-love (i.e., Sow
in peace because you will personally benefit by your own pursuit of peace – this benefit
is for them who sow in peace), or on love for others (i.e., Sow in peace for the common
benefit to yourself and those around you – this benefit of righteousness is reaped by them
who sow in peace).
The community-friendly rendering “by them” seems preferable for several
reasons. First, the immediate context of this proverb speaks to the negative interpersonal
dynamics of the tongue rather than the positive personal benefits for using it correctly.90
Second, in James’ pattern of appealing to his reader, much more often than not he prefers
90. The entirety of James, chapter 3, that precedes this verse speaks predominately of the
impact of the tongue on interpersonal relationships. Then James continues on in the next pericope
to speak of interpersonal relationships. It does not seem natural to James’ flow of thought to
include a sudden shift of appeal to the peacemaker to make peace for his own benefit, especially
with so weak an appeal as to use the highly interpretable dative case. James is quoting a proverb
to summarize chapter 3 and make a transition to chapter 4. Some might argue that this transition,
coupled with his earlier reference to the tongue guiding one’s own life (like a rudder guides a ship
or a horse’s bit guides a horse), allows for him to be making an appeal to the sower of righteousness
to think of the direction of his own life more than that of the community. But the flow of James’
presentation places far more emphasis on the interpersonal results of a wayward tongue than the
personal ones.
47
inclusive interpersonal appeals rather than exclusive individual ones.91 Third, James
is emphasizing the act of sowing more than the act of reaping.92 Fourth, if James were
emphasizing the exclusivity of a harvest of righteousness solely for those who make
peace, such an important proposition might find clearer expression in the Scriptures
elsewhere. And, finally, the rendering “for them,” with its accompanying appeal to benefit
for oneself, seems to go against the very heart of peacemaking which is interpersonal and
common-good seeking by nature.93
Whether one takes James to be employing the proverb to emphasize that only
those who make peace will enjoy the benefit of a harvest of righteousness (as in “for
them”) or rather that James is merely mentioning who is doing the sowing (as in
“by them”), the Holy Spirit can surely illumine the mind to grasp the interdependent
relationship between peacemaking and righteousness here. Making (pursuing) peace
today is a requirement for reaping a harvest of righteousness tomorrow. Without
righteousness tomorrow, there will be no peace.
91. The translation “for them” leans toward the obvious exclusion of those who do not
practice peace. Thus, this harvest is only “for them” who practice peace. However, James seems
to speak much more of common interpersonal gain than individual personal gain. While he does
appeal to his reader to consider personal gain in 1:5, 1:25, 5:1, and 5:16, his line of thinking seems
much more to be in tune with the commonly shared results of one’s actions as in 2:1-26; 3:1-18;
4:1-4, 4:11-12; 5:4-6, 5:12-16, and 5:19-20.
92. Because of James’ use of sown (πισπείρω), the emphasis seems to be on the beginning
of the process, not the end; that is to say, the emphasis is on the act of sowing rather than the act of
reaping. He does not seem to be emphasizing the reaping one receives as much as the sowing one
does. This is hopeful language. Why would translators prefer the dative of advantage along with its
resulting translation of “for them” as though to emphasize the personal-centered end-benefit of the
process when James clearly wants to refer to the beginning of the process with the word “sown”?
93. As seen in Hebrews, sometimes the pursuit of peace includes more unpleasant elements
like rebuking. Normally, the benefits of peace pursuing are not exclusively for those who sow in
peace, rather they are for all those who surround pursuers of peace and benefit by their peace-
promoting behavior, even if that means that the peace pursuer comes to rebuke them. To understand
James’ intent to be one of appeal to the sower of righteousness for personal benefit fails to take in
the more unpleasant elements like rebuking or holding one’s ground.
48
As the sowing of seeds is the farmer’s proactive response to hunger for food,
so the sowing of righteousness is the Christian peacemaker’s proactive response to a
hunger for righteousness. This harvest may not be immediate, but it is sure.94 As A. Kurt
Richardson says,
A church that is rich in reconciling activities, that is evangelism,

the defense of the poor, counseling the troubled, offering hospitality to the
stranger, providing shelter for the battered, sending gospel missionaries
throughout the world, and many more, certainly reaps a rich harvest of
righteousness.95
Thanks to James, then, we understand that those who practice righteousness in
peaceful ways can expect to reap a harvest of righteousness. When possible, interpersonal
peace is the emotional ambience in which one should practice one’s righteousness.
Further, there will be a limited harvest of righteousness tomorrow without the proactive
pursuit of peace today. On James’ peaceful farm of righteousness, a bumper crop of
righteousness can be expected tomorrow because righteous acts are being done in the soil
of peaceful behavior today.
Exegetical Conclusions
It has been observed that the proactive pursuit of peace should be practiced for
a variety of worthy motives. Jesus in essence said, “Father, secure the peace among my
disciples so that others may believe that you sent me and believe that you love them.”
Christians should be peacemakers because of the preevangelistic effect it produces.
94. Adamson says, “Righteousness is no sudden growth, but the product of seed sown in
peacefulness.” Adamson, 157.
95. Kurt A. Richardson, James, vol. 36, The New American Commentary, electronic ed.
(Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 2001, accessed through Oak Harbor, WA: Logos
Research Systems, 1997), S. 172.
49
Peter (following David) said, “Pursuing peace is worth the trouble because God is
watching, and He will respond to your interpersonal interactions according to their merit”
Christians should be peacemakers because God will reward them for it.
Paul said, “Pursuing peace is part of the nature of God’s kingdom and brings
God’s acceptance and men’s approval.” Christians should proactively pursue peace in
order to advance God’s kingdom.
The author of Hebrews said, “Without the correcting part of the pursuit of peace,
others may stray from God’s grace, truth, and will.” Pursuing peace includes rebuking
and is essential for the maintenance of sound doctrine.
James said, “If you want to reap righteousness in the future, then you need to
wisely sow righteousness in a culture of peace now.” Thus, the biblical motives for the
proactive pursuit of peace are various, and these are the kinds of motives we should offer
our listeners to challenge them to be life-long proactive pursuers of interpersonal peace.
As we minister the Spirit’s words in hopes of developing the followers of Christ,
teaching them to pursue peace should be considered an essential part of their training.
Through the form of their writings, Peter, Paul, and the writer of Hebrews model for us
how we should train those who follow behind them to be pursuers of peace. They each
attach the verb meaning pursue (διώκω/diōkō) to the dynamic of interpersonal peace.
They consider the proactive pursuit of peace to be necessary in each of a Christian’s
interpersonal relationships.
Is it not time for the church to pay close attention to teaching the proactive pursuit
of peace as part of its development of the believers? Christians are called upon to pursue
50
peace for multiple reasons.96 Interpersonal peace pursuit is closely tied to righteousness
on multiple occasions. The pursuit of peace is mandated in four different books of the
New Testament. The making-of-interpersonal-peace is the dying wish of our Lord. Does
it not then behoove us to pursue peace ourselves and train others to do so as well? Should
not every teaching follower of Christ lead his students by word and deed to be peace
pursuers? If it is indeed time to respond to the desire of our Lord, then “let us consider
one another to provoke unto love and to good works . . . exhorting one another: and so
much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb. 10:24-25, emphasis added).
96. For a list of ten reasons why Christians should proactively and continuously pursue
peace in all their relationships, consult appendix 2.
CHAPTER THREE
PROJECT OVERVIEW
History of Practice
Dealing with conflict is a study area common to business, social psychology
anthropology, and ministry, as well as a host of other disciplines. Our concerns here are
ministry related.
Social psychologists tend to look at interpersonal conflict in merely human health
terms. That is to say, they do not normally demonstrate interest in God’s concerns as
much as they do in human concerns, whether those of individuals or groups and whether
they be social or psychological concerns. Social-psychologists study what a healthy or
unhealthy person does, to be able to understand why they do it, to then prescribe “what”
to do to replicate the best personal health results. This tack is anthropocentric.
The business world is interested in such issues as they relate to making money.
When the business gurus discovered that interpersonal conflict was costing them a lot
of capital, they consulted with the social-psychology world and together they responded
with innumerable books, articles, and training programs. The business world tends
to view conflict in relation to the bottom-line. Again, God’s concerns are relegated
secondary importance, this time to those of cash flow and cash accumulation. This
approach is also anthropocentric.
In the world of anthropology, the practitioners are concerned with the individual
as part of a whole. Anthropology is not so much interested in the bottom-line or in
personal health concerns; rather, it is interested in understanding how people of a certain
51
52
group interact so that one may know how to effectively interact with them.1 However,
anthropologists vary on their commitment to God’s concerns (or at least religious
concerns) in interpersonal conflict. While they concentrate on the study of men, they are
very interested in what men think of God and how their thinking influences their values
and behavior.
Ministers share many of the concerns of each of these fields, but they give (or
at least they should give) primary importance to the concerns of God.2 God is very
interested in interpersonal conflict. He has sent his Son whose death and resurrection
resolve the conflict one has with his person and provide for the resolution of conflicts
between humans.3
The social-psychology, business, and anthropology experts have much to offer
us in the way of understanding interpersonal conflict, but it is ministers who should be
leading the way in conflict resolution, conflict management, and conflict stewardship.
Ministers have in their hands the only God-authorized words regarding human conflict.
The inspired, infallible Word of God is a book about personal conflicts, whether conflict
between human persons and the person of their God, or conflict between human persons.4
1. Of course, this is true in large part of sociology as well.
2. Like social-psychologists, ministers are interested in individual and group health. Like
the businessman, ministers are interested in how interpersonal conflict inhibits or prohibits progress
of the organization. Like anthropologists, ministers want to know how to effectively interact with a
group of people.
3. God has provided for interpersonal peace by the death and resurrection of his Son. As
Christians, we have the benefit of the resurrected Christ within us who empowers us to practice
peacemaking (Eph. 1:17-21). God is able to do within us much more than we think possible, and
as he grounds us in his love, he makes the proactive and continuous pursuit of interpersonal peace
possible (Eph. 3:16–4:3).
4. This is not intended in any way to hint that the Bible is primarily a book about conflict,
but even in its central theme of relationship with God, the Bible is about the violation and
restoration of interpersonal relationships with God and others.
53
Ministers therefore can (and perhaps would be wise to) glean from scholars
in other fields before designing their training programs for dealing with interpersonal
conflict. Thus, we begin a review of training programs representative of these other fields
of study with the hope of profiting from the wisdom God has granted them.
A Business-Centered, Social Psychology Approach

to Training Adults for Conflict Resolution
Ellen Raider and Susan Coleman teach negotiation and mediation skills to adults
in multicultural situations with what they call the Coleman Raider Model.5 Their seminar,
Conflict Resolution: Strategies for Collaborative Problem Solving, is an interactive
three-day workshop consisting of seven modules and is based on Raider’s 1987 training
manual, A Guide to International Negotiation.6 Coleman and Raider demonstrate an
understanding of teaching adults how to negotiate, avoid unnecessary conflict, and
promote harmony, especially in intercultural contexts. Here, we will briefly review the
content of their modules, the learning activities they employ, and pedagogical insights
that underpin the design of their training.
Coleman and Raider offer six pedagogical insights from their practice.
(1) Each learner has a unique and implicit “theory of practice” for resolving
conflicts. Each individual’s theory of practice has been developed over a
lifetime, and influenced by many factors.
5. Ellen Raider, Susan Coleman, and Janet Gerson, “Teaching Conflict Resolution Skills in
a Workshop,” in The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., ed. Morton
Deutsch, Peter T. Coleman, and Eric C. Marcus (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2006), 695-725. This
training program is representative of the marriage between social-psychology and business. Janet
Gerson now teaches at University of Michigan and is no longer associated with Coleman and Raider.
6. Ellen Raider, A Guide to International Negotiation (Brooklyn, NY: Ellen Raider
International, 1987). For students who want to continue studying with them, they offer three more
days of additional in-depth instruction regarding mediation. We are interested in the abbreviated
three-day version.
54
(2) Learners need both support and challenge to examine their own theory of
practice. Intellectual and experiential comparison of competitive and collab-
orative processes can create challenging internal conflict for most learners.
(3) Experiential exercises shift the responsibility for learning from the trainer
to the participant.
(4) Self-reflection based on video or audio feedback gives many learners
motivation to modify problematic behavior.
(5) User friendly models and a common vocabulary enable a group of learners
to talk about their shared in-program experience.
(6) Learners need follow-up and support after workshop training to internalize
new concepts and skills. As in other areas of skills training, most
participants need additional coaching.7
Coleman and Raider offer seven modules that include a variety of learning
activities. After a precourse assessment, they customize the modules for each specific
group, but a general outline is followed each time. Module one presents an overview
of conflict resolution, with emphasis on distinguishing between competitive and
collaborative resolution strategies. They video record the participants debating a
diagnostic case competitively for ten minutes and collaboratively for fifteen minutes. The
video is replayed to the participants and a debriefing is conducted. This and a physical
game help the participants explore their attitudes toward conflict. At the end of the
session they present an interactive video-based mini lecture.
Module two focuses on the difference between the positions and needs (or interests)
of the disputants. Here they present a videotaped conflict in two parts. The first part shows
a heated and competitive atmosphere where both parties state their positions. Participants
analyze the needs of the parties in the observed case, and afterwards the trainers help them
reframe the problem to address the needs of both parties. Part two of the video shows the
mayor of the town reframing the conflict by asking both sides to give something of value
7. Raider, Coleman, and Gerson, 695-96.

55
to the other and receive something of perceived same value. The seminar participants
then divide into dyads and use several small cases to practice recognizing the difference
between the positions and the need/interests of the parties involved.
In module three they describe five commonly used negotiation tactics and the
difference between one’s communication intent and one’s actual communication impact.
The trainers role-play a two-line interchange where one always says the same thing and
the other responds with a different negotiating behavior. The negotiation behaviors they
model are: Attacking, Evading, Informing, Opening, and Uniting. Seminar participants
return to the small groups they had formed in module one and analyze the negotiation
behaviors they demonstrated on the videotape they made. As participants diagnose each
interaction, their self-awareness of their actual impact in communication is heightened.
Module four introduces a four-stage model of progressive negotiation to further
the understanding of concepts introduced in the first three modules. A videotaped bare-
bones discussion is viewed and analyzed in linear progression. The participants then
practice their own bare-bones negotiation.
Module five describes the influence of cultural differences in the resolution of
conflict. Readings, videos, and discussions are used to consider issues like high vs. low
power-distance, high vs. low communication context, individualism vs. collectivism,
uncertainty avoidance, and polychronic vs. monochronic time. They use a role-play in
which the students negotiate one side of a multicultural debate and then switch sides.
This allows them to appreciate the difficulty of working with others. Of course, a module
cannot guarantee success to international negotiation, but their aim is not success, rather
sensitivity. This module serves as a demonstration of how difficult it is to enter into the
56
mind-set of another person, and especially when the worldviews of the participants are
distant from one another.
Module six addresses how to deal with the emotions that typically arise in
interpersonal and intercultural conflict. Anger is considered to be the biggest challenge
to resolving conflict, so in this module they concentrate on a philosophy for dealing with
anger. Participants discuss a reading they have done as homework that deals with anger
issues such as the relationship between anger and unmet needs, anger as a secondary
response that masks more vulnerable emotions, the attack defend spiral, and additional
destructive and constructive examples.
For skills training, Raider and Coleman designed a three-phase exercise including
round-robin debates. In the first phase, some of the groups of two remain stationary in an
assigned part of the room and are given the task of debating an issue using a collaborative
stance and collaborative tactics. Visiting debate teams present themselves in round-
robin fashion at each station for a few minutes at a time, demonstrating aggressive and
competitive behavior. The collaborative participants are thus required to practice opening
and uniting behaviors with the hopes of drawing out the needs, feelings, and concerns of
the competitive teams. In the second round, the teams switch roles and continue practicing.
In the third round, they form new four-person teams and treat with the same issue, but this
time in a collaborative fashion. After each phase, the trainers lead the entire group through
a debriefing and, by employing key questions, all the participants learn as they proceed.
Coleman and Raider pride themselves in multicultural sensitivity. It is woven into
the expression of their presuppositions, the expression of their training goals, and into
each training experience. It even comes across as though it is part of their worldview.
57
But they consistently view conflict as something to be resolved (as opposed to something
to be managed, or even stewarded). This comes across as an individualistic outcome-
oriented stance, a stance not particularly friendly to the majority of cultures of the world
where the process of dealing with conflict is considered more important than the specific
outcome of “resolution” pro one’s own business advancement.8
Interestingly, the first six modules of their secular business training line up with
James’ exhortation to “be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (see James 1:19).
Coleman and Raider do not demonstrate any preference for following a biblical model
for interpersonal relationship development, but they do model it. In their final module
(number seven) they introduce mediation as a possibility for resolution if negotiation has
proven unsuccessful. This imitates the order of conflict negotiation strategies that Jesus
suggested in Matthew 18 (see Matt. 18:15-17).
A Spiritual, Biblical, Psychology-Sensitive Approach

to Training Adults for Conflict Management
On the contrary, some view conflict as something to be managed, not just
resolved. One example is William Barry Blanton, who wrote a project dissertation in
8. To view conflict uniquely as something to be resolved is to be uniquely outcome-

oriented. One is looking to resolve the tension of conflict by the outcome of resolution to one’s
“business” favor, rather than through a process. Since most cultures of the world are process-
oriented and not outcome-oriented, Raider, Coleman, and Gerson’s outcome-oriented approach
is an interesting tack for multicultural-sensitive training. We can expect this kind of training from
most North American conflict trainers, and especially of those who deal with conflict from a
secular perspective. Raider, Coleman, and Gerson are North Americans making a living trying to
help North American businesses deal with conflict in multicultural venues, something ever more
important in the business world. The quality of their training reflects God-given wisdom. However,
their stated goals and way of viewing conflict reflect a cultural “sensitivity” that is self-oriented and
typical of wisdom that comes from men. It is a completely foreign concept to their exceptionally
well designed training to view conflict as a stewardship where one may distribute God’s love
toward another person. Masters of the Coleman Raider Model would know how to negotiate very
effectively and would do so in honoring (almost loving) ways, but they might tend to be proud of
their own “human” wisdom, putting them in conflict with their Creator.
58
2002 titled, “Equipping Selected Leaders to Manage Conflict at First Baptist Church,
Homer Louisiana.”9 His dissertation is reflective of a DEdMin orientation and is valuable
as a tool on how to teach adults conflict management concepts using the Scriptures.
His variety of teaching methods include PowerPoint visuals, class handouts with
blank spaces, printed brochures, visual metaphors, Q & A, role-playing, case studies,
group study of the Scriptures, prayer, lecture, audio tape, in-class readings, provision
of bibliography for additional reading, brief homework assignments, in-class writing
exercises, and discussion in small group.10 Notably, his instruction is thoroughly biblical
and relies heavily on scriptural texts for most of his training sessions.11
In his dissertation, training sessions 1-5 concentrate on aspects of conflict
management that are pertinent to this project.12 Sessions 6-8 concentrate on mediation,
9. William Barry Blanton, “Equipping Selected Leaders to Manage Conflict at First Baptist
Church, Homer Louisiana” (DEdMin diss., New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2002).
10. Ibid., 82. Blanton instructs the participants of his project to do a small group discussion
of a part of the whole of a theory and then guides a discussion of the whole. While this is an
interesting technique for teaching, it seems better that when one is training skills, that one extend
the time allotted for the participants to experience more than one part of the whole.
11. An exception to this is his third session, where he relies almost exclusively on
a psychological construct of “conflict styles.” He uses Spead Leas’ Discover Your Conflict
Management Style (Bethesda, MD: The Alban Institute, 1984), 1-44, no doubt an adaptation of
Blake and Mouton’s five styles of conflict. See Robert Blake and Jane Mouton, The Managerial
Grid (Houston: Gulf Publishers, 1964).
Such a conflict grid can be extremely valuable, but in multicultural training situations, it
should not be relied upon too heavily as it soaked in individualistic presuppositions. See Stella
Ting-Toomey, Translating Conflict Face-Negotiation Theory into Practice, in The Handbook
of Intercultural Training, Third Edition, ed. Dan Landis, Janet M. Bennett, and Milton Bennett
(Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2004), 229-30, where Ting-Toomey says, “It should be
noted that in conflict management literature written in English, obliging [accommodating] and
avoiding conflict often take on a Western slant of being negatively disengaged (i.e., ‘placating’ or
‘flight’ from the conflict scene). However, collectivists do not perceive obliging [accommodating]
and avoiding conflict styles as negative. These two styles are typically employed to maintain
mutual-face interests, and relational network interests.” The word “accommodating” is inserted
above for a better understanding of the style of conflict to which Ting-Toomey refers.
12. In the first five sessions, Blanton concentrates on spirituality in conflict management,
conflict styles, self-evaluation, confession, listening, assertion, and forgiveness, all of which are
pertinent to this project.
59
something this project is not designed to address. Blanton’s project dissertation
concentrates most heavily on the cognitive understanding and ethics of conflict
management. Little time was provided for the practice of skill, something Blanton noted
in his post-project evaluation.13
Blanton’s dissertation presents conflict as something to be managed, not just
resolved.14 This is a perspective more in line with process-oriented cultures (where
the process of dealing with conflict is as important as or more important than a specific
desired outcome).
A Religious (Perhaps Christian), Experience-Centered

Approach to Training Adults in Conflict Transformation
John Paul Lederach is a Christian anthropologist who suggests a training program
for conflict transformation that we will call experience-based.15 Lederach is a professor
of sociology and conflict studies as Eastern Mennonite University and the director of the
International Conciliation Service of the Mennonite Central Committee. He has served
in multiple multicultural settings worldwide as a mediation trainer and conflict resolution
specialist.
Lederach presents conflict as something that needs to be transformed by
the search for and creation of shared meaning. His fundamental argument is that
13. Blanton, 64-65. Though not central in focus, affective elements were probably attended
to by the role-playing, case studies, and discussion elements of training. Behavioral elements seem
to be even less prominent than affective ones, and his less than cooperative study group did not
help matters.
14. The title of his project presents management of conflict as the training goal. In his
dissertation, he uses the term “management” with regard to conflict 101 times and the term
“resolution” with regard to conflict 67 times. Notably absent is the concept of conflict stewardship.
15. John Paul Lederach, Preparing for Peace: Conflict Transformation Across Cultures
(Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1995).
60
“understanding conflict and developing appropriate models of handling it will necessarily
be rooted in, and must respect and draw from, the (already established) cultural
knowledge of a people.”16 His approach is heavily dependent on the mediator and on a
collaborative stance on the part of all parties involved.17 The mediator should be trained
to help parties set aside their interests long enough to discover language and metaphors
native to their private or societal culture that they can use to communicate about their
conflict in mutually understandable ways. The parties are in essence led to create their
own situation-specific conflict resolution “language” that they as individuals or groups
can use (and continue to use) to understand the needs and interests of their opponents.
This “language” is based on their past experiences, Thus, we label it “experience-
centered.”
A Bible-Centered Approach to
Training Adults in Conflict Stewardship
Peacemakers Ministries has developed a church resource kit that provides pastors
with the resources to lead their church toward developing a culture of peace. All training
materials from Peacemaker Ministries are Bible-centered and present conflict as a
stewardship. For them, interpersonal conflict is something to be resolved and managed,
but their view of conflict as something to be stewarded is far more pronounced. The
Peacemaking Church Resource Set serves as a superior option for North American
16. Lederach, 10.
17. Lederach’s views are informative to us as we consider how to be sensitive to the issues
of conflict training in another culture, but his ideas are underdeveloped and his presentation is more
a model of mediation in action than a model of mediation training in action. Further, his approach
is too dependent on a mediator and collaborative parties to be useful. Without a highly-skilled
anthropologically-informed mediator who can convince opponents to value the long-term benefits
much more than the high short-term cost, his plan will not work.
61
churches.18 The Peacemaking Church Resource Set consists of three different phases of
implementation designed to influence the church progressively from the core leaders of
the church outward until a new culture of peace is developed. Phase one materials are
included in the Pastor’s Box. They are designed for inspiring and aiding the principle
pastor(s) of the church. Phase two is designed for the peacemaking leadership team who
will help the pastor develop a culture of peace. Phase three provides those materials
necessary to embed peacemaking concepts into the blood of the congregation through
small group settings.
Included in the Pastor’s Box are four resources: a copy of Alfred Poirier’s book
The Peacemaking Pastor,19 a compact disc with a promotional video and promotional
materials including graphic files for reproduction; a compact disc with the eight model
sermon texts, sermon outlines, and bulletin inserts; and another compact disc with
accompanying reference notes for the two inspirational presentations, “The Power and
Appeal of a Peacemaking Church,” and “The Pastor’s Role in Building a Culture of
Peace.” Each of these resources is designed to inspire the pastors to stay the course and
help them recruit and inspire the team who will help him develop of a culture of peace.
Included in the Peacemaking Team Box are several helpful resources for starting
a peacemaking ministry, for teaching peacemaking, for helping those in conflict, and for
obtaining ongoing support from Peacemaker Ministries, including a resource catalog.
Inside the kit, team leaders find two compact discs with recordings of the inspiring
18. Peachmaking Church Resource Set, Peacemaker Ministries, http://www.peacemaker.

net/site/c.aqKFLTOBIpH/b.2837365/k.65C1/The_Peacemaking_Church.htm (accessed December
8, 2009).
19. Alfred Poirier, The Peacemaking Pastor: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Church Conflict
(Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2006).
62
lessons, “The Power and Appeal of a Peacemaking Church” and “Biblical Foundations
for Your Peacemaking Team.” A peacemaking team manual is provided for the leaders
as well as an accompanying compact disc and DVD. The compact disc contains the
recordings of peacemaking lessons including PowerPoint presentations for training
others. The DVD contains parable vignettes and role-plays for training mediators. Finally,
team leaders find a copy of Ken Sande’s book, The Peacemaker,20 with fifty copies of the
“Peacemaking Principles” pamphlet.
For the third phase of implementation, the Peacemaking Church Resource Set
contains eight small group lessons based on the concepts in Ken Sandes’ book, The
Peacemaker. Each session has a video lesson taught by Sande and is accompanied by a
humorous video that illustrates many of the principles of each respective session. They
are titled as follows:
Session 1. Conflict Provides Opportunities

Session 2. Live at Peace
Session 3. Conflict Starts in the Heart
Session 4. Confession Brings Freedom
Session 5. Just between the Two of You (a session about private assertion)
Session 6. Take One or Two Others Along
Session 7. Forgive as God Forgave You
Session 8. Overcoming Evil with Good
20. Ken Sande, The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, 3rd
edition (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2004). This candidate agrees with Josh McDowell’s
endorsement, “The Peacemaker is the most thorough and comprehensive guide to resolving
conflicts I have ever read. It is insightful, convicting, and biblical.” Sande’s conflict stewardship
philosophy is biblically saturated, his exegesis is stunningly responsible (for a lawyer), his
process for conflict stewardship is remarkably logical, his suggestions are intensely practical, and
many of his ideas are adequately adaptable to other cultural contexts. In fact, Sande’s treatment
of peacemaking is such a fine work that it is difficult to offer suggestions for improvement. The
third edition includes a new chapter on the sanctification related ramifications of the gospel
with regards to peacemaking, a very nice addition. The primary reason that the concepts of The
Peacemaker or the Peacemaking Church Resource Set are not used in this training project is that
this project is designed to address itself to collectivistic cultural issues that The Peacemaker is not;
namely, power-balance issues, face-saving issues, process-orientation issues, and high-context
communication issues, all of which are extremely important in the ministry context in Perú.
63
In addition to the lessons and humorous videos, there is also a closing message from Ken
Sande and four additional optional lessons titled as follows:
Trust in the Lord and Do Good

Is this Really Worth Fighting For?
Speaking the Truth in Love
Look Also to the Interests of Others
The Peacemaking Church Resource Set includes sermons, lessons, and small
group discussion guides for a period of at least eight weeks. If small group leaders want
to extend the instruction for four additional weeks, they have everything they need.
The candidate finds the Peacemaking Church Resource Set to be a complete,
succinct, well-designed training program that even begins the process of training
mediators, something this training program is not designed to do.
This Candidate’s Approach: A Bible-Based, Culturally-Specific,

Spiritual-Growth Campaign for Training Adults for
Conflict Stewardship in Latin America
This Approach Is Bible-Based
This candidate’s approach in this project will be Bible-based. By that, he means to
purposefully depend on the Scriptures to guide his thinking about dealing with interpersonal
conflict.21 He will do this in several ways. First, his appeals to others to proactively and
consistently pursue peace will be based on the biblical appeals that God makes. Each of
21. This is different from relying on a social-psychological business-guided model (i.e.,

Raider, Coleman, and Gerson) or an experience-guided model (i.e., John Paul Lederach).
Unlike Raider, Coleman, and Gerson’s conflict resolution training, this candidate’s training
is Bible-centered rather than socio-psychology centered, and it aims for the process-orientation of
conflict stewardship rather than an individualistic (business) goal of mere conflict resolution. With
Raider, Coleman, and Gerson, conflict is resolved (or not, depending on collaboration) and peace is
temporarily obtained so that parties can move on.
Unlike Lederach, this candidate wants to speak of conflict stewardship rather than conflict
transformation, and Lederach’s culturally sensitive approach is exaggerated to the point of leaving
Bible language and metaphors out of dealings with conflict. With Lederach, conflict is transformed,
64
the eight sermons, training modules, and small group lessons will emphasize the different
motives God offers for why his children should be known as peacemakers.
Second, the candidate will center conflict stewardship skills on James’ expression
that every man should be “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19). The
teaching materials of this project could be considered a practical commentary of James
1:19-20. The candidate will use these three exhortations as the pegs upon which to hang
all the conflict stewardship concepts. Furthermore, he will tie James’ triple exhortation to
the three central skill sets of interpersonal-peace pursuing; namely, listening skills (swift
to hear), assertion skills (slow to speak), and emotion management skills (slow to wrath).
The hope in using this structure is to present a memorable framework that is practical for
its simplicity and flexibility, something the candidate believes James was trying to do.22
and peace is “prepared for” or “built” through transactions that are experientially and culturally-
based (whether the culture be biblical or not).
Very much like Sande’s peacemaking, this candidate’s approach is Bible-centered and
emphasizes the stewardship of conflict. With Sande, conflict is stewarded (which reflects a process-
oriented perspective that the Bible often suggests) and peace is “made.” Sande’s title Peacemakers
should probably be “Peacedoers” to reflect a more accurate translation of the word ερηνοποιός/
eirēnopoios in Matt. 5:9. But, alas, “Peacedoers” is not as emotionally satisfying as “Peacemakers”
to those individualistic persons who want to achieve (make) the outcome of interpersonal peace.
That said, in this author’s estimation, Sande’s spirit seems to be much more in line with the idea
of stewardship of conflict than with the actual procurement of peace; much more in line with the
biblical process, than the final outcome.
The candidate’s intent with this project is to propose a conflict stewardship training model
that is even more in line with collectivistic values than individualistic ones, especially in light of
the more collectivistic culture of the writers of the Bible. With this approach, conflict is stewarded
and peace is “pursued.”
Even Blanton, whose approach is Christian in nature and who employs the Bible regularly,
depends heavily on the sociopsychological model of conflict styles. With Blanton, conflict is
managed, and peace is temporarily obtained so that parties can move on
22. Actually, the candidate uses this simple phrase “Swift to hear, slow to speak, slow
to wrath” for several reasons. Because it is a biblical phrase, it encourages obedience to God.
Because it is set in a context of receiving wisdom from God, it communicates the need for constant
dependence on his wisdom. Because it is simple, it facilitates learning (even among the uneducated)
and gives confidence as to its do-ability. Because it is action-oriented, it encourages intentionality
even in high power-distance situations. Because it is a flexible expression, it allows the flexibility
for high-context, process-oriented communications.
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Third, the candidate will consider the Book of James as the point of departure
for all the stewardship concepts and habits that will be taught. For example, seven
interrelated biblical values are recognized as vital to the pursuit of peace. These values
are proactive stewardship, humility, a faith that works in spite of fears, love for others,
making the wisest choice, submission to the authorities God places in one’s life, and
thankfulness in everything. In the daily participant readings, it will be shown from
the Book of James (plus other Scriptures) how all of these values individually and
collectively are related to every key peace-pursuing practice.23
This Approach Is Culturally-Specific
Many, if not most, of conflict resolution or conflict management training
programs currently operating are designed and conducted from the cultural viewpoint
of the United States of America. Thus, most training programs for dealing with conflict
are so unconsciously soaked in individualism that they can be compared to the fish that
is unconsciously soaked in water all his life. “Wet” is a fish’s natural ambience of which
he is unconscious until he is exposed to “dry.” Highly individualistic conflict resolution
coaches are often painfully unaware of how irrelevant their perspectives and game
plans are for addressing self-evaluation, attentive listening, suspension of prejudgment,
assertion, confession, and forgiveness in a collectivistic culture.24
23. The principle practices for the pursuit of peace are approaching conflict from God’s point
of view, listening to understand the other party’s interests, suspending judgment, overlooking an
offense, evaluating oneself, speaking the truth in love (helpful and grace-filled assertion), overlooking
or forgiving an offense, confessing a fault, expressing love and honor, and commending one’s cause
to the Just Judge when resolution is not forthcoming. Thus, it will be demonstrated how each of the
seven biblical values vital to the pursuit of peace is related to the practices of the pursuit of peace.
24. For a phenomenally clear, concise, and helpful comparison of individualistic vs.
collectivistic cultures, see Harry C. Triandis in the Foreword of Handbook of Intercultural Training,
3rd ed., ed. Dan Landis, Janet M. Bennett, and Milton Bennett (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications, 2004), ix-xii.
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Thus, the majority of training programs for dealing with conflict do not naturally
take into account the multiple dynamics of collectivism even if they are (supposedly)
designed with multicultural settings in mind. Any training program that does not reflect
an appreciation, understanding, and cooperative spirit with collectivistic viewpoints is
sure to produce short-term effects in a collectivistic setting.
For better understanding of the cultural sensitivity needed here, let us compare
some representative differences between the individualistic United States culture of the
missionary team and the collectivistic culture in which the team ministers. In the United
States, people benefit from a small power-distance between an authority and one who is
subject to him. Peruvians do not. They often must submit themselves to an insensitive
authority figure and have little recourse for addressing grievances.25 In the United States,
people in conflict are mostly concerned about self-face needs with regard to their own
(individual) personal dignity. In Perú, people in conflict are concerned about mutual
face needs. In the United States, people in conflict concentrate more on the outcome of a
conflict than intricacies of the conflict stewardship process. Not in Perú. Peruvians, like
other collectivists, are more concerned about process-oriented issues. They want to feel
good about how a person or group went about resolving a problem as much or more than
whether or not it got resolved in perfect alignment with a predesigned outcome. In North
America, most conversations, and particularly those involving conflict, are low-context
communications. Peruvians communicate with the subtleties and hidden messages of
high-context communication. They consider all current transactions between two parties
25. The more pronounced the power-distance, the more varied will be the ways a person
“should” respond to conflict. Peruvians need training that is sensitive to their need for strategies
that are distinctly nuanced for dealing with superiors, for dealing with inferiors, and for dealing
with companions who are ascribed the same social status.
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to have the context of all prior communications (verbal and nonverbal), and the current
context of all discernable cues as to one’s meaning.
Because cultural issues like these are important in the ministry context in Lima,
Perú, the goal expressions, the training design, the motivational appeals, the valuations
of conflict styles, and the approach to explaining peace-promoting practices are
designed to help Peruvians steward conflict better within their cultural context. It is the
candidate’s hope to weave our understanding of the dynamics of pursuing peace with
our understanding of collectivistic culture. He expects that inasmuch as another culture
is similar to urban Peruvian culture, the paradigms and manners of expression of the
project will prove to be helpful.26 However, he suspects that each cultural consideration
would require revisiting even if the training materials of this project were utilized in the
mountain or jungle areas of Perú where power-distance and mutual face concerns are
even yet more pronounced.
This Approach Is Designed as a

Spiritual-Growth Campaign
There are three reasons why this training project is presented as a spiritual growth
campaign. First, dealing with interpersonal conflict is a highly spiritual matter. In every
conflict there are at least three parties who have an interest in the outcome: party A, party
B, and party God. Furthermore, stewarding interpersonal conflict is at once a test and a
proof of Christlikeness. There are few experiences like the trials of interpersonal conflict
that can reveal one’s lack of Christlikeness so quickly or develop it so comprehensively.
26. Each of these tendencies is even more exaggerated in the outlying provinces of
Perú than it is in our ministry setting – North Americanized, metropolitan Lima. The absence of
American televised entertainment and other cultural influences makes the provinces of Perú have
even more pronounced collectivistic characteristics.
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The stewardship of interpersonal conflict affords ample opportunity to be more like Jesus.
If the goal and measure of spiritual maturity is for a Christian to progressively think, feel,
and act more like Jesus, then interpersonal conflict is an excellent laboratory in which to
learn by experience.
Second, this training program is designed as a spiritual growth campaign because
the proactive pursuit of peace is often an absent element from the discipleship process.
Presenting the training as a 40-day spiritual growth campaign allows for more ample use
of its concepts in wider circles of influence in the ministry context in the future.
Third, packaged as a spiritual growth campaign, peace pursuing concepts and
practices are afforded the extra emphasis needed to develop a new subculture of peace
within a local church. The advantages of a 40-day spiritual growth campaign can be
summarized like this.
1. It promotes unity. A 40-day emphasis lines up all the elements and activities of
the church with the topic of pursuing peace and allows a concentrated time for
the development of peace-promoting habits. The unified emphasis exemplifies
and promotes one-mindedness and unity, which is crucial to developing a
culture of peace.
2. It encourages the people to meditate longer on important spiritual truths.
A campaign allows for the assigning of homework with the inherent extra
exposure to spiritual concepts.
3. It is a great way to train those whom God has called. It allows multiple
opportunities for leaders to influence and teach others, and thus learn even
more by teaching what they learn rather than by merely being students. It
further observes Ephesians 4:13 involving all church leaders in the task of
“leaving no one behind.”
This Approach Gives Central Regard to Conflict Stewardship
Why does the candidate speak of conflict stewardship rather than conflict
resolution, conflict management, or conflict transformation? He does so because he finds
these other terms to be inadequate for the ministry setting.

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The use of the term “conflict resolution” seems to reflect an outcome-based
orientation that is less than adequate for dealing with conflict in this process-oriented
ministry context. While conflict resolution is a very important part of conflict
stewardship, our experience is that many conflicts remain unresolved for long periods of
time. Many are not resolved even when a Christian has done his or her best to promote
peace.
For speaking of the proactive pursuit of peace, the candidate likes the term
“conflict management” more than the term “conflict resolution,” but it also leans toward
outcome-centered thinking more than process-centered thinking. Most of the literature
regarding “conflict management” seems by nature to encourage human action without
consideration for God’s interests. It seems to be more of a business-related term than a
God’s business-related term.
The candidate is thoroughly uncomfortable with the term “conflict
transformation,” though it is more other-culture friendly. “Conflict transformation” is a
very nonspecific term, and it seems to be more correlated to the human-related concerns
of the anthropologist rather than the God-and-human-related concerns of the practicing
minister.27
So, the term “conflict stewardship” is preferred. Each interpersonal conflict
is viewed as a stewardship. Each conflict is an opportunity for the human parties to
27. Lederach’s philosophy of dealing with conflict seems to be more culture-centered than
culture-sensitive. He calls it “conflict transformation,” and his primary thesis is that conflict training
in other cultures should revolve around (that is, depend upon) the local motifs, metaphors, stories,
and language expressions that any good anthropologist might observe. While Lederach wants to
be biblical, he so strives to be culturally relevant that he finds the answers to human conflict to be
best solved by the discovery and discussion of human stories. The candidate’s ministry team means
to be culturally sensitive, yet Bible-centered. They think that culturally-sensitive, Bible-dependent
training will prove more valuable than culturally-dependent, Bible-sensitive training. The candidate
proposes this to be true in all cultural ministry settings, including his ministry team’s setting.
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bring glory to God, to express love to one another, to become more like Christ, and to
commune with God. This stewardship is a responsibility that each human has to God, and
each of us will give account to him for how we stewarded our conflict opportunities.28
Project Overview
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this project is to promote the proactive pursuit of peace in the
interpersonal relationships of the church leaders and selected members of the New
Life Baptist Church of Lima, Perú, and its affiliated missions by providing them with
biblically-centered, culturally-specific instruction and opportunities to practice skills that
are vital to wise and loving conflict stewardship.
28. Poor stewardship of interpersonal conflict creates a conflict between the steward and
his God. Careless stewardship of conflict can lead to careless speaking, and we will give an account
for every careless word we speak whether in conflict or outside of it. “Out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good
things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, that
every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For
by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned”(Matt. 12:34b-36).
Careless stewardship of conflict can also lead to careless actions, and we will give an account for
all of our actions whether in conflict or outside of it. “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or
absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that
every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be
good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:9-10). God even makes determinations about our words and actions before
the final Day of Judgment comes. “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his
tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him
seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto
their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (1 Pet. 3:10-12). Therefore, the
candidate concludes that the manner in which we steward interpersonal conflict is a factor in how
God will respond to us in this life and in the life to come. Even in the midst of conflict with an
authority (such as Jesus’ examples of stewardship in Luke 16:1-8 and Matt. 25:14-30) or with a
brother who judges us (such as in Paul’s case in 1 Cor. 4:1-ff), we are to view such conflicts in light
of our own stewardship before God.
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Goals and Subgoals
Goal 1: With regard to understanding biblical ways of dealing with conflict:
(a) The candidate will discover the motives for which God appeals to his children
to be pursuers of peace in the Bible. He will then rely upon these Spirit-
breathed communications to stimulate obedience to God’s mandates to pursue
peace.
(b) The candidate will discover the ways other conflict trainers (Christian and
non-Christian) have addressed themselves to dealing with interpersonal
conflict.
Goal 2: With regard to understanding the ministry setting:
(a) The candidate will attempt to comprehend and appreciate the influence of
collectivism in Peruvian culture in relation to dealing with conflict so that
adequate training adjustments can be made.
(b) He will adapt his concepts, paradigms, value statements, appeals for
change, and skills development exercises to demonstrate appreciation of the
collectivistic values and behavior patterns of the majority of persons to whom
he is ministering.
Goal 3: With regard to changes in the thoughts, attitudes, and actions of listeners as they
steward interpersonal conflict opportunities:
(a) Cognitive-related goals: to help trainees . . .

a. to understand that every conflict is an opportunity to steward,
b. to understand how to listen to others more attentively,
c. to understand how to speak the truth in love, and
d. to understand how to deal with their anger.
(b) Affective (Conviction)-related goals: to help trainees . . .

a. to trust in God when conflict is prolonged and not immediately resolved,
b. to value listening skills as exercises in wisdom and humility.
c. to trust that God will accompany them to make any assertions they make
with the motive of love, and
d. to appreciate the emotional connection between their desires and their
anger.
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(c) Behavior/Skill-related goals: to help trainees . . .

b. to listen attentively to learn from others,
c. to speak to others about negative issues in loving ways, and
d. to make oneself aware of one’s anger and deal with it.
Goal 4. With regard to the effectiveness of the training program:
(a) The candidate will evaluate how well the project was designed for his
ministry setting.
(b) The candidate will evaluate how effectively the project was implemented.
(c) The candidate will evaluate the changes brought about by the training.
The Plan for Teaching the

Proactive Pursuit of Peace
Description of the Treatment Group
The treatment group will consist of the pastors, staff, lay leaders, participating
members, and visitors of the Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva de Mayorazgo (New Life
Baptist Church of Mayorazgo), Lima, Perú, and its affiliates. After the first week,
the number of participants observed in the project will be closed, but the invitation
to participate in all other activities of the campaign will remain open. Each of the
participants will sign a pact of participation in order to attend the additional training
sessions offered each Sunday.
The New Life Baptist Church is copastored by missionary Brian Garrison and
the candidate, David Liles, and averages an attendance of 170 persons each Sunday
morning. The population of the church consists of approximately sixty children and
110 adults. Approximately fifty to sixty adults from the three congregations, consisting
of six staff, ten small group leaders, ten lay ministers, twenty members of the church,
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and fifteen adults who attend the two missions of the mother church, will participate in
the measurement of this project. Each of these mission congregations has an average
attendance of forty to fifty persons each Sunday, and each has a national leader who
receives a partial salary from the mother church.
A Broad Description of the Training Sessions
The project will be promoted as a spiritual renovation campaign lasting forty
days. Precampaign training sessions for the leaders will be considered part of the project.
The Sunday before the campaign will serve as a propaganda event for the following
seven Sundays. The elements employed for the development of peace-pursuing skills will
be precampaign prayer meetings, a precampaign training session, sermons, follow-up
training sessions after each sermon, small group discussion meetings, and forty daily
readings.
The Sunday morning sermon will introduce the topic of the week with special
emphasis on the motives for the proactive pursuit of interpersonal peace. Each Sunday,
a new motive for pursuing peace will be presented from a single passage and will
reflect some of the exegesis of chapter 2 of this paper, but with a slightly different order.
Additional to the sermon, the song service and other service elements will be adjusted
to reflect the topic of harmony and unity among Christians. Sunday service sessions will
concentrate on the “whys” of peace pursuing.
All participants in the project will attend the Sunday morning service. The
treatment groups will be invited to remain for an additional hour and fifteen minutes of
training (a training module) that will begin thirty minutes after the service ends. During
this additional time, participants of the treatment groups will be trained in selected skills
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that promote interpersonal peace that seem especially pertinent to the Latin American
context. Half of the class time will be dedicated to the practice (the “how to’s”) of skills
that promote peace. Additionally, this treatment group will receive instruction as to how
to transmit their new skills to others in a small group setting. Small group participation
will be a requirement for invitation to the follow-up meetings.
Weekly small group sessions will be offered where the small group leaders
will teach what they are learning in the additional training sessions. The small group
participants will be given time to apply what they are learning to role-play situations.
During the prescribed lessons, preselected excerpts from a popular and humorous
television show will be used to demonstrate a violation of a skill or practice that promotes
peace. This will be followed by further explanation of the topic of the week, discussion
of issues related to the reading assignments, the practice of skills that encourage the
development of interpersonal peace, and personal examples of pursuing peace.
All participants of the project will be provided forty-two daily reading
assignments that will address the perspectives and practices of those who pursue peace.
The daily reading assignments will correspond to the topic of the week introduced in
the Sunday morning service. The Book of James will be especially consulted and used
as a point of departure for most readings. Each reading will include a Bible text, peace-
pursuing concepts and skills, and a short homework assignment. Each daily reading
is expected to require seven to ten minutes to complete. For the treatment groups,
homework will be checked on a weekly basis in small groups and on a chart publicly
posted in the church auditorium.

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An analysis of the campaign’s effectiveness will be made between three treatment
groups and a control group. Treatment group number one will consist of small group
leaders. They will participate in all parts of the campaign, including the Sunday sermons,
the follow-up training sessions, and the daily readings, and they will teach others how
to pursue peace in a small group setting. The distinguishing characteristic of this group
will be that they will be teaching to others what they are learning. Treatment group
number two will consist of small group attendees who attend the Sunday sermons, the
follow-up training sessions, and the small group sessions, and who will read at least
half of the reading assignments, but will not be required to teach the concepts to others.
Treatment group number three will consist of those who attend more than half of the
campaign sermons, but do not participate in the training or small group sessions, and their
participation will be evaluated with respect to the amount of readings they complete. The
control group will consist of those who only attend Sunday sessions (four or more), but
do not participate in a small group and claim to have read less than half of the readings.
Logistics
The dates of the campaign will be March 1 through April 12, 2009, culminating
on Easter Sunday. Propaganda for the campaign will begin four weeks before the initial
meeting and will culminate with the Sunday sermon the week before the campaign
begins. The Sunday before the campaign begins will serve as a propaganda event and is
considered part of this project. A training session of two hours on Saturday, March 7, at
3:00 p.m. will be conducted the day before the campaign begins.
The first hour of instruction for participants will occur during the Sunday morning
services in the mother church beginning at ten o’clock a.m. in the church auditorium. The
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training module will occur thirty minutes later at 12:00 noon in the church auditorium.
Childcare will be provided for those participants who need it. Sessions will be audio
recorded for those who miss a session.
The daily readings will be provided to all at the beginning of the campaign in
booklet form. Affordable replacement copies will be provided for all participants who
lose their first booklet. Also included in the participant booklet will be the outline for
the small group sessions. The small group sessions will be conducted by each respective
small group leader in the hour and day of the week that they normally conduct their
meetings. A customary, brief, handwritten, weekly report will be given by each small
group leader to the project director as to the attendance, conduction of the meeting, and
participation of the small group members (see illustration 2 in appendix 17).
Outline of the Lesson Plans
I. Pre-40-day campaign, heart-preparation week
A. Sunday morning church service, Session #1
1. Expository sermon on John 17:20-26 titled, “God Brought Peace to the

Biggest Conflict Ever”
2. Motive for pursuing peace: We should pursue peace because only then will
the world believe that God sent his Son and loves them
3. Congregational Scripture Memory – Psalm 133:1
4. Praise motive for the worship service: God loves us
5. Video presentation of a humorous conflict scenario
6. Congregation will learn the campaign jingle and sing it in harmony together
B. Training Module #1
1. Instruction
(a) Explanation of the four-step plan for teaching skills which promote
peace to others. Explain Demonstrate, Practice, and Review
(b) Overview of the topics of the upcoming campaign
(c) Review of the requirements for participation in the treatment groups
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2. Skill development exercises: practice using the four-step plan for teaching
simple skills like tying a shoe, serving drinks, sweeping a floor, etc.
C. Small Group Lesson #1 – “The Role of God in Conflict”
1. God is a God of Peace in a world full of conflict. He knows how to use

conflict to accomplish his purposes.
(a) He wants to bring glory to his name.
(b) He wants to teach us to love and serve one another better.
(c) He wants to make us to be more like Christ.
(d) He wants to improve our communion with him as he accompanies us
through conflict.
2. Discussion of the role of prayer in conflict. James 1:2-7

(a) If you ask God for help, he will help you. If you ask God for wisdom,
he will teach you.
(b) In the midst of conflict, ask to hear his voice and be willing to do what
he tells you.
3. Discussion of the ramifications of Psalm 133:1 – Drawing exercise and/or

body sculpting of harmonious and nonharmonious body stances.
II. Week One of the 40-day Harmony Campaign

1. Expository sermon on James 1:16-27
2. Motive for pursuing peace: Only by pursuing peace can we produce the
righteousness God requires
3. Congregational Scripture Memory – James 1:19-20
4. Praise Motive: God gives us wisdom when we ask for it
1. Instruction
(a) Mini-lecture on the universal role of stewardship with relation to the
pursuit of peace
(b) Our listening reveals the importance we place on others
(c) PowerPoint presentation on what active listening skills are
(d) Leaders receive a 40-day mirror29
29. This instrument will be used throughout the eight weeks of training to aid trainees in
measuring their participation in the training events and in the practice of the three central skills of
listening, lovingly asserting oneself, and emotional control in the midst of conflict. This instrument
is located in appendix 17, illustration 1.
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(e) Celebration of stories of those who pursue peace

(f) Review of the daily reading assignments
2. Skill development exercises

(a) Hand signal #1 – “The Notebook” – Use one’s finger to write on one’s
palm as the eyes are focused forward on the person speaking to them.
This will represent the care with which one is listening.
(b) Activity: “Let’s Hear the Message Behind the Message”30
(c) Activity: Evaluate the quality of listening skills. Have groups of three
tell about the first time they remember someone hurting their feelings.
Each takes a turn speaking to the person on their right while the person
on their left observes and offers an evaluation afterwards.
(d) “Let’s Help Others Learn How to Listen” – debriefing of the above
exercise with pointers for implementing the same in small group this
week
C. Small Group Lesson #2

1. Instruction – Looking Intently into God’s Word
(a) James 1:19 – What does it mean to be swift to hear and what happens
when we are not?
(b) James 1:22-25 – When we listen to God, we are to be swift to hear him
and act accordingly
(c) Read daily devotional reading #3 together – “Who Will Accomplish
Whose Purposes?”
2. Skill development exercises: Continuing in (Doing) God’s Word

(a) Review of the daily reading assignments for the week
(b) Review the memory verse for the week
(c) Small group leaders will lead their groups through the exercise “Let’s
Hear the Message Behind the Message”
III. Week Two of the Harmony Campaign

1. Expository sermon on Romans 14:10–15:3 titled, “How to Tear Down the
Work of God in Others”
2. Motive for pursuing peace: By pursuing peace, we are building one another
up instead of tearing one another down
30. This is a role-playing exercise whereby participants are asked to analyze three video
clips of a popular sitcom “Chavo del 8” to identify the possible emotions (especially fear, jealousy,
anger, and sadness), the interests/needs, and the stated positions of a person who is portraying anger
in conflict. Instructions for this activity are located in appendix 6, Training Module #2.
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3. Congregational Scripture Memory – Rom. 14:19 (17-19)

4. Praise motive for the worship service: God is able to do abundantly above
what we ask or think
1. Instruction
(a) Celebration of stories of those who pursue peace
(b) Mini-lecture on the universal role of humility with relation to pursuing
peace
(c) Provision of pointers on how to ask good questions so as not to judge
(d) Throwing trust in the gap (confessing trust to God and the person): Be a
student, not a critic
(e) Review of the daily reading assignments for the week

(a) Hand signal #2 –“The Watch” – Use one’s index finger, one points to
the back of the opposite wrist as if to point to a watch to say, “It’s not
time yet.” This action reminds us that it is not time to judge people yet.
That time is coming, and the judge will be someone else.
(b) Role-play the practice of expressions of empathy, then empathy with
firmness.
(1) Conflict scenario 1 – teenager arrives late after curfew
(2) Conflict scenario 2 – someone who owes you money and has
delayed three weeks in paying you
(3) Conflict scenario 3 – you’ve heard that the person has been talking
about you behind your back
(c) Debriefing for what has been learned and how to implement this exercise
in small group this week

1. Instruction – Looking Intently into God’s Word
(a) James 2:8-13 – Be merciful, not judgmental. Discuss the practice of
suspending judgment and use of “As-far-as-I-know-thus-far” statements
(b) Reading of daily devotional #8 together – “Don’t Destroy God’s Work
in Others”
(c) Define empathy and discuss the practice of empathy, compassion, and
sympathy
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(c) Story reading to determine if the reaction of the actors was merciful or
judgmental
(d) Role-play practice of expressions of empathy.
IV. Week Three of the Harmony Campaign

1. Expository sermon on Hebrews 12:11-17 titled, “Peace Brother! Watch Out!
There’s Danger”
2. Motive for pursuing peace: We will suffer the loss of our brothers and sisters
if we care more for our comfort than for confronting an erring family member
3. Congregational Scripture Memory – Hebrews 12:14
4. Praise motive for the worship service: God goes after the one who strays
1. Instruction
(b) The universal role of a faith that works with relation to pursuing peace
(c) Explanation of how assertion skills should be practiced if one decides it
is wise, loving, and helpful to do so
(d) Review of the daily reading assignments for the week
(a) Hand signal #3 –“The Gifts” – Both hands start behind the back and are
brought slowly forward as if bearing two gifts for someone, a gift of
truth and a gift of love. This hand signal is used for two weeks.
(b) Game: “Conquistador or Inca” – Participants will observe 10 dramatized
interactions and determine for themselves if assertion skills of the actor
were those that build (Inca) or those that tear down (Conquistador).
(c) Practice of the skill of three-part assertion messages:
(1) Share the truth about what a person has in fact done without
exaggerating the offense
(2) Share the truth about one’s feelings in response
(3) Share the truth about the results that the offense has brought about
(d) Debriefing for implementing this exercise in small group this week
(with an explanation of the traps to avoid)
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1. Instruction: Looking Intently into God’s Word

(a) Brief discussion of James 1:26 – Keep a tight rein on your tongue or
your religion is in vain
(b) Brief discussion of James 3:2-12 – The tongue cannot be finally tamed.
(c) Reading of daily devotional #18 together – An explanation of three-part
assertion messages and the traps to avoid

(b) Review of the memory verse for the week
(c) Reading a list of mistakes to avoid when confronting another
(d) Practice of the skill of three-part assertion messages
V. Week Four of the Harmony Campaign
1. Expository sermon on 1 Peter 3:8-12 titled, “God is Watching You Work for
Peace and He Will Reward You”
2. Motive for pursuing peace: God is watching us and will reward us according
to our actions, that is to say, according to whether or not we are pursuing
peace
3. Congregational Scripture Memory: 1 Peter 3:11-12
4. Praise motive for the worship service: God rewards us for everything we do
for him
1. Instruction
(b) The universal role of love with relation to pursuing peace
(c) Our words are to build up – Eph. 4:29
(d) Analyze video and ask, “What went wrong with this transaction?” using
video clips from “Chavo del 8”
(e) Review of the daily reading assignments for the week

(a) Hand signal #3 – Review of “The Gifts” – Both hands start behind the
back and are brought slowly forward as if bearing two gifts for someone,
a gift of truth and a gift of love. This hand signal is used for two weeks.
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(b) Practicing a three-part confession

(1) X was my wrong/hurtful action
(2) X was my wrong attitude
(3) I intend to do better/won’t do it again
(c) Practice of asking for forgiveness in a three-part message
(1) I did wrong/made a mistake
(2) I need your forgiveness
(3) How can I make it right?

(a) Discussion of Eph. 4:29 – God wants us to build up one another
(b) Read daily devotional reading #22 together – “Be Careful that God
Does Not Oppose You”

(c) Analyze a three-minute clip of “Chavo del 8” looking for ways that the
actors tear one another down instead of building one another up
(d) Practice asking for forgiveness in a three-part message
(1) I did wrong/made a mistake
(2) I need your forgiveness, may I have it?
(3) How can I make it right?
VI. Week Five of the Harmony Campaign
1. Expository sermon on Romans 12:9-21 titled, “Have You Done Everything

You Can to Bring Peace?”
2. Motive for pursuing peace: We make peace to build up the work of God, not
tear it down
3. Congregational Scripture Memory – Romans 12:18
4. Praise motive for the worship service: God uses us in spite of ourselves
1. Instruction
(b) The universal role of wisdom with relation to pursuing peace
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(c) Mini-lecture on forgiving the small offenses as the wise thing to do.
Merely overlooking offenses allows them to accumulate.
(d) PowerPoint. Review the blessings of forgiving/how to know if one has
truly forgiven
(e) Q & A on forgiveness issues
(f) Review of the daily reading assignments for the week

(a) Hand signal #4 –“I Forgive” – Both hands start together placed on
the heart with the elbows to one’s side. The hands move slowly
downward until they are horizontal to the ground demonstrating
openness of heart toward another person. Then with one hand, one
pretends to unlock a jail cell and with the other opens the jail cell door to
let the person free.
(b) Game: “Forbear or Forgive?” Have participants listen to a list of ten
offenses and then hold up their card as a public display of whether or not
one should forgive or forbear the offense. Use any differences of
opinion to create discussion of why certain offenses should be forgiven
and others overlooked. Then discuss how one knows when it is time to
forgive, based on Col. 3:13
(c) Practice the promises of forgiveness with regard to role-play examples in
small groups of six

(a) James 1:19-20 – The wrath of man does not work the righteousness of
God
(b) Read daily devotional #29 together – “Forgive Early and Often”
(c) Slow to wrath = Quick to forgive

(c) Play the game “Forbear or Forgive” with ten new examples
(d) Brainstorming game: Divide into two teams – teams work together to list
the largest amount of reasons why one should forgive others that are not
listed by the other team.
(e) Review the promises of forgiveness.
(1) Which will be the hardest to say?
(2) Which will be the hardest to keep?
(3) How can we get God to help us keep our promises?
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VII. Week Six of the Harmony Campaign
1. Expository sermon on James 3:18 titled, “Reaping a Harvest of

Righteousness on the Farm of Peace”
2. Motive for pursuing peace: So that we can reap more righteousness in the
future, we need to wisely sow righteousness in a culture of peace now
3. Congregational Scripture Memory – James 3:18.
4. Praise motive for the worship service: God chooses to work his miracles
through us
1. Instruction
(b) The universal role of submission (particularly with regard to God) with
relation to pursuing peace
(c) Where do you get your consolation? This will be illustrated by a cook
retrieving flour from one of three barrels. From self? (self-pity) Or from
others? (others’ compassion, empathy) From God? (prayer and
Scriptures)
(1) James 5:9-11: Don’t grumble (getting your consolation from
others)
(2) James 1:2: The trial of your faith produces patience (getting your
consolation from God)
2. Skills development exercises

(a) Hand signal #5/5 –“Hearing the Trumpet Call” – One places one’s right
hand behind one’s ear and looks to the sky so as to hear the trumpet
signifying Christ’s second coming. This demonstrates the hope one
has of being rescued from long-term conflict by God in this life or in the
second coming of Christ.
(b) Game: “Rate that Anger”
(1) Groups of six will rate 10 words that express frustration or anger
in order from the least intense to the most intense.
(2) Then, as a large group, watch three clips of “Chavo del 8” and
determine which adjective is most appropriate to apply to each
scenario
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(b) “Where do you get your consolation” (see above)
(c) Read and discuss seven brief biblical passages about finding consolation
in God
2. Skills development exercises: Continuing in (Doing) God’s Word

(c) Game: “Rate that Anger” (see above)
VIII. Week Seven of the Harmony Campaign
D. Sunday morning church service, Session #8
1. Expository sermon on Rom. 4:1-5:5 titled, “Faith in the Prince of Peace

brings us Peace with God and Others”
2. Congregational scripture memory – James 3:18
3. Praise motive for the worship service: We can have peace with God through
the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
E. Training Module #8
1. Instruction
(a) The universal role of thankfulness/gratitude with relation to pursuing
peace
(b) Debriefing of key concepts learned from the conference Harmony,
vote to choose the top three key concepts
2. Skills development exercises

(a) Debriefing discussion of which peace-pursuing skills seemed to be the
most profitable and why
F. Small Group Lesson #8
1. Video Presentation or PowerPoint presentation or laminated board

presentation regarding what has been learned in the campaign
2. Review of the favorite memory verses of the campaign
3. Review of the daily reading assignments for the week

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4. Discussion of how our new knowledge and skills apply in our lives
(a) Which of the 7 campaign values of daily reading #41 stood out to you
and why?
(b) Which of the 6 campaign habits listed in daily reading #42 do you
feel has best been developed in your life during this campaign? Please
give an example
5. What relationships does thankfulness have with our making peace?
Measurement Tools
Measurement of this project will include four elements. First, a pretest/posttest
will be administered at the beginning of campaign Harmony.31 Its purpose is to establish
a comparison point for the various cognitive, affective, and behavioral elements that
correspond with the goals regarding the pursuit of interpersonal peace. Second, this same
test will be given four to six weeks after the end of the campaign to reveal any lasting
shift in knowledge, values, or behavior. Questions 1-9 will help measure knowledge
changes, questions 10-18 will help measure behavioral changes, and questions 19-27
will help measure any affective (conviction) changes. Third, at the time of the final
administration of the pretest/posttest, forty of the participants will be randomly chosen
to participate in an interview regarding the benefits of having received the Harmony
training.32 These interviews will be conducted by the candidate, his wife, and church
staff. Finally, a collection of stories of peacemaking efforts will be compiled and publicly
posted throughout the campaign and shared as peacemaking “legends.”33 The continuous
31. The pretest/posttest questions are located in appendix 12.
32. Ten interviews will be conducted for each of the three treatment groups and ten for the
control group. The questions for this interview are located in appendix 13.
33. Small group leaders and church staff will be responsible for collecting the stories.
Prizes will be offered for those who tell the best stories and those who collect the best stories from
others.
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collection of stories is hoped to encourage the practice of the skills and habits necessary
for promoting interpersonal peace.
Resources
The following is a list of the special resources needed and expenditures expected
to operate the campaign Harmony.
1. Campaign logo design $ 50.00

2. Pretest/Posttest, 160 @ $.25 40.00
3. 400 Campaign Booklets, 400 @ $2 800.00
4. PowerPoint presentations design 20.00
5. Writing of a musical jingle 40.00
6. Memory verse bookmarker design and printing, 1,000 copies 80.00
7. Childcare for training sessions, $13 @ 7 weeks 91.00
8. Burn copies of the DVDs for small groups, 20 groups @ $5 100.00
9. Procure copies of the television show, 8 videos @ $10 each 80.00
10. Purchase music for use in campaign 50.00
11. Campaign promotional materials:
a. Banners, 3 @ $50 = $150 and 2 @ $15 = $30 180.00
b. Bulletin inserts for three weeks 500 @ $.10 50.00
c. Prizes for the best 3 peacemaking stories.
Three Music CDs @ $12 36.00
TOTAL $1,617.00
Total costs are estimated at $1,617.00, of which about $400.00 should be
recuperated by charging the church members for a portion of the price of the campaign
books.
Assumptions
It is assumed that the topic of the lifelong proactive pursuit of interpersonal peace
will be received well in the New Life Baptist Church and its affiliates, and that staff and
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small group leaders will cooperate enthusiastically and will conduct their small group
sessions according to plan.
It is assumed that the topic of pursuing peace will strike a resonant chord in the
hearts of the participants and encourage their full participation. It is further assumed that
the inclusion of portions of a comedic and popular television show in training and small
group sessions will effectively attract and hold the audience’s attention.
It is assumed that, of the central peace-pursuing skills presented,34 the hardest
skill to master will be that of confronting others, and will therefore provide the greatest
opportunity to produce significant long-term change. The second hardest skill will be that
of forgiving. It is assumed that the participants will idealistically overestimate their own
skills at the beginning of the project and will be surprised by the evaluations of others.
It is assumed that those who participate most will benefit the most. It is assumed
that the public sessions will be well attended, but that the assigned reading materials will
be completed by approximately half of the participants. Thus, heavy emphasis will be
given on the practice of skills during the training sessions. Also, those church leaders who
receive the training will further their understanding as they lead a small group to learn
and practice peace-promoting skills.
It is assumed that some make-up sessions will be necessary for those who miss
a Sunday service or follow-up training session, thus necessitating the recording of all
training sessions. This is certainly part of working in Latin American churches.
34. The training will concentrate on listening skills, assertion skills, and anger control
skills. Of the three, Peruvians are best at listening. Assertion skills will be vital to the success of
the project because Peruvians are not likely to use mediation. They will need to learn to assert
themselves in honoring ways or swallow the conflict. Forgiveness will be treated as an anger
management skill to be practiced early or late in the conflict stewardship process.
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It is assumed that the participants will be more likely to learn and practice
the listening, assertion, and anger management skills in direct relation to the cultural
sensitivity with which they are presented. Thus, appeals to and training for the pursuit
of interpersonal peace will be effective inasmuch as they are designed to relate to the
cultural dynamics of Peruvians.35
It is assumed that the participants in this project will answer the pretest/posttest
evaluative questions more honestly and accurately if they feel a measure of accountability
for their answers. Our previous research included the use of blind surveys and tended
to produce a rose-colored glasses effect. Our church members consistently showed they
viewed their own relationships far more positively than those of others and yet at the
same time reported feeling distance within their close relationships. Thus, participants
will be asked to record their names on the pretest/posttest evaluations.
It is assumed, based on multiple interviews with pastors, counselors and
missionaries in Perú, that Christians in Lima, Perú, do not generally rely on third-party
mediators to help them resolve a dispute, as would be expected in other collectivistic
honor/shame based cultures. This makes the assertion skills that are taught to be of
central importance for God-pleasing conflict stewardship.
35. Peruvian culture, as opposed to the culture of the candidate, is honor/shame based
(as opposed to guilt/innocence based), collectivistic (not individualistic), process-oriented (not
outcome-oriented), high-context, and oriented to large power-distance. Because of this, the
definition of speaking the truth in love will integrate honor elements (honor/shame); the appeals
to practice the pursuit of peace will be those God presents as community-oriented (collectivistic);
the training session time will be dominated by the practice of skills more than the intellectual
understanding of them; we will speak of conflict stewardship (process-oriented) rather than
conflict resolution (outcome-oriented); participants will collect and share stories about personal
peacemaking experiences (high-context); and anger management skills will be directed to deal with
both high power-distance and low power-distance frustrations.
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It is assumed that addressing the topic of peacekeeping will uncover many
personal situations that will require follow-up counseling during and after the campaign.
Limitations
a. This project is limited to the church leaders and selected members of the New
Life Baptist Church of Mayorazgo, Lima, Perú, its two daughter missions, and
the Nuevo Amanecer Baptist Church.
b. This training project is limited to the weeks of March 1, 2009, to April 12, 2009.
c. This project is limited to the topic of promoting harmony and unity among
Christians through the development of paradigms and skills that promote
interpersonal peace.
d. This project is limited to six principle instructors: Pastor Walter Mattos, Deacon
Edison Perez, Pastor Antonio Quispe, Pastor Brian Garrison, Deacon Jonathan
Rafael, and the candidate.
e. This project is limited to the physical and mental abilities of the selected
participating members.
Key Definitions
Several definitions are central to understanding this project, particularly
with regard to the proactive pursuit of peace. These words are used throughout this
presentation.
1. Peace – a providentially arranged state of tranquility, rest, and freedom from

disturbance. Peace can be experienced internally even when external factors
do not promote it.
2. Interpersonal peace – interpersonal tranquility, a freedom from conflict that

allows for cooperation of effort if the parties so desire.
3. Proactive – the nonreactionary, independently generated, purposeful,

intentional, and conscious effort of a person to cause an effect. That is to
say, in the realm of conflict stewardship, a proactive effort is independently
generated based on conviction, convenience, or conscious personal choice
without central regard for any negative actions or reactions of another person.
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4. Proactive pursuit of peace – the purposeful, proactive, and persistent practice

of that which promotes interpersonal peace. Pursuing peace conveys the idea
of a conscious willingness to pay the necessary price to promote peace that is
backed up by compatible actions. One who is pursuing peace does one’s part;
one does what is within one’s means and strength to promote or procure peace.
5. Peacemaking – the practice of that which will likely secure or promote

interpersonal peace. Peacemaking does not always make (produce) peace, as
peace is dependent on the cooperation of both parties. Peacemaking refers
far more to the intentions and attempts of a person to promote and/or secure
interpersonal peace than the final result.
6. Unity – the presence of understanding, harmony, goodwill, and desire to

cooperate between two or more people.36 While unity is not possible without
peace, unity does not automatically follow peace. That is to say, two parties
can be at peace, but not experience any measure of unity.
7. Conflict – a difference of needs, preferences, or perspectives colored by

competing desires to procure one’s preference or determine the ultimate
outcome. Conflict is a natural part of a world where individuals are created
differently and allowed free will. It is not always a bad thing. It is always a
good opportunity. Conflict can often be solved by creating a new solution that
takes into account the needs, preferences, and perspectives of others, or by
a submission of the desire of one to the desire of another, or by a reframing
of the competing needs within ones’ own mind, or by a combination of such
factors.
8. Stewardship of conflict – the purposeful intent and responsible actions that

take advantage of the conflict opportunities that God allows. A good steward
of conflict uses the resources God provides to resolve or avoid all unnecessary
conflict. A good steward of conflict seeks to take full advantage of necessary
conflict opportunities. Further, a good steward of conflict attempts to bring
honor to God, demonstrate love toward others, and grow in Christlikeness
by leveraging the dynamics of conflict for the benefit of all. A good steward
of conflict will also accept unresolved conflict as a superior (perhaps even
necessary) opportunity to better know the One who is in control of all.
9. Conflict opportunity – the perspective that all conflicts provide an opportunity

to accomplish the best for all parties and God at the same time. These
opportunities are those naturally occurring differences in perspective,
opinion, needs, wants, or positions whereby the parties have the opportunity
36. For this project, mutual understanding is regarded as the intellectual element, feelings
of emotional harmony as the affective element, and goodwill and desire to cooperate as the
volitional elements necessary for unity.
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to look to God to benefit all involved as differences are appreciated, respect

and love are communicated, and needs are met. The greatest opportunity
in interpersonal conflict is one of communion with God. As one in conflict
tries to simultaneously bring glory to God, grow to be like Christ, and love
one’s neighbor, he or she will sense an ever deeper communion with God
for having lined up with his purposes. Certainly one’s love and enjoyment of
God will only be enhanced by leaning on his wisdom to steward a conflict to
accomplish his purposes, which is always the best for all involved.
10. Small group – a group of church members that met in homes throughout the
campaign to review the Harmony Campaign principles. The average size of
these groups was five to ten.
11. Mini group – a group of three or four persons who joined together during the
extra leadership training sessions to do skills development exercises.
12. Comparison group – a group of participants whose involvement in the

campaign was similar in intensity and commitment.
CHAPTER FOUR
PROJECT REPORT
Implementation
Sunday Morning Churchwide Motivational Sessions
The purpose of the eight Sunday morning churchwide sessions was to present
the motivating factors for pursuing peace with all men. They were presented in the
Vida Nueva de Mayorazgo church (which includes the Sunday evening Santa Clara
congregation) and in two congregations in Villa El Salvador (Nuevo Amanecer and Cristo
el Fundamento) on the planned dates, March 1, to April 12, 2009.1 Each sermon was
preached according to plan by David Liles, Walter Mattos, and Antonio Quispe at the
same hour. PowerPoint illustrations were used in Mayorazgo, but not in the other two
congregations because both lacked the appropriate equipment.2 Sermon outlines were
provided to all attendees in the Harmony Campaign Devotional Notebook (see appendix
15). Each sermon was presented in expository form from a single passage and answered
the question, “Why should we pursue peace with all men?” All Sunday morning sessions
in all three congregations were well attended, each averaging an increase of about 10
percent during the campaign.
1. The Mayorazgo church has Sunday evening meetings in two locations, and the Cristo
el Fundamento church changes location to El Mirador for a mission meeting. Approximately ten
adults attend the Mirador meeting that do not attend in the morning at Cristo el Fundamento, while
twenty adults who had attended in the morning are absent during the evening service. See table 8 in
appendix 16 for a structure chart of the congregations involved.
2. The costs for the campaign approximated the budget of $1,617.00 very closely and were
paid for by the candidate. Monies for the devotional notebooks were not recovered as originally
planned. When participants lost their notebook and needed a new one, they were charged $3.00.
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The programming of each Sunday morning session also included the review
of memory verses, songs that matched the theme of interpersonal harmony, prayer for
harmony, and bulletin and pulpit announcements of other harmony related events during
the week such as Sunday evening sessions, training modules for leaders, and small group
sessions.
The first sermon was a precampaign sermon concentrating on the evangelistic
and preevangelistic benefits of pursuing peace. It was titled, “God Brought Peace to the
Greatest Conflict Ever.”3 A humorous video presentation was made in the Mayorazgo
congregation to advertise the upcoming small group sessions and training modules. The
congregation was invited to unite hands in prayer for harmony.
The second sermon was the first of the 40-day campaign. It was titled, “How to
Bring Peace into Every Conflict.”4 The campaign jingle was taught to the Mayorazgo
congregation, but was used only once more in the third week.5
The third sermon, titled “How to Tear down the Work of God in Others,”
dealt with judgment and selfishness.6 The fourth, titled “Peace Brother! Watch Out!
There’s Danger,” addressed corporate responsibility for caring for and disciplining
3. This sermon was preached on February 22, 2009. Consult appendix 5 for the outline.
4. This sermon was preached on March 1, 2009. Consult appendix 5 for the outline. After
the session, pastor Walter Mattos reported that many of his congregation were currently in spats
with a family member or a neighbor, and relayed his perception that we were addressing a need far
more significant than he at first had thought.
5. In the third week, a substitute song director took it upon himself to lead the congregation
in an impromptu rendition of the jingle, but he sang it with another melody and quite off-tune. The
rendition caused such laughter that it was thought best to discontinue using it. The harmony jingle
had to be sacrificed for harmony’s sake. It was not taught in the other congregations.
6. This sermon was preached on March 8, 2009. Consult appendix 5 for the outline.
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members of a congregation.7 This sermon was particularly well received in each of
the three congregations. The fifth sermon was delivered to encourage a view toward
God’s response to our stewardship of conflict. God rewards us for doing the right thing
relationally and resists us for doing the wrong thing. It was titled, “God Is Watching You
Work for Peace and He Will Reward You.”8
The sixth sermon provided a paradigmatic shift for most. It was titled, “Have You
Done Everything You Can to Make Peace?” and concentrated on preparing for conflict
before it happens and thoroughly dealing with it when it does happens.9 The penultimate
sermon, “Reaping a Harvest of Righteousness on the Farm of Peace,” focused on the
importance of sowing righteousness (seeds) in the context of peaceful relationships (soil)
with the hope of reaping more righteousness in one’s own life and in the life of others
(harvest).10
The final sermon was delivered on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009. The attendance
was high in all three main congregations.11 The topic was “Faith in the Prince of Peace
Brings Peace with God and Others.”12 After the morning session, attendees of the three
main congregations (Mayorazgo, Cristo el Fundamento, and Nuevo Amanecer) were
7. This sermon was preached on March 15, 2009. Consult appendix 5 for the outline. An
unexplainable oppressive spirit was present in the Mayorazgo meeting, something that three church
leaders regarded as palpable. Notably, the follow-up training session was completely free of this
spirit.
10. This sermon was preached on April 5, 2009. Consult appendix 5 for the outline.
11. The attendance in Mayorazgo was 190, in Cristo el Fundamento 60, and in Nuevo
Amanecer it was 65 – about 20-25 percent more than an average Sunday morning.
12. Consult appendix 5 for the outline.

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invited to stay for lunch and share their testimonies of what they had learned from
Campaign Harmony. Eight testimonies were given in the Mayorazgo church, most of
them emotionally moving in nature.
Weekly Training Modules for Leaders
After each of the eight Sunday morning sessions, an additional time of instruction
was conducted for church leaders, staff, and leaders of small groups. Each module
included a mini lecture (20-25 minutes) with handouts, exercises for developing the six
conflict stewardship skills/habits (30-35 minutes), a review of how many leaders had
asked their attendees about their daily readings (5 minutes), an explanation of how to
guide the small group session for the week (15 minutes), and prayer time (5-25 minutes).
Handouts of a PowerPoint presentation were given in sessions 2-7 though they were not
always projected on the wall.13
In the Mayorazgo church this instructional time occurred in the auditorium
twenty minutes after dismissal of the congregation (approximately 12:00–1:15 p.m.). The
average attendance was forty-one leaders. Refreshments and child care were provided by
the candidate.
The candidate permitted pastor Antonio Quispe to lead his congregation to
participate in Campaign Harmony after considerable insistence on the pastor’s part. His
church is in Villa el Salvador, only six blocks away from Pastor Walter Mattos’ church
which was already going to receive a separate training session. The leaders of both
of the Villa congregations (Cristo el Fundamento and Nuevo Amanecer) met together
13. In our ministry subculture, handouts are given, but PowerPoint displays are seldom
used because most congregations cannot afford a projector.
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the following evening (Mondays) between 8:00-9:45. Their average attendance was
sixteen, attendees tended to arrive late, and thus extra prayer time was incorporated at
the beginning of each session. All training modules were conducted by the candidate.
Refreshments were provided by the hosting church.
The first training module was a precampaign session. The leaders of Mayorazgo
were led in an exercise where, in groups of three, each person had to train another
how to sweep the floor, mop, or wipe clean a chair or wall, all exercises that everyone
already knew how to do. The exercise demonstrated the importance of teaching skills
methodically. “First we explain, then we demonstrate, then we allow the student to
practice, then we review their progress. Explain, Demonstrate, Practice, Review.” Over
and over again they were required to evaluate the quality and thoroughness of one
another’s instructions. During the Harmony Campaign, leaders of small groups would
be responsible for leading others in skill-building exercises. Participants repeatedly
laughed at themselves as they recognized how the methodical teaching of skills required
discipline, intentionality, clarity, and patience. Even after thirty-five minutes of practicing
together, some still felt clumsy in following the steps so they were reviewed the second
week. Small group leaders were asked to make weekly recordings of their members’ daily
reading of the campaign notebook. A video of portions of an episode of “Chavo del 8”
was provided to each small group leader for future exercises.
In the first Villa training module session, there was some confusion as to whether
or not all church leaders were invited, thus, only the pastor from Nuevo Amanecer
attended. Ten leaders from Cristo el Fundamento were present. Pastor Walter Mattos
led all in a thirty-five-minute prayer and orientation session to start off, reducing the
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time for training. The “Explain, Demonstrate, Practice, Review” exercise had to be
skipped. Instead, a detailed overview of the campaign’s key concepts was provided and
the Harmony Campaign Devotional Notebook was presented and reviewed. During the
campaign, group leaders in Villa were not asked to record the readings of small group
participants. Instead, a large banner was placed in each congregation’s auditorium
where participants could mark how many readings they had completed.14 Three leader/
participants openly expressed surprise that we would be spending forty days on one topic.
In both groups, video clips of an episode of “Chavo del 8” and notebooks were
provided to all group captains. The campaign notebook was presented and reviewed. The
requirements for participation in the project were reviewed as well.
In the second of eight training modules, the central skill presented was “Listening
to the Message Behind the Message.” The mini lecture elements included “Five Steps
to Listening Well,” “Listening to the Emotional Message Behind the Verbal Message,”
and “Listening So as to Identify Others’ Needs.” The kinesics learning motion called
“The Notebook” was taught to demonstrate active listening skills and their relationship
to the stewardship of conflict.15 Daily reading #3, “Who Will Accomplish Whose
Purposes” was read together. The small group session for the week was reviewed, and
two video clips of “Chavo del 8” were used to help trainees practice listening skills (in
Mayorazgo only), particularly emphasizing the identifying of others’ needs and avoiding
14. This approach turned out to be far more effective than tracking individuals’
performance as participants were urged to read the readings under social pressure. Others would
see whether or not they marked the boxes! It was so effective, that it was immediately adopted
for the Mayorazgo congregation and used in place of the “40-day mirror” shown in appendix 17,
illustration 1.
15. An explanation of the exercise can be found in chapter 3 under “Outline of the Lesson
Plan,” II., B., 2(a).
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judging others too soon. The large groups were then divided into mini groups of three.
The first participant was asked to share an emotional story from their past. The second
participant, designated “the listener,” repeated the story back, attempting to identify the
others’ hidden message. The third participant, “the evaluator,” evaluated the listener’s
performance. Each of the participants took turns playing all three roles.16
In this second Mayorazgo training module, the PowerPoint mini lecture notes on
listening skills were provided to all forty-three participants; however, the mini lecture
was skipped to allow time for the practice of listening skills. Trainees were asked to relate
stories regarding the pursuit of peace, but in this new group of more than forty people, no
one responded, which can be considered typical for an honor/shame based culture. The
primary reason they were asked was to remind them that they would be asked each week
to relate stories of conflict stewardship from their own personal lives and from their small
group participants’ lives. The Mayorazgo small group leaders reported a high percentage
of small group participants reading the daily readings.
In the Monday evening training module in Villa, the listening skills were taught
and practiced in groups of three. The video was replaced by stories that leaders told
about family conflicts or emotional experience from the past. The refreshments arrived
early and were placed in the center of the circle of participants. Since lunch is the big
meal in Perú and most had not eaten anything for eight hours, the meeting was almost
immediately cut short. Welcome to the mission field!
The third of eight training modules began with prayer, a review of how many
were participating in the daily readings (of which the participation was much higher than
16. Handouts for Training Module #2 are located in appendix 6. All participants were given
a copy of each and extra copies of the group exercises for the members of their small groups.
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expected), a mini lecture (seven minutes) on the role of humility in the pursuit of peace,
a review of the kinesics signs “The Notebook,” and an introduction to “The Watch,” and
an additional mini lecture of “Three Options that Are Better Than Judging.”17 We read
James 2:8-9, 12-13, Proverbs 20:5, Romans 12:15, 1 Corinthians 12:26, and the daily
reading #8 titled, “Don’t Destroy the Work of God,” together. A review of peace-pursuit
stories was skipped to save time for exercises.
For the exercise time, participants were divided into groups of three again,
preferably with those whom they had already participated. A role-play exercise was
employed to practice humility when rebuking. Three conflict scenarios were presented
and group participants were instructed to make up responses to the offenders. They were
to use statements that reflected the following sentiments, “as far as I know, the following
is true . . . ” (to avoid prejudging), “Did I understand you correctly when you said . . . ? (to
express empathy), and “in any case . . . ” (to rebuke with firm kindness).
The fourth training modules began with prayer and a time for sharing of peace
pursuit stories in mini groups (ten minutes). It was followed by a mini lecture on “Traps
to Avoid When Mentioning Another’s Fault,” and another on the role of a “faith that
works” in the pursuit of harmony. The participants played the game of “Conqueror
vs. Inca,”18 read Galatians 6:1-4, and read the daily reading #18 titled, “Mentioning a
Fault, Speaking the Truth about the Facts of an Offense.” Finally, participants practiced
rebuking with a role-modeling exercise called, “The Three Steps for Mentioning
Another’s Fault,” using the three case scenarios introduced in the previous week. After
17. The three options are asking good questions, suspending judgment, and expressing
empathy. Handouts for Training Module #3 are located in appendix 7.
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a debriefing period, participants reviewed the small group lesson for the week and were
dismissed.
Since no one had responded to tell stories in Mayorazgo in the previous sessions,
participants were divided into mini groups of three to tell a personal story or a small
group participants’ story that reflected the pursuit of peace. They responded much better
to this adjustment.
The fifth training module began with prayer, followed by a review of who had
completed the daily readings and a review of the kinesics signs, “The Notebook,” “The
Watch,” and “The Gifts.” They were followed by a mini lecture on the role of love in
the pursuit of harmony, including the reading of 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, James 2:8, and
Ephesians 4:29. Then the daily reading #22 was read together, titled “Be Careful, God
Doesn’t Oppose You!”19 Mini group participants were given the choice of practicing
confessing a fault or asking forgiveness for one. They were provided three steps for both
exercises. Most groups chose to practice both in the thirty minutes allotted. Exemplary
offenses were provided by audience suggestions and a list of ten kinds of offenses
provided by the instructor. Some of the mini groups from both training module sessions
reported confessions of real sins and offenses that were rather embarrassing.20 Both
sessions were conducted very similarly with the session in Villa, allowing for more time
on scriptural exposition. Many participants in both training groups reported that the
18. This game consisted of reading several examples of rebuking, and evaluating each as to
whether the comment tore down or built up the other person. Handouts for Training Module #4 are
located in appendix 8.
19. Handouts for Training Module #5 are located in appendix 9.
20. This also was a better response than expected.

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video analysis was too complicated for small group sessions and they were instructed to
discontinue using it.
In this and the following two sessions, the seating arrangement of the forty plus
Mayorazgo participants was changed. Instead of sitting in rows, they were seated in the
form of a U to create a warmer atmosphere. This adjustment seemed to have substantial
positive effect.
The sixth training module began with the celebration of stories. Again, there was
little response in either session. The kinesics learning signs previously presented were
reviewd and “The Jail” was added – a sign for representing forgiveness. An explanation
on the role of wisdom in the pursuit of peace was offered, including an emphasis on the
wisdom of forgiving others. A list of fifteen benefits of forgiving were reviewed, five
each addressing our relationship with God, with ourselves, and with others. James 3:13-
17, Colossians 3:12-13, and daily reading #29, titled “Forgiving Early and Often,” were
read.21
To increase participants’ discernment in whether or not a certain offense should
be forgiven or forborne, a game called “Forgive or Forbear” was played in which
participants voted to forgive or forbear a named offense.22 Interestingly, most study case
votes were rather evenly divided and provided healthy debate, which probably reflected
different personalities, backgrounds, and prior experiences.
A polemic question was purposefully raised concerning the feelings that
accompany forgiveness with a corresponding explanation that forgiveness is a seven-step
22. Consult appendix 10 for an explanation of the exercise and a list of the case offenses.
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process that eventually produces better feelings and a review of the promises that help
confirm forgiveness even when the feelings of healing are not yet present.
The seventh training module began with a special emphasis on sharing our peace
pursuit stories with one another. Small group leaders were provided a list of twenty-five
lessons central to the campaign and directed to adjust their lessons to provide half the
time for the sharing of members’ favorite concepts accompanied by a personal story
as example.23 Thus, the planned video to be used for helping discern levels of anger
was not used. The previous kinesics learning signs were reviewed and the final one,
“The Trumpet,” was introduced to represent our longing for the trumpet of the second
coming of Christ to remove us from all sources of irritation. A brief explanation was
given on the role of submission in the pursuit of harmony, and James 5:7-11 and 1:2-4
were read and explained. A mini lecture was given regarding the sources of consolation
(self-consolation, other-centered consolation, and God-centered consolation) to
demonstrate the wisdom of seeking consolation in God so as to avoid unnecessary anger.
The training groups were instructed to divide into mini groups of three and tell peace-
pursuit stories reflecting one of the central principles of the campaign. The allotted time
(twenty minutes) for this exercise was insufficient. The session was wrapped up with the
candidate sharing on the universal role of thankfulness in the development of the other
six values that undergird peace-pursuit efforts.
The eighth session consisted of a debriefing of what had been learned. All were
provided another copy of the principal concepts learned throughout the campaign
and given forty minutes to pencil mark their favorite three concepts and share a story

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regarding one of them with the entire training group. Trainees in Mayorazgo paid for
a meal and stayed afterwards to tell the stories. The Monday evening Villa session did
not include a meal, but was essentially a debriefing of lessons learned. In both leaders’
events, seven to eight emotional stories were shared regarding different people’s
perspectives and feelings. It was emotionally moving to hear of the healing of marriage
relationships, relationships between parents and children, and between brothers and
sisters, all having benefited from our experience together.
Weekly Small Group Sessions in Homes
Thirty small groups met in homes during the campaign. Their leaders were
instructed on a weekly basis as to what to teach and were provided lesson plans. Group
leaders were not asked if they followed the lessons to the letter. To do so would have
been little more than a study of the tension between Latin American idealism and realism.
The small group leaders had the opportunity to teach the concepts to others, a learning
experience in itself.
Eight small group lessons were provided in the Harmony Campaign Devotional
Notebook to guide the small groups from the precampaign week through the seventh
week of the campaign. Each group met for the entire time without fail and reported
having covered the lessons prescribed. In each lesson, scriptures were discussed, the
weekly memory verse was reviewed, a selected daily reading was read together, all
participants were asked if they were reading the daily readings and their answers recorded
anonymously, discussion questions were planted to encourage participation, and skill
exercises were practiced.

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Sunday Evening Values-Training Sessions and

Children’s Church Sessions
As in any ministry situation, new needs arise at the end of or after a planning
session that call for an adjustment of plans. To aid in the processing of the values
fundamental to the pursuit of peace, lessons for children and Sunday evening lessons for
adults were developed from Bible stories that illustrated the pursuit of harmony. Neither
of these teaching elements was part of the original project design and was not tracked for
results or effects.24
The lessons for the children were used in the Vida Nueva de Mayorazgo, Nuevo
Amanecer, and Cristo el Fundamento congregations. They served as reinforcement of the
principles for the children’s teachers (who had to miss the motivational sermons because
they were teaching) and made for a positive sentiment that the children were included in
the important process of learning to promote harmony.
The Sunday evening adult lessons were used in the Mayorazgo, Santa Clara (a
Sunday evening extension of Mayorazgo), Mirador (a Sunday evening extension of
Cristo el Fundamento), and the Nuevo Amanecer congregations. In some cases, they were
preached as a sermon (Santa Clara), in others they were presented in a large group setting
that later divided into smaller discussion groups (as in the Mayorazgo, Nuevo Amanecer,
and Mirador congregations).
24. While it might be argued that the Sunday evening values-training sessions had a
measurable influence on the outcomes, the unforeseen causes section regarding Santa Clara might
weigh as a counterargument to their effectiveness as a substitute for the morning sessions. See a
more detailed explanation under heading titled “Unforeseen Causes” (seventh cause).
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Results of Measurement Tools
Pretest vs. Posttest
The pretest/posttest consisted of twenty-seven statements, divided into three
segments of nine statements, designed to measure changes in thoughts, in feelings, and in
habits.25 Respondents rated their agreement on a scale of 1-7, 7 reflecting total agreement
and 1 reflecting total disagreement.
It was hoped that the Harmony Campaign would produce more agreement with
some statements and less agreement with others.26 If, after the campaign, participants
were expected to be more in agreement with a given statement and they were, that
was considered a gain. If, after the campaign, participants were expected to be less in
agreement and they reported to so be, that also was considered a gain, even though it
would be demonstrated by a lower number in order to convey less agreement.27
In the three congregations, 134 people took the pretest. Of them, 79 also took the
posttest.28 According to the pretest/posttest, Campaign Harmony produced the expected
gain in 25 of the 27 statements.29
25. Statements 1-9 are designed to measure cognitive changes, statements 10-18 behavioral
changes, and statements 19-27 affective (conviction) changes.
26. Statements 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, and 27 were considered those
statements with which participants should agree more after the campaign and thus should record a
higher number on their posttest. Statements 4, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, and 26 were those
statements with which they should agree less and thus should record a lower number on the posttest.
27. The statements with which participants were expected to disagree more tended to produce
less gain. On average, they produced a change of only .20 of “gain” per statement. The statements
that were intended to produce more agreement netted the higher average of .44 points of “gain” per
statement.
28. Interestingly, as 55 people took the pretest and did not take the posttest because of
absence to church on the day it was given, so too 49 people took the posttest who had not taken the
pretest. Churches ebb and flow in attendance over an eight-week period, demanding that a skills-
training project be designed for select members of the church rather than for all attendees.
29. The two statements that did not produce the expected gain had very low scores of change.
Statement 9 (My tongue does more damage to others’ lives than to mine) was expected to produce
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The largest gains were with reference to statements 6, 8, 13, 16, 18, 20, and 24.30
Gains were spread rather evenly over the three dynamics of change, knowledge, behavior,
and feelings (conviction), with behavioral change registering the highest gain.31 This
supports the assumption that the conflict stewardship training is effective in producing
change in all three learning dynamics.32
more disagreement. Instead, it produced a slight (.11) increase in agreement. This could have been
due to the testing method that some later reported as “confusing,” the possibly poor translation of
the statement on the test, the fact that the subject was only addressed once in one daily reading,
by participants’ increased consciousness of how much damage their tongue did to other’s lives,
or by random interpretations by different respondents. Nonetheless, it was hoped to convince the
participants that the tongue has enormous potential for damage to one’s own life as well as to the
lives of others. More teaching should be included in future versions of the campaign to transmit this
concept better. Statement 12 also recorded a slight (.20) increase in agreement when an increase in
disagreement was the goal. As with statement 9, the translation is poor, and not enough teaching
was done on the subject. This statement was not directly addressed at all throughout the campaign.
It was hoped that participants would catch the conclusion that confronting in healthy ways applies
even to the relationship with one’s boss. They seemed not to have come to that conclusion unaided.
Nonetheless, this increase in agreement may indicate a desire to make peace with the boss instead
of making waves.
30. With statement 20 (Conflict is always related to the sin of someone involved)
respondents were expected to agree less after the campaign. They reported agreeing less as
reflected in the average negative gain of .81. All the other statements that scored highest were
positive statements with which participants were expected to be more in agreement after the
trainings. Statement 13 (When people are hostile toward me I tend to ask questions of them to seek
to understand their reasoning and feelings before answering back) produced an average positive
gain of .80; statement 24 (I consider conflict between people to be more of an opportunity than a
problem) produced an average gain of .75; statement 16 (When I am in conflict, I act as though I
want God’s approval more than anyone else’s) produced an average gain of .71; statement 6 (When
I get angry, it is because I want something) produced an average gain of .67; statement 8 (The
reason I judge others too soon is because of my poor listening skills) produced an average gain of
.65; statement 18 (Before getting angry, I pray to ask God’s permission) produced an average gain
of .62.
31. Statements 1-9 produced a net gain of .30 per person per statement. Statements 10-18
produced a net gain of .46 per person per statement. Statements 19-27 produced a net gain of .35
per person per statement. See table 5 in appendix 16 to view this comparison.
32. Of the 79 participants who returned a pretest and a posttest, 63 experienced an overall
positive gain, registering an average of .55 gain per statement, and 16 reported a negative change
(loss) of an average of -.34 per statement.
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Of the three congregations, the highest gains were measured in the Nuevo
Amanecer church pastored by Antonio Quispe.33 As a group, they revealed an average
gain of .60 points higher per person per statement on the posttest.34 This was a good
indication that the campaign elements that did not involve the candidate were effective in
producing change without need for the candidate to be present.
A comparison should be made as well between those who participated most in the
campaign and those who participated least. Those who participated most are treatment
group 1. Like those in treatment group 2, they attended more than five weeks of the
campaign’s motivational sermons and training modules, and read more than half of the
readings, but distinctive to treatment group 2, they additionally participated in teaching
the materials in small groups. Treatment group 3 consists of those who took the pretest
and posttest, and attended at least five sermon sessions, but did not participate in the
training modules and did not teach any of the materials to others.
On average, those of treatment group 1 tested as having experienced an average
net gain of .71 points of agreement per statement. Those of treatment group 2 experienced
an average net gain of .38, and those of treatment group 3 experienced an average net
gain of .21. This supports the assumption that those who participated most benefited
most.
33. Consult table 6 in appendix 16 to view this comparison.
34. This number reflects the net gain of their responses to all 27 statements. This higher
gain per person per statement is also a reflection of the fact that the participants who returned
pretests and posttests from pastor Quispe’s church tended on average to participate in more
elements of the campaign, including teaching its elements in small group. Ten of the fourteen
participants from this church taught a campaign-related small group, which influenced in the higher
scores.
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Follow-up Interviews
In addition to the pretest/posttest, interviews were held six to twelve weeks after
the Harmony Campaign to survey the influence of conflict stewardship training in the
lives of those involved. Those interviewed were chosen and interviewed by campaign
support staff so as not to include undue influence on the candidate’s part. A total of forty-
six interviews were conducted.35 The interviews revealed the recall of the participants,
the value they placed on the training they had received, and the ongoing effect the
campaign was having on their lives. The interviews were also designed to provide some
clues as to the cultural adaptability of the concepts presented.
Interviews revealed that when shown the picture of a traffic light, the participants
in the campaign could still remember the three basic concepts and how they related to the
three colors (Question 1, Green – Swift to hear, Yellow – Slow to Speak, and Red – Slow
to wrath).36 Each of them was capable of expressing more than one example of how they
had grown personally and how their habits had changed (questions 2-3).
Those interviewed were asked to choose between viewing conflict as an
opportunity to glorify God, to express love and honor to others, to grow in Christlikeness,
to improve relationships with others, or to have better communion with God.37 Twenty-
35. Thirteen of those interviewed were between 15-21 years old, eighteen between 21-30,
six between 31-45, eight between 46-60, and one was 61-80. Twenty were males, twenty-six were
females. Of them, thirty-six participated in a small group during the campaign. Those interviewed
averaged 6.63 weeks of participation in the campaign. The interview was conducted using the
questions in appendix 13.
36. The first question on the interview was, “Which of the three customs can you remember
from the Harmony Campaign?” Each person was provided a traffic light to remind them of the
three colors. Forty-one of the forty-six recorded their response. Thirty-five (85.4 percent) could
remember all three customs, 5 (12.2 percent) could remember two of the three, and one (2.4
percent) could only remember one of the three.
37. Those interviewed were asked to choose just one option, but many could not resist
picking more than one.
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nine (63 percent) said that when viewing conflict as an opportunity, they viewed it
primarily as an opportunity to glorify God. Seven (15 percent) said they primarily viewed
conflict as an opportunity to express love and honor to others. Fifteen (33 percent) said
they viewed conflict as an opportunity to grow in Christlikeness. Sixteen (35 percent) said
they viewed conflict as an opportunity to improve relationships with others. Twelve (26
percent) said they viewed conflict as an opportunity to have better communion with God.
When asked which story from the campaign was their favorite (question 5),
only half (23) of them responded.38 When asked on which topics they would most like
to receive more instruction in the future (question 6), twelve said they would like more
instruction on how to evaluate self before entering a conflict, seven on how to listen
attentively to the others point of view, five wanted more on how to avoid judging too
early, nine on how to communicate to others regarding their offenses, six on how to
forgive other’s offenses, sevem on how to confess one’s own faults, and eleven on how
to recognize God in the conflict.39 No one volunteered that they felt they had received
enough training.
When asked how the campaign had most benefited them in the last two months,
all forty-six interviewees responded, occasionally choosing more than one answer.40
38. Seven recalled one of the Bible stories from Sunday evening lessons, seven recalled a
case study used in exercises, three recalled a kinesics exercise from the campaign, two mentioned
the videos that illustrated conflict, and four shared their own story or that of another participant in
the campaign. Originally, it was hoped that some of the stories remembered would be their own
experiences or those of other members of the churches they attend.
39. The rather even spread of these answers indicates the need for conflict stewardship
training to include a variety of elements.
40. Each time, they were instructed to choose only one answer, but some chose more than
one. They reported that more than one concept had penetrated the cross-cultural divide and shown
itself relevant in their culture. This reveals effective cultural sensitivity in the project design and the
expression of the concepts.
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Two reported it had produced better productivity and the creation of superior solutions,
twenty-one said they had grown personally or spiritually, eight said they were better able
to clarify their own desires and those of others in order to meet them, fourteen said they
experienced better communion with God, zero said they had experienced none of the
above, and one provided another answer.41
When provided a list of the top twenty-five lessons from the campaign and asked
to choose five to seven of them that stood out, the average person chose 2.4 topics.42
Each lesson from the campaign was chosen at least once by one of the interviewees. The
variety of topics they chose revealed the variety of concepts that stood out to them during
the campaign.
Interviewees were capable of remembering the main concepts of the campaign, to
choose between the most important lessons learned, and they spoke positively about their
learning experience. Each of the forty-six interviewees reported an ongoing benefit of
cognitive, affective (conviction), or behavioral (habit) changes that were directly related
to the three central concepts of being swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
41. The variety of responses indicates that campaign elements provided benefit to different
people in different ways.
42. Respondents apparently read through the whole list and carefully marked their answers
instead of just picking a few of the first ones on the first page. Their answers revealed an interesting
balance. Each of the twenty-five topics was chosen by at least one of them as an important one.
The most popular answers were #7 (If I ask God for help in the middle of a conflict, he will help
me), #23 (In order to control the tongue, one needs to control their heart…something for which
they will need God’s help), #8 (It is important to listen to the emotional message behind the verbal
message of others), and #2 (I am responsible to God for how I steward each conflict, and I will
answer to God for how I do so). The list of these lessons can be found in the first twenty-five topics
mentioned in appendix 13. This interview question shows the need to delineate multiple values and
truths that one wants to transmit in skills training. One never knows what will seem to others to be
an important lesson.
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Follow-up Evaluations
A follow-up evaluation was held on November 4, 2009, six months after the close
of the Harmony Campaign.43 The Mayorazgo church staff was gathered to evaluate the
campaign in a one-and-a-half-hour meeting. The central discovery theme for this meeting
was to uncover the project design elements’ effectiveness in addressing the culture.
While brainstorming on the lasting effects of the Harmony Campaign, staff
members mentioned hearing that many confrontations had been resolved in church
members’ lives (three that very week), an obviously greater disposition to pursue harmony
even when it is messy, the wide use of the word harmony in casual conversations, and
corporate growth in listening skills. Each of these reflected good design for cognitive
affective and behavioral change relative to Peruvian culture. We view ourselves as
listening better, asserting ourselves better, and managing anger better as a result of the
campaign.
All five staff members could remember the significance of the kinesics learning
motions (six months later).44 They listed the small group sessions and the Sunday
evening story times as the most effective elements of the campaign, both elements the
foreign missionaries had no part in. Several suggestions for improving the campaign were
insightful. They included a longer precampaign period, more reading materials, and better
43. Questions for this evaluation are included in appendix 14. Present at the meeting were
Juan Velásquez, Christian Torres, Jonatán Rafael, Cinthya Torres de Rafael, the candidate, and the
candidate’s wife, Tonya Liles.
44. Two of the five had trouble remembering the sign called the trumpet. It is made when
one holds one’s hand to the ear to strain to hear the trumpet of Michael announcing the second
coming, our rescue from all conflict. It should probably have been made by holding an imaginary
trumpet. Both couldn’t remember it so they wrote down something about being swift to hear.
However, their overall recall of kinesics-related teaching demonstrates that in Peruvian culture,
kinesics learning can be effective when transmitting values and concepts.
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spell-checking for the reading materials.45 When repeatedly asked regarding the usability
of the concepts of the campaign, the Mayorazgo church staff reported not having any
difficulty transmitting the concepts of the study to others in their cultural setting.46
Unforeseen Causes
Several unforeseen factors may have contributed to a less effective gain reported
by participants. They are listed in their probable order of influence on overall results,
from most influential to least.
First, the translation of the pretest/posttest was reported by some participants (and
leaders) to be confusing. It consisted of twenty-seven questions, a long survey for Perú.
It also employed a 7-point Lickert scale instead of a 10-point scale so as to provide a
middle point (4).48 These factors might have confused some participants and influenced
the final results in one way or another.
45. The materials had been read by two members who have formerly been paid to
do proofreading, but they still had some rough spots. They also suggested elements that were
purposefully not used so as to make the campaign imitable in a third world setting. Staff suggested a
Web site, special invitations printed to invite friends and family (though flyers were provided), and
free food to go with the free drinks provided for all the participants. It is unlikely that they would
have mentioned these improvements to someone from their own culture. The rich missionary was
suggested to spend more money and make the campaign less indigenous in order to improve it. This
was a hidden complement as to the campaign’s adjustments to the cultural setting. This certainly
revealed that campaign design elements had reflected sensitivity to the culture.
46. The ease of use they reported in teaching the concepts to others reveals sensitivity to
culture, not only in the campaign’s organizational design, but in its expression of key concepts.
47. Several participants remarked that, to them, the survey seemed too long. The Peruvian
schooling system double punishes wrong answers. If one leaves it blank it counts as one wrong
answer, but if one answers it incorrectly, two incorrect answers are counted against a person’s grade.
Therefore, Peruvian students tend not to answer any questions that are confusing. They are in essence
rewarded for leaving it blank. Some even skipped questions on either the pretest or posttest even after
special pleas and instructions were given not to do so. All skipped questions were given the value of
4 out of 7 and compared to the other answer the person gave on the other test. In each case, when a
question was skipped on the pretest or posttest, the respondent did provide an answer on the other test.
48. While a 10-point scale does not have a middle point, it would have probably been much
less confusing for the cultural setting. Even a 5-point scale would have been better.
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Second, in order to measure the long-term influence of the project, the posttest
was scheduled for six weeks after the campaign. In order to help participants remember
what they were learning, time was designated during each training session to gather
stories of personal experiences from the past and of the participants’ present attempts to
implement what they were learning, but participants did not respond well to this element
of training. They seemed to need more time to assimilate the materials and skills before
they could share personal stories.49 This resulted in a lack of personal stories gathered
until the very end.50 Having taken more time to collect stories or having insisted in
hearing them in some way or another might have produced even more gains.
Third, we suffered the ‘three-bears syndrome.’ The groups used in training
sessions were either too big or too small and we had to keep searching to get them “just
right.” The size of twenty to forty trainees in a group was too big for skill training, so
mini groups of three were used to do the exercises, but it became impossible to monitor
or tweak the learning going on in the twelve or thirteen groups doing exercises at once.
They probably learned more by the close participation in the mini group, but it was
impossible to regulate. The large group of trainees was too big, and the mini groups
were too small. On the contrary, our midweek small group meetings in homes averaged
49. We seemed to suffer of the “calf looking at a new gate” syndrome. The original plan
was to offer rewards for the best stories. This idea was ill-conceived as it made story embellishment
probable and, in this culture, automatically called into question the authenticity of the stories shared
by participants or at the very least the participants’ modesty. This is asking “in-group” people who
do not view themselves as distinctive from the group to compete with one another to be distinctive.
Showiness is not prized in Perú. The concept of “prizes for stories” was also in disaccord with
indigenous missions principles, so it was dropped after the second week.
50. In the training events of the last half of the campaign, time constraints and the lack of
stories presented up until that point created a dynamic where time was allotted for the stories to be
shared, but participants had already seen us “blow by the stories section” three or four times. We
usually proceeded on to the mini groups where they encouraged one another with such stories in
small group, but the larger group did not benefit from the best stories. This created a sense of a lack
of momentum, something that a better collection of stories might have improved.
115
five to ten people and were a better size for skills training. Fortunately for small group
participants, the small group lessons were designed for some skills training.
Fourth, delegation of some campaign elements to church staff went awry. The
reading charts from the Cristo el Fundamento congregation were discarded after the
campaign instead of being turned in. This made it impossible to do a comparative
analysis based on reading vs. not reading the daily readings. Due to the error of a church
janitor, the data was lost on 25 percent of the responders’ reading, and thus it was
impossible to have a control group. Additionally, the campaign jingle (a memory aid)
was botched and some of the campaign promotional posters for outside the church were
printed with letters too small to read from more than ten yards away.
Fifth, the candidate’s missionary partner Brian Garrison had a major health
setback, keeping him from participating fully in the project. Brian’s encephalitis was
discovered just six weeks before the campaign, making his participation in training others
impossible. He was unable to preach some of the sermons in the Mayorazgo church, so
the candidate preached all the sermons there. Therefore, the candidate was unable to visit
in the other two congregations on a Sunday morning session to motivate them to read the
daily readings and participate in small groups.
Sixth, the videos provided to each small group leader to illustrate poor
communication skills and aid in skills training did not contribute much to the learning
experience. While all but two small group leaders reported that they would have access
to a computer or DVD player with a television for viewing the provided videos, most did
not in fact come up with such equipment. Of the thirty small groups, only three reported
using the video.

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Seventh, the Sunday evening congregation in Santa Clara began a downward
spiral of prolonged tensions that began just before the campaign. By the time the
campaign started, the union of this congregation was already in such bad shape that
speaking about it did not seem to help at all. The campaign started too late for them,
and the seeds of division and bitterness were already sown. Most of the members of
the Mayorazgo congregation who attend Santa Clara in the evening did not attend the
morning motivational sessions and did not receive the majority of the training provided.51
They essentially heard the stories that illustrated the principles behind the pursuit of
peace, but they did not receive the skills training.
Eighth, in the fifth week, feedback from small groups and staff revealed that
“some of the youth aren’t getting it.” Small group leaders in the youth department were
instructed to adjust the lessons to the needs of the group or to use the Bible stories
included as Sunday evening teaching sessions as a substitute. Still, it was evident the
natural confusion that surrounds the delegating of teaching new concepts was awkward
for some small group leaders.
Two unforeseen causes that most likely contributed to a better result were
the Sunday evening story-centered lessons on the values behind the pursuit of peace
(mentioned above) and the relationship triangle explained below.
51. The candidate did not discover until months later that he was at the center of many
of the resentments when layers of jealousies, bitterness, and judging others were peeled back like
an onion. The delicious irony is that one might easily conclude that members of the Santa Clara
congregation, of which 80 percent are immediate family, were holding a grudge against the guy
teaching us not to judge one another. They did not act like they were listening either. The smart guy
with the big dissertation did not impress anybody.
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Unforeseen Effects
Four fortunate unforeseen effects of Campaign Harmony are worth mentioning.
First, one of the most transmittable and valuable concepts was developed impromtu in
the second week of the project, and thus was not a part of the original project design.
As a last second sermon illustration, a piece of paper was folded to form an isosceles
triangle with letters representing the three parties involved in every conflict. Parties A and
B were located in the lower corners and Party G (God) above. The upper corner of the
triangle was intermittently pulled backwards so as to disappear and give the temporary
appearance that only two parties were involved in the conflict. It simulated making God
“disappear” for a while. This was meant to illustrate that as conflict stewards we are to
consider God as part of the triangle of every interpersonal conflict. To ignore him or to
refuse to cooperate with him in a conflict with party B is to enter into conflict with him.
He is an essential party to every conflict and has his own desires of how the conflict
should be dealt with and resolved. This concept was then used throughout the campaign
and was reported by many to be the most outstanding concept they could remember.
Second, one of the games produced an unexpectedly rich learning lab.52 When we
played the survey game “forbear or forgive” in week five, we were delighted to discover
that answers widely diverged and people seemed to hold their opinions rather firmly.
The game consisted of reading a brief case study of an offense and then voting
as to whether or not that offense should be forgiven or forborne. The cases were written
to provide participants with a controversial and difficult decision, one in which the
52. Tests to determine personality types or conflict-management styles were purposefully

not used in this project. While they are helpful in other contexts, they were intentionally avoided to
allow more time and room for biblical concepts. This effort to avoid them made them a nonfactor in
the development of training materials.
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participants might be easily influenced to change their minds. However, most participants
seemed to have little problem making up their mind, and were resistant to changing
it. Their quick reaction was surprising to the candidate so they were asked why. The
polemic sparks began to fly. It was fascinating to note how participants’ responses to the
game were evidently a result of how different personalities naturally deal with relational
tensions.53 This served as an unexpected and refreshing source of learning, a mid-project
paradigm shift for the leader.54
Third, in an extremely complicated seven-party conflict-resolution meeting in
Santa Clara held six months after the campaign, those who led the meeting practiced
many of the principles taught in the campaign without directly mentioning any of them.
The four-hour meeting ended in a fresh sense of harmony, something few had expected.
The meeting started as a church discipline procedure and concluded with a healthy
measure of emotional resolution of all parties involved. With raw feelings and nerves still
bare, it was decided to repeat some of the teaching and main concepts of pursuing peace
that had been taught in the campaign as most had missed much of it due to their grudges
and poor attitudes.
53. For example, it might be theorized that person-centered people (e.g., sanguine and
phlegmatic) might not feel that a small offense need be “forgiven” since they were fully capable of
forbearing it for some time to come because it did not drain them emotionally.
54. The surprisingly different reactions produced several lessons to remember for future
training projects. First, the fact that people experience conflict in such different ways requires
skill training to be flexible and based even more on principles than rules. Flexible principles for
conducting relationships accompanied by multiple examples of how to implement such principles
will probably serve better than inflexible rules, even if the rules are more transferrable. Second,
when training others to react properly, quality training should concentrate on a lesser number of
skills and more on learning the same skills from different angles. People are different and they need
different kinds of instruction and experiences to learn the same principles and skills. Ignoring our
differences to spite psychology may not be the wisest approach even for biblical purists.
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Fourth, yet another high tension event between central teachers of this campaign
occurred six months after the campaign. Having reached an impasse, both leaders decided
to review the Harmony Campaign materials individually and meet again. Resolution was
forthcoming where it had not been expected, and both leaders attributed the result to what
they had learned from Campaign Harmony.

CHAPTER FIVE
PROJECT EVALUATION AND ANALYSIS
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this project was to promote the proactive pursuit of peace in
the interpersonal relationships of the church leaders and selected members of the New
Life Baptist Church of Lima, Perú, and its affiliated missions with biblically-centered,
culturally-specific instruction and opportunities to practice skills that are vital to wise and
loving conflict stewardship. The goals were intended to accomplish this purpose.
Goals 1 and 2
Goal 1
Goal 1: With regard to understanding biblical ways of dealing with conflict:
(a) The candidate will discover the motives for which God appeals to his children
to be pursuers of peace in the Bible. He will then rely upon these Spirit-breathed
communications to stimulate obedience to God’s mandates to pursue peace.
(b) The candidate will discover the ways other conflict trainers (Christian and non-
Christian) have addressed themselves to dealing with interpersonal conflict.
The Harmony Campaign conceptual design itself accomplished Goal 1(a). Each of
the eight Sunday morning sermons was in essence a presentation of the reasons (motives)
for pursuing peace with all men. Sermons were based on a single text, expository in
form, yet practical in nature. Before and after each sermon, the motive for peacemaking
was clearly delineated. Major points of the sermons were application-centered more
than information-centered, and sermon deliverers were instructed weekly in practical
applications for the motives presented. A prayer team was recruited to pray during the
delivery of the sermons for the blessing of God’s Spirit on the teaching of the concepts.
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The history of practice research recorded in the chapter 3 serves as a registry of
the completion of Goal 1(b). Samples of secular and scripturally based training programs
were surveyed as well as an abundance of interpersonal-conflict and team-maintenance
related resources listed in the bibliography.
Goal 2
Goal 2: With regard to understanding the ministry setting:
(a) The candidate will attempt to comprehend and appreciate the influence of
collectivism in Peruvian culture in relation to dealing with conflict so that
adequate training adjustments can be made.
(b) He will adapt his concepts, paradigms, value statements, appeals for change, and
skills development exercises to demonstrate appreciation of the collectivistic
values and behavior patterns of the majority of persons to whom he is ministering.
To accomplish Goal 2(a), research regarding collectivism was conducted
from Christian missions-related sources and from secular sources.1 Each resource
was consulted to inform the formation of training materials. Collectivists tend to see
1. The most helpful resource for understanding the dynamics of collectivism, as mentioned
in footnote 24 of chapter 3, was the foreword to Handbook of Intercultural Training. Chapter 3 of
this document also registers an analysis of John Paul Lederach’s approach which contributed to
accomplishing this goal (see subhead titled “A Religious (Perhaps Christian), Experience-Centered
Approach to Training Adults in Conflict Transformation”).
Training material adaptations were also made in light of the following books, each read
entirely in hopes of understanding the influence of collectivism and other cultural factors in
intercultural conflict resolution training sessions: Kevin Avruch, Culture and Conflict Resolution
(Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace Press, 2004); Duane Elmer, Cross-Cultural
Conflict, Building Relationships for Effective Ministry (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1993);
Michelle Lebaron and Venashri Pillay, Conflict across Cultures: A Unique Experience of Bridging
Differences (Boston: Intercultural Press, 2006); and David W. Augsburger, Conflict Mediation
across Cultures, Pathways and Patterns (Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1992).
Articles by Paul R. Kimmel, “Culture and Conflict” and Paul Pederson, “Multicultural Conflict
Resolution,” in The Handbook of Conflict Resolution, Theory and Practice (San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass, 2006), 625-70, were also read to explore cross-cultural issues with regard to conflict
resolution training.
Additionally, more than twelve informal conversations with Peruvian church members,
staff members, and North American missionaries to Perú were conducted as training materials were
developed. Collectivism was explained to them and then they were asked to reflect back how best
to present the concepts included in the training readings.
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themselves as members of one group or another. They tend to view (and value) others as
members of their in-group or nonmembers of their in-group. This can lead to a tendency
to behave themselves with less enthusiasm to seek peace with someone who is not in their
in-group. To help adjust the paradigm, the hope was to create a flexible, biblical model
that would be useful to collectivists whether they were dealing with members of one of
their in-groups or nonmembers of an in-group.
Goal 2(b) can be seen being accomplished in nuanced design and communications
throughout the project materials.2
2. Several efforts were made to form training materials sensitive to cultural dynamics of
collectivistic culture.
A disciplined effort was made to underline the pursuit of peace as a process, not as a
product. While individualists thirst for an emotionally satisfying final result, collectivists are
more aware of the process. Thus, while “peacemakers” (pacficadores) is a more popular term and
a biblical one, the more clumsy “peace pursuers” and “peace seekers” were used in all training
sessions and sermons. The term peacemaker was not generally used except in the exposition of
Matthew 5:9 in the first sermon. Thus, collectivists were taught to be consistent in pursuing peace
rather than being taught to produce it.
The competition for the best peace-pursuit story was dropped as it called on Peruvians to
“figurar” or show off, something that is frowned on in this collectivist society.
Heavy emphasis was given to the stewardship of conflict over the management of it, again
reflecting a collectivistic point of view over an individualistic one.
Each sermon began and ended with a question as to why we should seek peace with
all men. This was also repeatedly mentioned to leaders in the training process. The aim was to
reinforce the intentionality necessary to pursue peace in all relationships and not only in those of
one’s in-group. Sermons 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 directly or indirectly addressed themselves to the need
to be peace pursuers with all men and not only with those of one’s in-group (outlines located in
appendix 5-).
The simplicity of the three-point outline for the campaign (Swift to hear, Slow to speak,
Slow to anger) was chosen to allow for the flexibility necessary in “high context” communications
often found in collectivistic cultures. While it is our personal experience that Peruvians prefer to
be given rules rather than principles to guide them, they were provided principles that are highly
flexible and helpful for a multitude of situations. The genius of the James 1:19 model is that it was
written for peoples of all cultures. We theorized that collectivists, when given rules or principles
that are highly flexible, would find them more applicable over the long run than lists of rules, thus
the simple outline.
Small group meetings held throughout the week were made an integral part of the training
that church members received. Small group lessons served as a recap of the training modules
provided Sunday mornings after the main service. Thus, in-group learning and reinforcement was
integral to the training and sensitive to collectivist in-group dynamics.
To encourage participants to read the daily readings, members of small groups were asked
each time they came to their group meeting how many readings they had read that week. This
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Goal 3 and Subgoals
Goal 3: With regard to changes in the thoughts, attitudes, and actions of listeners as they
steward interpersonal conflict opportunities:
(a) Cognitive-related goals: to help trainees . . .

a. to understand that every conflict is an opportunity to steward,
b. to understand how to listen to others more attentively,
c. to understand how to speak the truth in love, and
d. to understand how to deal with their anger.
(b) Affective (Conviction)-related goals: to help trainees . . .

b. to value listening skills as exercises in wisdom and humility.
c. to trust that God will accompany them to make any assertions they make
with the motive of love, and
d. to appreciate the emotional connection between their desires and their
anger.
(c) Behavior/Skill-related goals: to help trainees . . .

b. to listen attentively to learn from others,
c. to speak to others about negative issues in loving ways, and
d. to make oneself aware of one’s anger and deal with it.
Goal 3 will address the cognitive, affective, and behavioral changes reported by
the participants. Goals 3(a)a, 3(b)a, and 3(c)a are related.3 Each addresses the need for
allowed the group to subtly apply peer pressure to encourage one another to read the devotional
readings, a dynamic even more effective in a collectivistic culture than in an individualistic one.
Finally, in the first training module participants of the training modules were encouraged
to form mini groups of three that would be maintained throughout the project. This formed a new
in-group for them in which they would be increasingly more comfortable as the project developed.
In reality, these groups were not always held together due to the “if God wills” factor so prevalent in
Catholicism-influenced Peruvian culture. The reality of this dynamic fell well short of the ideal, but
it was a good idea that worked very well for the few groups of three that maintained their integrity.
3. These goals were delineated separately to reflect any subtle nuance changes in one
dynamic (Cognitive, Affective, or Behavioral) that was not reflected in another.
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gains in one’s consciousness of God in the midst of conflict and one’s need to trust God to
steward conflict well. Each of these three subgoals was accomplished as reflected in the
pretest/posttest gains on statements 5, 15, 16, 21, and 24.4 Participants reported growing
in cognitive, affective, and behavioral ways as reflected in their increased estimation of the
importance of faith in conflict stewardship, their increased tendency to complain to God
rather than others, their increased value of God’s approval, their increased value of conflict
as a stewardship rather than a problem, and their decreased view of conflict as always bad.
Goals 3(a)b, 3(b)b, and 3(c)b are similarly related. Each addresses the need
for gains in one’s swiftness to hear. Each of these three subgoals was accomplished as
reflected in the pretest/posttest gains on statements 8, 11, 13, 17, and 23.5 Participants
reported growing in cognitive, affective, and behavioral ways as reflected in their
increased awareness of how their poor listening skills contributed to their judging others,
their increased tendency to pause in the midst of conflict to listen to their own selves,
their increase in asking questions of others to arrive at a common understanding, their
increased consciousness that God sometimes speaks to us through the voices of others,
and their increased awareness of how listening skills are related to the avoidance of
unnecessary conflict.
4. These goals can be seen as accomplished in measure by our participants’ average

increase of agreement with statements 5 (My ability to promote peace is directly related to my trust
in God), 15 (I tend to complain to God more than I do to others), 16 (When I am in conflict, I act as
though I want God’s approval more than anyone else’s), 24 (I consider conflict between people to
be more of an opportunity than a problem), and by their increased disagreement with statement 21
(All interpersonal conflict is bad).
increase of agreement with statements 8 (The reason I judge others too soon is because of my
poor listening skills), 11 (When I am in a conflict with someone, I pause and ask myself if there is
a better way to accomplish what I want to), 13 (When people are hostile toward me I tend to ask
questions of them to seek to understand their reasoning and feelings before answering back), 17 (I
listen to others as though God were speaking to me through their voice), and 23 (To avoid conflicts,
I need to listen to others better).
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Goals 3(a)c, 3(b)c, and 3(c)c are also related. Each addresses the need for gains
in one’s slowness to speak and one’s love-based motives while asserting oneself. Each
of these three subgoals was accomplished as reflected in the pretest/posttest gains on
statements 9, 10, 11, and 14, and perhaps in statement 21?6 Participants reported growing
in cognitive, affective, and behavioral ways as reflected in their increased recognition
of the damage that their tongues do to others’ lives, their increased practice of pausing
to think creatively before proceeding, their decrease in going to others instead of going
to the person involved, their decrease in withdrawing at the first sign of discomfort, and
their decrease in thinking that all conflict is bad.
Goals 3(a)d, 3(b)d, and 3(c)d are likewise related. Each addresses the need for
gains in one’s slowness to get angry. Each of these three subgoals was accomplished as
reflected in the pretest/posttest gains on statements 2, 6, 18, 19, 25, and 27.7 Participants
reported growing in cognitive, affective, and behavioral ways as reflected in their
increased value of the second coming of Christ as the day of rescue from this world
where anger reigns, their increased recognition of their own desires as the source of their
own anger, their increased practice of asking God for permission before getting angry,

increase of agreement with statements 9 (My tongue does more damage to others’ lives than to
mine), and 11 (When I am in a conflict with someone, I pause and ask myself if there is a better
way to accomplish what I want to.) and by their increased disagreement with statements 10 (It
is wise to withdraw emotionally or physically from conflict when it makes one uncomfortable),
and 14 (I tend to talk to others about my conflicts for more minutes than I do with the person with
whom I am in conflict). Shades of increased slowness to anger can also be detected with regard to
their decreased conviction that all conflict is bad (see statement 21).

increase of agreement with statements 2 (The second coming of Christ is an important doctrine
for me when I deal with conflict), 6 (When I get angry, it is because I want something), 18 (Before
getting angry, I pray to ask God’s permission), and 27 (When I’m in conflict with someone it is
usually because I want something), and an increased disagreement with statements 19 (When I
finally get angry it is usually the other person’s fault), and 25 (Anger is sinful).
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their decreased feelings that their anger is someone else’s fault, and their increased
conviction that not all anger is sinful.
Goal 4 – To Conduct an Effective Training Program
Goal 4. With regard to the effectiveness of the training program:
(a) The candidate will evaluate how well the project was designed for his
ministry setting.
(b) The candidate will evaluate how effectively the project was implemented.
(c) The candidate will evaluate the changes brought about by the training.
Goal 4(a) was accomplished in large part by successful efforts made to address
collectivist culture tendencies already reported in accordance with Goal 2(b) above.8
This project was also designed to meet subcultural needs. Churches have meetings
on Sunday mornings and Sunday evenings, for which eight lessons were provided for
each, prayer requests were provided for prayer meetings, the training modules were
provided for the developing leaders, small group leaders were provided the experience of
teaching some of the materials, and local pastors were involved in delivering the sermons.
Additionally, the overall gains reported by the participants clearly demonstrate
that the project was designed well for the ministry setting. In the spirit of the purpose of
this project, Campaign Harmony successfully promoted the proactive pursuit of peace
in the interpersonal relationships of the church leaders and selected members of our
churches with biblically-centered, culturally-specific instruction and opportunities to
practice skills that are vital to wise and loving conflict stewardship.
8. See footnote #2 in this chapter.

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Finally, our staff evaluated the project and its long term effects six months after
the project was over.9 From this evaluation, it was learned that the cultural adaptations
made were helpful in transmitting the central concepts of the campaign, that it helped
national teachers teach said concepts, and that no ideological stumbling stones were
discovered.
Goal 4(b) was accomplished in large measure by the information of chapter 4, and
especially by the staff suggestions for better implementation.
Goal 4(c) was accomplished above in part by the fulfillment of Goals 1-3. It is
also displayed in the ministerial summary statement to follow.
Summary Assessment
On a Ministerial Level
The Harmony Campaign was advantageous to our ministry for numerous reasons.
In our local church settings, it provided members with common understanding with
regard to conflict stewardship, God’s role in conflict, God’s desires in conflict, and our
responsibilities in conflict. Such a prolonged study provides a local church with common
vocabulary, commonly understood concepts, and a common experience, all of which
contribute to church unity today and tomorrow.
This model insisted on a theocentric point of view rather than an anthropocentric
one. When God is put at the center of any faith-oriented enterprise such as conflict
stewardship is, he is pleased with the worthiness we show him as we struggle before him
in a sinful world. He has created us and this world in such a way that it is impossible to
9. The results of this evaluation were delineated in chapter 4 under subhead “Follow-up
Evaluations.”
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please him without faith, and conflict stewardship is necessarily and always a matter of
faith.
Because the concepts were based on a Spirit-inspired paradigm (Swift to hear,
Slow to speak, Slow to wrath), the teachings serve as more than a simple paradigm.
Scripturally-centered training invites the Spirit of God to produce conviction and lasting
change. This spiritual-growth campaign’s value as a spiritual model may not be a
measurable factor, but it is nonetheless a real one.
This biblical model is also simple in its expression, allowing for easy recall of the
paradigms and truths essential to responsible conflict stewardship.10 It serves as a fine
counseling model and parenting tool, and can help in some church discipline cases. It
puts handles on living humbly and righteously before God, on loving God and neighbor
in the midst of hard times and confusion.
The training materials provided valuable orientation for dealing with difficult
interpersonal conflicts. They provided answers for how to deal with conflict, whether
brief and boiling or prolonged and simmering, and how to please God when it
is impossible to please neighbor. The training experiences provided the valuable
opportunities to practice vital skills and improve participants’ confidence that with God’s
help they can steward conflict in God-honoring and personally gratifying ways.
10. Where the world says conflict management requires the acquisition, practice, and
use of active listening skills, James simply says, “Be swift to hear”; where others say conflict
management requires exercise of assertion skills, James simply says, “Be slow to speak”; where
some say that conflict management requires anger management skills, James simply says, “Be slow
to anger”; where some may say we need to manage conflict before our anger costs us money (e.g.,
the business world), James says, “Our anger does not accomplish God’s purposes.” James’ model is
multicultural and flexible enough for all peoples of all times.
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The final observable results seemed to reflect the participants’ predisposition to
learn, their willingness to work to learn, and the God-ordained circumstances of their
lives at the time of the instruction.11
On a Personal Level
Researching and teaching conflict stewardship has been the experience of a
lifetime for me. Throughout this two-year long experience, God has gifted me with
prolonged and difficult conflicts that were resistant to the solutions that my twenty years
of ministry experience could bring to the table.12 God gave me conflict as a laboratory for
learning to steward conflict. He inextricably linked me with stubborn souls. Our tangled,
prolonged tensions served as a hothouse for intimacy with him. My soul, bruised to the
core, had no where to go. He made me come to him, time and again, and he was my
reward.
Several meaningful paradigm shifts cause me to celebrate. First, on more than
a dozen memorable occasions, I felt I had just read or learned a new concept that I
had needed two to six weeks earlier. The “couldawouldashouldas” plagued me. This
phenomenon served as a long-term study in the providence and sovereignty of God.
Conflict that God creates is not manhandled; it is barely “managed.” But it can always be
stewarded for his glory, even if it is not resolved to our satisfaction.
11. A clear example of this is the superior results observed in Pastor Antonio Quispe’s
congregation, and the inferior ones observed in the congregation in Santa Clara led by the
candidate. In the Santa Clara congregation, multiple examples of violating the principles of James
1:19-20 resulted in multiple symptoms of church sickness.
12. My memory of the content from more than a hundred books I’ve read on counseling
and teamwork served as useless information. Additionally, my experience of having conducted a
hundred family seminar sessions and spending a thousand hours counseling others served as useless
experience for my own conflict situations throughout the preparation of this campaign.
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Second, to learn to see God in every conflict, and conflict as a stewardship has
transformed every one of my interpersonal interactions. I am willing to go through twice
as much conflict as I have experienced just to learn this lesson, as well as God would
have me learn it. It has reformed my parenting, enriched my marriage, and benefited
those to whom I minister.
Third, during this study, James (4:11, 5:9) strongly rebuked me for having
complained to my wife about others’ sins. I should have been complaining to God. I
cannot change the past, but I hope to never make that mistake again. I am very grateful
for this lesson.
Fourth, the study of a wide range of conflict stewardship paradigms has expanded
my counseling tool chest. Without realizing it, I was accumulating more counseling tools
than I could possibly use in a lifetime. Helping others with their marriages is a passion
for my wife Tonya and I, and the scores of discovered conflict stewardship perspectives
and tactics that I did not include in this project have prepared us to fulfill God’s ministry
for our life and marriage. Have counseling toolbox? Will travel!
Probably the most emotionally satisfying personal lesson is to celebrate God’s
work behind the scenes while I continue work in faith without seeing observable results. I
learned more of what “faith which works through love” means.
Finally, this project allowed me to practice training others in lasting ways. I
filtered all the teaching perspectives, topics, and methodologies through what I learned
from the book Influencer.13 To convey the multiple key principles of the pursuit of peace,
I had to ask myself which were the two or three habit changes that would make the most
13. Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzer,
Influencer: The Power to Change Anything (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008).
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difference and how could I design the project so that others would practice them. It was
delightful to see the power of simple teaching in action.14
Prospects for Future Study
The Christian conflict stewardship ideas presented in this study are designed
to meet the goals of the project. The aim was to help local church leaders promote the
customary proactive pursuit of peace in the interpersonal relationships of the leaders and
members of a local church in a Latin American setting. It is thus necessarily confined
and designed to provide biblically-centered, culturally-specific, conflict-stewardship
instruction and opportunities in one particular cross-cultural setting. As with any such
study, it is limited in the scope of answers it provides and raises many more questions
than it answers, questions that could be considered for future study in related projects.
Research related to human psychology, social psychology, sociology (particularly as
it relates to Christian intercultural missions), and business arenas would be profitable
for our understanding of church praxis. As well, we need more well developed biblical
theologies for Christian conflict stewardship.
Future Research in Human Psychology with

Regard to Christian Conflict Stewardship
With regard to human psychology in general and personality theory in particular,
several research questions arise. In Christian conflict stewardship, what is the role of:
14. From Influencer, I learned to filter everything I would be teaching through the two
questions “Can I do it?” (a skills issue) and “Will it be worth it?” (a motivations issue). Each of
these questions was asked on a personal, social, and structural level to design the instruction and
learning experiences to have lasting impact. Thus, I designed all the exercises to use all three
forms of motivation (personal gain, social pressure, and structural model) to transmit the three
life-changing habits of being quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. The opportunity to
practice these skills on a large project was a reward that by itself recompensed me for the time
invested.
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1. One’s normal style of dealing with conflict?

2. One’s personality type?
3. One’s stress tolerance or current stress levels?
4. Parental instruction and examples observed of dealing with frustration?
5. One’s sense of self-worth, specifically as it relates to self-examination and the
receiving of criticism?
6. One’s capacity for delayed gratification?
7. Habitual negative self-talk?
8. One’s social orientation (group vs. individual)?
9. One’s awareness and management of one’s negative emotions (like jealousy/envy,
frustration/anger, bitterness, guilt/shame, impatience, disgust, etc.)?
10. One’s general approach to negotiations (soft, hard, or principled)?
11. One’s overall contentment and its relation to low vs. high demand preference?
12. One’s practice of purposeful, planned, prolonged meditation?
13. One’s tolerance for ambiguity and mystery?
14. One’s innate curiosity?
15. One’s innate desire to learn from confusion?
16. One’s knowledge and personal practice of grieving rituals, forgiveness rituals, or
condemnation rituals?
17. One’s consciousness of wrongdoing/sin in other areas of life?
18. Communication effectiveness (the transmission and understanding of messages by
both parties; words fitly spoken)? What is the role of one’s skill in clarifying and
communicating one’s needs, interests, positions, and desires?
Future Research in Social Psychology with

With regard to social psychology and its relationship to Christian conflict
stewardship, what is the role/influence of:
1. One’s capacity for empathy? Can it be increased?

2. The intensity of past offenses between the parties? How does it influence healing?
3. The projection of negative traits onto others?
4. The power-distance perceived by the conflicted parties. What sources of power
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are commonly valued (e.g., age, sex, race, affluence, position) and how much?
What tactics are recognized as appropriate for each power position to demonstrate
reasonableness and solidarity in conflict stewardship?
5. One’s orientation toward external vs. internal locus of control? How does one’s
view of blame and responsibility relate to readiness to lovingly negotiate a
resolution?
6. The availability of someone to whom one can complain before taking steps
toward resolving the conflict?
7. One’s capacity for and tendency to trust (vs. mistrust) others?
8. One’s ability to articulate requests for forgiveness, or express having granted
forgiveness?
9. One’s prior training in conflict resolution, conflict management, or negotiation?
10. One’s understanding of personality types, conflict management/negotiation styles?
11. The role of solidarity (love) toward one’s neighbor?
12. The quality of one’s active listening skills (one’s skill in seeking to understand
another’s position, needs, interests, emotions)?
13. The most common triggers/sources of interpersonal conflict?
14. One’s orientation toward social dominance (one’s desire to promote others vs.
dominate others)?
Future Sociologically-Related Research with

With regard to the culture of Perú, more research regarding a comparison of its
culture with other similar Latin American cultures might enrich our understanding of
crosscultural conflict training for Peruvians. As crosscultural trainers in Latin America,
North American missionaries need to know more about the ways Latin Americans
learn (are educated), about the dynamics of power-distance, and about the differences
between their own culturally-biased, individualistic views and those of Latin American
collectivists.
Even more advantageous than research done by a foreigner would be research
done from within the culture, that is, by lifelong participants in the culture. Latin
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American researchers would more readily know how to tweak the dynamics of guilt
vs. innocence and shame vs. honor, how to meet face needs (particularly of inclusion
and approval), how to practice culturally acceptable methods of influencing (e.g., how
to use group pressure effectively), and how to define mutually acceptable steps toward
reconciliation.
Future Research in Business Practice with

Special research could be conducted regarding any of the principles of Christian
conflict stewardship to train Christian businessmen to hold Christian values and practice
Christian principles when negotiating. For Christians in interpersonal conflict, conflict
“stewardship” is a good paradigm. The business world tends to use the concept of
“conflict management,” but thereby loses the extremely valuable “all-is-done-before-
God” dimension inherent in Christian conflict stewardship
Particular areas of research might direct themselves to negotiating with believers
and non-believers who demonstrate a lack of goodwill; to developing long-term
collaborative, creative, and respectful negotiation relationships; or to using Christian
conflict stewardship principles as a preevangelistic tool in the business world.
Future Research in Third-Party-Regulated

Conflict Stewardship
This project was designed to introduce laymen and church leaders to interpersonal
conflict stewardship principles. It was limited so as not to include the additional
principles and instruction necessary for mediation, arbitration, and litigation. Even church
discipline is lightly treated here. Research as to the effects of a prenegotiation agreement

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to abide by the three principles of being swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger
might be done with regard to any or all of these third-party-regulated conflict stewardship
approaches.
Future Biblical Exegesis Research and

Christian Conflict Stewardship
The aforementioned psychologically, socio-psychologically, and sociologically
expressed dynamics are intricately woven with the stewardship of conflict. Psychologists,
socio-psychologists, and sociologists have raised questions the Bible answers. Further,
the business world research, which always has questions of how to save money by
proactively managing conflict, has helped us. Inasmuch as the Bible directs itself
to these questions, exegetical or systematic biblical studies of their dynamics might
prove beneficial for the local church setting. Each might be developed into a biblical
theology and used in instructing a local congregation. However, in addition to these,
many biblically expressed dynamics related to conflict stewardship still require further
exegetical and empirical research. To steward conflict well, Christian’s need well-
developed and tested biblical doctrines of:
1. Personal introspection, repentance, and confession (both private and public).

2. Granting forgiveness.
3. Asking for forgiveness.
4. Determining when to overlook a fault and when to confront,
5. Lovingly confronting.
6. Preparing oneself for a life of healthy assertion.
7. Maintaining a clean conscience.
8. Willingness to make full restitution.
9. Accountability (in formal and casual relationships).
10. Formal and informal church discipline for those who refuse to reconcile in love.
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11. Measures of corporate unity of mind and heart (communion, harmony).

12. The role of individual prayer (e.g., for preparing oneself, maintaining a pure heart,
requesting God’s help, confessing).
13. The role of praying together to resolve conflicts.
14. Biblically-mentioned barriers to harmonious communication (e.g., pride,
selfishness, secretive sins, guilt, shame, dishonesty, lack of sincerity).
15. Genuine faith vs. feigned faith and its relation to trusting God to help us in
conflict, inform us about conflict, and bless us for following his instructions even
when we cannot observe change.
16. Private worship ceremonies for having done one’s best and leaving the rest to God.
17. Overcoming evil with good.
18. Procuring justice by consciously entrusting one’s cause to God, the just judge.
19. Judging others vs. suspending judgment.
20. The differences in resolving conflicts with local church brothers vs. with non-
Christians.
21. Valuing God’s desires in every interpersonal conflict.
22. Being thankful to God for everything, including adversity; seeing it all as coming
from his hand; joyfulness in the midst of trials.
23. Expressing appreciation for differences between people as an act of worship of
God’s creativity.
24. Our new identity in Christ, the Prince of Peace in us.
25. Enjoying the sweetness of God’s undeserved love (his forgiveness, patience,
mercy, kindness, longsuffering) by extending it to undeserving others. Enjoying
grace by being full of grace.
26. Spiritual maturity/Christlikeness. How biblical character values affect conflict
stewardship (humility, meekness, wisdom, faith, love, stewardship, courage,
honesty, purity, etc.) and how to develop each in preparation for conflict
stewardship.
27. The role and practices of third party helpers.
28. The nature and precise definition of judging one’s brother.
29. The nature and precise definition of gossiping and slandering.
In this particular study, James 1:19 was used as an outline to teach some of the
skills and habits that promote interpersonal peace (Being swift to hear, slow to speak,
slow to anger). Other biblical passages or ideas that might be used as an organizational
principle for teaching Christian conflict stewardship might be:

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1. Micah 6:8 – Do justly/Love mercy/Walk humbly

2. Mark 12:30 – Love God with all your Heart/Soul/Mind/Strength
3. Deut. 10:12 – Fear God/Walk in his ways/Love him/Serve him
4. Rom. 12:18 – Follow after the things which make for peace, of which many are
listed before and after v. 18.
5. Phil. 2:1-12 – Our likeness of Christ reflected in our purposeful humility, concern
for others’ needs, esteem for others’ person, and willingness to sacrifice for others.
6. A topical study of conflict stewardship dynamics based in the wisdom books
(Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon) and/or the historical and
prophetical books, marketed as “Wisdom for Conflict Stewardship.”15
7. Gal. 5:22-23 – The Fruits of the Spirit – Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering,
Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Self-control. How are each developed,
and what role can they play in the purposeful pursuit of harmony?
8. A New Testament study of our new identity with Christ, the Prince of Peace, who
lives in us, and how he helps us steward conflict by living through us.
9. Story-centered teaching that highlights the same values used in this study
(Stewardship, Humility, Faith, Love, Wisdom, Submission, Thankfulness) or
others.
10. A study of Old Testament prophets’ treatment of opposition.
One final suggestion needs to be given regarding future biblical research. The
very same principles advanced in this project or other research topics suggested here
could always be presented in another format within the local church or within another
ministry setting. Teaching conflict stewardship skills requires much time and training.
In this format, a 40-day spiritual-growth-centered campaign was used, but the same
materials could be fine-tuned to use in a long-term mentor relationship, relationship
counseling sessions, church discipline, a leadership orientation manual, a missionary
training manual, a team training manual, an introductory mediation course for church
leaders, small group Bible studies, sermon series, seminary classes, Sunday School
15. An example of this can be seen in appendix 4, a study of the biblical proverbs that
address being swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.
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lessons, business negotiation orientations, or private devotional exercises. A research
focus on any one of these contexts could add to the body of knowledge we need for
effectively training others to steward conflict in God-honoring and self-satisfying ways.
To the God of Peace be all the glory for the harmony he produces between us and through
us, always in spite of us.

APPENDIX 1
PRECAMPAIGN HARMONY SURVEY TO ESTABLISH NEED
1. Age: □ 15-21 □ 21-30 □ 31-45 □ 46-60 □ 61 +

2. Civil Condition: □ Single □ Married □ Widow(er) □ Separated □ Living together
3. Sex: □ M □F
For the purposes of our survey we need to differentiate between a peaceful
relationship and a harmonious relationship.
In theory, while a relationship might be peaceful because of a lack of conflicts, at
the same time it may lack harmony and unity. For example, a couple might have
a marriage in which they avoid scandals and fights (that is to say they experience
peace), but at the same time they do not necessarily have a harmonious and united
relationship. Do you know a couple whose relationship could be characterized by
peace, but not by harmony?
□ Yes □ No
4. What kind of marital relationship would you like to have? (Please select only
one.)
□ Peaceful
□ Harmonious
Why?
5. What percentages of your neighbors avoid having serious conflicts?

□ 1-20% □ 20-40% □ 40-60% □ 60-80% □ 80-100%
6. What percentage of your neighbors’ marriages would you define as having

peace and harmony?
□ 1-20% □ 20-40% □ 40-60% □ 60-80% □ 80-100%
7. How many people feel that peace and harmony are restored to a relationship
once a conflict has been resolved?
□ 1-20% □ 20-40% □ 40-60% □ 60-80% □ 80-100%
8. How many of the marriages in your church would you classify as harmonious
and peaceful?
□ 1-20% □ 20-40% □ 40-60% □ 60-80% □ 80-100%
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9. In the last twelve months, how many disagreements, inconveniences, or

interpersonal problems have you had with someone in your church? __________
10. How many resulted in greater harmony and unity? __________
11. Do you feel prepared to teach others from the Bible about how to arrive at
peace and harmony?
□ 1-No □ 2- Probably not □ 3-I’m not sure □ 4-Probably, yes □ 5-Absolutely, yes
Which verses would you use?
12. In general, when someone expresses an inconvenience or disagreement with

someone in authority, is the person trying to procure justice, or is the person
trying to show honor and respect?
□ The person is thinking of their agenda of procuring justice
□ The person is thinking of showing honor and respect
13. In general, when someone expresses an inconvenience or disagreement with a

family member, is the person trying to procure justice, or is the person trying to
show honor and respect?
14. In general, when someone expresses an inconvenience or disagreement with a

colleague or classmate is the person trying to procure justice, or is the person
trying to show honor and respect?
15. Who taught you how to resolve interpersonal conflicts in a harmonious way?
□ I do not believe I have learned it yet
□ Mostly from my mother
□ Mostly from my father
□ I learned it from both parents
□ Other ________________________
16. Where do children learn how to resolve interpersonal conflicts in a harmonious

and peaceful way?
□ They do not learn it well from anyone
□ They do not learn it well anywhere
□ They mainly learn it from their mothers
□ They mainly learn it from their fathers
□ They learn it from both parents equally
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Please answer the following questions with one of the given options:
□ 1-Never □ 2-Rarely ever □ 3-Occasionally □ 4-Often □ 5-Very Often □ 6-Always
17. Do the people in our society enjoy harmony, unity, and intimacy in their family
relationships?
18. Do the people around you have family relationships that are characterized by
harmony and unity.
19. Do you enjoy harmony and unity in all of your close relationships?
20. How frequently did you experience harmony and unity in your family of
origin?
21. How frequently do you experience harmony and unity in your current family?
22. How frequently did you experience harmony and unity in your extended
family? (aunts, uncles, cousins etc.)
23. Do you feel you have harmony, unity, and intimacy with your mother?
24. Do you feel you have harmony, unity, and intimacy with your father?
25. Do you feel you have harmony, unity, and intimacy with your siblings?
APPENDIX 2
TEN BIBLICAL MOTIVES FOR PURSUING PEACE
The biblical motives for a proactive and continuous pursuit of peace are various, and they should be
the motives we offer our listeners to challenge them to be peace pursuers. Some biblical motives
are listed below.
1. The world will know that we are the true children of God when we are peacemakers. Matt. 5:9
– “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.”
2. The world will know that God sent his son the Prince of Peace when they see peacemaking in
the lives of his followers. John 17:21 – “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me,
and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. that the world may believe that thou hast sent
me.”
3. The peoples of the world will know that God loves them when they see that we are
peacemakers. John 17:23 – “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;
and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved
me.”
4. God will reward them for it. 1 Pet. 3:11-12 says “Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him
seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open
unto their prayers. but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” Peter followed David
(Psa. 34) by proclaiming, “The proactive and continuous pursuit of peace is worth the trouble
because God is watching, and He will respond to your interpersonal interactions according to
their merit.”
5. Christians should be peace pursuers, because to do so edifies the body of Christ. Rom. 14:19-
20 says, “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith
one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God…” At great cost we must avoid
doing damage to the work of God by not insisting on our preferences.
6. Christians should proactively pursue peace in order to advance God’s kingdom. Rom. 12:17
says, “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.”
Peacekeeping is part of the nature of God’s kingdom and brings God’s acceptance and men’s
approval.
7. The pursuit of peace includes rebuking and is essential for the maintenance of sound doctrine.
Heb. 12:14-16 says, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see
the Lord. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. Lest there be any fornicator, or profane
person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.” Without the correcting part of
peacemaking others may stray from God’s grace, truth and will.
8. If we want to reap more righteousness in the future, then we need to wisely sow righteousness
in a culture of peace now. James offers this advice in James 3:18 – “And the fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” Here the seed of righteousness acts
is expected to produce a harvest of righteousness in the future if it is planted in the soil of
peacemaking today.
9. The interpersonal peace (unity) that God grants his children (Rom. 15:5) by His Spirit (Eph.
4:3) is a trust that God wants us to keep (protect). Eph. 4:3 says “I . . . beseech you that ye
walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with
longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in
the bond of peace.”
10. Dwelling together in unity is a good and pleasant thing that reflects God’s blessing. Psa.
133:10 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
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APPENDIX 3
PRAYER REQUESTS REGARDING THE PROACTIVE PURSUIT OF PEACE
For our relationship with You

Y1. Help us to recognize your presence, your desires, and your leading in the heat of
conflict.
Y2. Help us to not be swayed from the truth.
Y3. Help us to be thankful for what You have allowed to happen, for the circumstances You
have engineered.
Y4. We bring all of our anxieties to You who cares for us.
Y5. Help us to take full advantage of our conflicts by becoming more like Jesus.
Y6. Bring glory to your name thru our struggling, our being purified.
Y7. We count our provisions and promises that motivate us to energetically add to our
faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and
love.
Y8. Help us to clearly see any ways we are trying to control outcomes instead of just doing
our best and leaving outcomes to You.
Y9. Help us to be so trusting/patient in You to handle our relational difficulties that we do
not grumble against our brother.
Y10. Call us to depend on your compassion/empathy rather than our own (self-pity) or
others’ pity for us.
For our inner person, self

S1. May our own desires be only as important to us as they are to You.
S2. Help us to be sincere yet without unnecessary offense.
S3. Give us calmness of spirit, self control.
S4. Give us the courage to confront if we should do so.
S5. Help us not to be ashamed in anything.
S6. Powerfully strengthen us in patience and joyful longsuffering.
S7. Give us a heart that is knit in love with our life mates, our children, our teammates, and
our Christian brothers.
S8. Strengthen us so we are not not weary in well-doing.
S9. Use any conflict that You allow to strengthen our faith in You.
S10. Please lift us up as we humble ourselves in your sight.
S11. Richly grant us to be internally strengthened by your Spirit.
S12. Remind us that we stand only before You to be judged, that our own thoughts or
feelings or those of others are not the standard for our lives.
S13. Help us to be perfectly calmed by You so that we can think clearly in the midst of
conflict.
S14. Help us to find and keep our sense of humor in the midst of conflict/to use our sense of
humor in appropriate and loving ways.
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S15. Keep Satan from taking advantage of the hurt that we suffer by our not being able to
forgive soon enough.
S16. Deal to us a great measure of faith, to see You and trust You even when conflict
confuses us
S17. Protect us from any conflict that has gotten out of hand…
S18. Help us to meditate in that which is good rather than repeating the offense in our
mind...to think on that which is true, honest (honorable), just, lovely, of good report
(admirable), virtuous, or praiseworthy
S19. Bring healing where we cannot even contribute.
S20. Heal the scars of the past.
S21. Give us the grace to not over-respond to opposition. Develop meekness in us
S22. Help us to remember what we have learned about your will for us in pursuing peace
with others.
Give us wisdom
W1. Bring to our mind the Scriptures and how they guide us.
W2. May we be wise in your wisdom, and not in that of the world
W3. Show us through your Word what You would have us do
W4. Open our eyes to the spiritual reality of those who oppose us.
W5. Help us to fix our eyes on Jesus who resisted against sin unto blood.
W6. Help us to understand the words and meaning of others.
W7. Help us distinguish between the pursuit of peace and the inappropriate toleration of
sin.
W8. Help us to know how to overcome evil with good and give us the desire to do so.
W9. Form in us the prayers you would have us pray.
W10. Help us to speak your words with authority and according to the power You give us
W11. Help us to distinguish between the various kinds of conflict: Issue-centered,
Process-centered, and People-centered. Help us to understand the difference and the
ramifications.
W12. Help us to avoid unnecessary topics...to purposefully not talk about the unnecessary.
W13. Calm us and comfort us when we need it.
W14. Open for us a new paradigm and a new level of maturity.
W15. Give us a new understanding of our sin and sinfulness and your acceptance of us.
W16. Help us to listen to reproof.
W17. Help us to stay on track...to understand when we are talking about smokescreens (that
which is not the real issue behind our conflict).
W18. Help us to adequately and appropriately assert ourselves in perfect timing.
For the development of our love

L1. Help us to be a refreshment to our brothers and sisters.
L2. Help us to be respectful even when we deem others to be harsh.
L3. Help us to see and appreciate the positive in others.
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L4. Help us to increase and abound in love toward others.

L5. Help us to verbally express any love and admiration that we do have and feel.
L6. Help us to show our love in actions and not just in words.
L7. Remind us of how much You (and our families) love us when others do not.
L8. If we need to forgive something, please remind us of your forgiveness.
L9. If we need to confess, help us to see ourselves as You do and express ourselves in a
way that satisfies You and others.
L10. Help us to effectively spur others on to love and good works.
L11. Give us a great desire for peace, unity.
L12. Give us understanding of the need of others.
L13. Help us to see how much and when we need one another.
L14. Help us to guard our tongues from unnecessarily hurting one another.
L15. Help us not to compare ourselves with others or think too highly of ourselves
individually.
L16. Help us to be meek and gentle as we instruct one another.
L17. Grant that our words and behavior win over others to ourselves and to You.
L18. God, please clear up our misunderstandings in your perfect timing and according to
your good will.
L19. Give us a sacrificing love for one another that is understood as such
L20. Help us to clearly see it if we are trying to control others instead of loving
unconditionally and edifying.
Help us to minister peace and harmony better

M1. Grant us grace in the eyes of those who oppose us
M2. Help us to be a good example of peace pursuers, to be swift to hear, slow to speak,
slow to anger.
M3. Give us the exact words we need to communicate clearly and lovingly.
M4. Set before us an open door of sharing what we’ve learned that no one can shut.
M5. May our ministry of the Word (especially to one another) have free course in the midst
of conflict.
M6. Pour out creative solutions to our minds and give us a ready heart to accept them.
M7. May our words be filled with grace and may the law of kindness be on our tongues.
M8. Grant the fullness of your Spirit upon our partners, family members, and brothers and
sisters in Christ with whom we are in conflict.
M9. Help us to heal from the wounds we have suffered.
M10. Help us to healthfully grieve any significant losses caused by conflict.
M11. Help us to celebrate that You helped us do our best up until now to resolve or avoid
unnecessary conflict and yet declare our intention to do all You call upon us to do in
the future.
M12. May You grant us resolution to unnecessary conflict.
APPENDIX 4
PROVERBS ON BEING SWIFT TO HEAR,

SLOW TO SPEAK, AND SLOW TO ANGER
Proverbs on Being Swift to Hear

1:5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain
wise counsel,
1:8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your
mother;
1:9 For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck.
1:20 Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares.
1:21 She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She
speaks her words:
1:22 How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their
scorning, And fools hate knowledge.
1:23 Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words
known to you.
1:24 Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one
regarded,
1:25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke,
1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes,
1:30 They would have none of my counsel, And despised my every rebuke.
1:31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their
own fancies. But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without
fear of evil.
2:1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,
2:2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding;
2:3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding,
2:4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures;
2:5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.
4:1 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know
understanding;
4:4 He also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; Keep my
commands, and live.
4:5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my
mouth.
4:10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many.
4:20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
5:5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding,
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5:7 Therefore hear me now, my children, And do not depart from the words of my mouth.
6:23 For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the
way of life,
7 :1 My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you.
7:3 Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.
7:24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth:
8:10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold;
8:32 Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways.
8:33 Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it.
8:34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the
posts of my doors.
10:8 The wise in heart will receive commands, But a prating fool will fall.
10:17 He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, But he who refuses correction goes
astray.
11:14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is
safety.
11:12 Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid.
11:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.
13:1 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
13:13 He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will
be rewarded.
13:18 Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, But he who regards a
rebuke will be honored.
15:5 A fool despises his father’s instruction, But he who receives correction is prudent.
15:31 The ear that hears the rebukes of life Will abide among the wise.
15:32 He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, But he who heeds rebuke gets
understanding.
16:16 How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen
rather than silver.
17:4 An evildoer gives heed to false lips; A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue.
17:10 Rebuke is more effective for a wise man Than a hundred blows on a fool.
18:1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.
18:13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.
19:20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days.
19:27 Cease listening to instruction, my son, And you will stray from the words of
knowledge.
20:5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw
it out.
20:19 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with
one who flatters with his lips.
21:11 When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise; But when the wise is
instructed, he receives knowledge.
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22:17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my
22:18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your
lips,
23:9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
23:19 Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way.
23:22 Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 23 Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24:6 For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors
there is safety.
24:32 When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction:
25:12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise rebuker to an obedient
ear.
26:22 The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost
body.
28:9 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.
28:26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
29:1 He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that
without remedy.
Proverbs on Being Slow to Speak

3:11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction;
3:12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
3:24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.
5:2 That you may preserve discretion, And your lips may keep knowledge.
6:12 A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth;
6:13 He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his fingers;
6:14 Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord.
6:16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
6:17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,
6:18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,
6:19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
8:6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will
come right things;
8:7 For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8:8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in
them.
8:9 They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.
8:13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the
perverse mouth I hate.
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9:7 He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man
only harms himself.
9:8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he
will increase in learning.
10:6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, But violence covers the mouth of the
wicked.
10:11 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, But violence covers the mouth of the
wicked.
10:13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, But a rod is for the back
of him who is devoid of understanding.
10:14 Wise people store up knowledge, But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
10:18 Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, And whoever spreads slander is a fool.
10:19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
10:20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little.
10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom.
10:31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, But the perverse tongue will be cut
out.
10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what
is perverse.
11:9 The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the
righteous will be delivered.
11:11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of
the wicked.
11:13 A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.
12:6 The words of the wicked are, “Lie in wait for blood,” But the mouth of the upright
will deliver them.
12:13 The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will come
through trouble.
12:14 A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, And the recompense of a
man’s hands will be rendered to him.
12:17 He who speaks truth declares righteousness, But a false witness, deceit.
12:18 There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise
promotes health.
12:19 The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
12:20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy.
12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His
delight.
12:23 A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.
12:25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
13:2 A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth, But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on
violence.
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13:3 He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall
have destruction.
13:5 A righteous man hates lying, But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.
14:3 In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, But the lips of the wise will preserve them.
14:5 A faithful witness does not lie, But a false witness will utter lies.
14:7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, When you do not perceive in him the lips of
knowledge.
14:25 A true witness delivers souls, But a deceitful witness speaks lies.
15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
15:2 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth
foolishness.
15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
15:7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, But the heart of the fool does not do so.
15:14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools
feeds on foolishness.
15:23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how
good it is!
15:26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, But the words of the pure
are pleasant.
15:28 The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours
forth evil.
16:1 The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the
Lord.
16:10 Divination is on the lips of the king; His mouth must not transgress in judgment.
16:13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings, And they love him who speaks what is right.
16:21 The wise in heart will be called prudent, And sweetness of the lips increases learning.
16:23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips.
16:24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.
16:28 A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.
17:1 Better is a dry morsel with quietness, Than a house full of feasting with strife.
17:4 An evildoer gives heed to false lips; A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue.
17:7 Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool, Much less lying lips to a prince.
17:20 He who has a deceitful heart finds no good, And he who has a perverse tongue falls
into evil.
17:27 He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm
spirit.
17:28 Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is
considered perceptive.
18:2 A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.
18:4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing
brook.
18:6 A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calls for blows.
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18:7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
18:8 The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost
body.
18:13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.
18:20 A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of
his lips he shall be filled.
18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
19:25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; Rebuke one who has
understanding, and he will discern knowledge.
19:27 Cease listening to instruction, my son, And you will stray from the words of
knowledge.
19:28 A disreputable witness scorns justice, And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
20:15 There is gold and a multitude of rubies, But the lips of knowledge are a precious
jewel.
20:19 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with
one who flatters with his lips.
21:6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.
21:23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles.
22:11 He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.
22:17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my
knowledge;
22:18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your
lips,
23:8 The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, And waste your pleasant words.
23:12 Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to words of knowledge.
23:13 Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not
die.
23:14 You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell.
23:16 Yes, my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak right things.
24:1 Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them;
24:2 For their heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking.
24:25 But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, And a good blessing will come
upon them.
24:26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
24:28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, For would you deceive with
your lips?
25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver.
25:12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, Is a wise rebuker to an obedient
ear.
25:13 Like the cold of snow in time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send
him, For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
25:15 By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded, And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.
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25:18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor Is like a club, a sword, and a
sharp arrow.
25:23 The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
25:25 As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country.
26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.
26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
26:7 Like the legs of the lame that hang limp Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
26:9 Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
26:18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
26:19 Is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, “I was only joking!”
26:23 Fervent lips with a wicked heart Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
26:24 He who hates, disguises it with his lips, And lays up deceit within himself;
26:28 A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin.
27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
27:5 Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed.
27:9 Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives
delight by hearty counsel.
28:23 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward Than he who flatters with the
tongue.
29:11 A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back.
29:15 The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his
mother.
30:5 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
30:6 Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
30:10 Do not malign a servant to his master, Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.
30:32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, Or if you have devised evil, put your
hand on your mouth.
31:8 Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
31:9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy
merchants.
31:25 Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come.
31:26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
Proverbs on Being Slow to Anger

3:30 Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.
9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he
will increase in learning.
10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.
12:16 A fool’s wrath is known at once, But a prudent man covers shame.
13:10 By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.
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13:24 He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.
14:29 He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts
folly.But sin is a reproach to any people.
14:35 The king’s favor is toward a wise servant, But his wrath is against him who causes
shame.
15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
15:18 A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention.
16:7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with
him.
16:14 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.
16:32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he
who takes a city.
17:1 Better is a dry morsel with quietness, Than a house full of feasting with strife.
17:14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a
quarrel starts.
17:19 He who loves transgression loves strife, And he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.
17:17 A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
18:19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the
bars of a castle.
19:11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a
transgression.
19:18 Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.
19:19 A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; For if you rescue him, you will have to
do it again.
20:2 The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins
against his own life.
20:3 It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel.
20:22 Do not say, “I will recompense evil”; Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.
21:9 Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious
woman.
21:14 A gift in secret pacifies anger, And a bribe behind the back, strong wrath.
21:19 Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman.
22:4 By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life.
22:10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
22:15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far
from him.
22:24 Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go,
22:25 Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.
24:17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he
stumbles;
24:18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath from him.
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24:29 Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will render to the man
according to his work.”
25:8 Do not go hastily to court; For what will you do in the end, When your neighbor has
put you to shame?
25:9 Debate your case with your neighbor, And do not disclose the secret to another;
25:10 Lest he who hears it expose your shame, And your reputation be ruined.
25:12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, Is a wise rebuker to an obedient
ear.
25:24 It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a
contentious woman.
25:27 It is not good to eat much honey; So o seek one’s own glory is not glory.
26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
26:17 He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog
by the ears.
26:20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife
ceases.
26:21 As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle
strife.
27:3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.
27:4 Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?
28:13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them
will have mercy.
28:25 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the Lord will be
prospered.
29:8 Scoffers set a city aflame, But wise men turn away wrath.
29:9 If a wise man contends with a foolish man, Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is
no peace.
29:17 Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul.
29:19 A servant will not be corrected by mere words; For though he understands, he will not
respond.
29:20 Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
29:22 An angry man stirs up strife, And a furious man abounds in transgression.
29:23 A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.
29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.
29:33 For as the churning of milk produces butter, And wringing the nose produces blood,
So the forcing of wrath produces strife.
30:33 For as the churning of milk produces butter, And wringing the nose produces blood,
So the forcing of wrath produces strife.
All proverbs recorded in the New King James Version

APPENDIX 5
EXPOSITORY SERMON OUTLINES
OUTLINE OF EXPOSITORY SERMON ON JOHN 17.20-26

“God Brought Peace to the Biggest Conflict Ever”
I. God is at perfect peace with himself. John 17.21a, 24c
II. God is known as the “God of peace.” Cf. Rom. 15.33; 16.20; Phil. 4.9; 1 Thess.
5.23; Heb. 13.20; Rom. 15.5; and 2 Cor. 13.11
III. God loved the world enough to send His Son to make peace possible.
John 17.21b-22 – cf. John 3.16.
A. He made peace between himself and men possible. John 17.21b, 23a, 26d
B. He made peace between men possible. John 17.22, 23a, 26c
IV. God wants to publicize his peacemaking by our peacemaking.

John 17.23 – cf. Matt. 5.9
A. By pursuing peace, the world will believe God sent His Son. John 17.21b, 23b
B. By pursuing peace, the world will believe He loves them. John 17.23c
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OUTLINE OF EXPOSITORY SERMON ON JAMES 1.16-27

“How to Bring Peace into Every Conflict”
I. In the moment of heated conflict, no matter the nature of the conflict, no good thing
will come of it if you respond in anger, so be a peacemaker. James 1.19
A. Be swift to hear.
B. Be slow to speak (cf. 1.26).
C. Be slow to get angry.
II. Throughout a prolonged conflict, God’s Word will free you (bless you) if…
A. You do the right (moral) thing you already know to do. James 1.21a
B. You ready your heart to receive the Word with meekness (power under control
due to faith that God will change others). James 1.21b
C. You allow the Word to be implanted in you. James 1.21c
D. You look intently into the Word and you continue in it. James 1.25a
E. You practice what you see there. James 1.25b (cf. 1.22a)
III. Before the next conflict comes, you can prepare yourself to believe in God in the
midst of it. Then, when it comes, you won’t be deceived into thinking…
A. That God is not giving you another good gift (conflict never seems like a good
gift from a good God). James 1.17a
B. That God’s formerly good will toward you has turned sour. – 1.17b
C. That God does not have a purpose in it; namely, to show you as His fruit.
James 1.18 –
His purpose for you will always be in line with one or more of the following: He
wants you to…
1. Bring Him glory.
2. Love and serve others.
3. Become more like Christ.
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OUTLINE OF EXPOSITORY SERMON ON ROMANS 14.10-15.3

“How to Tear Down the Work of God in Others”
I. We tear down the work of God in others when we judge them. Rom. 14.10-13
II. We tear down the work of God in others when we are more concerned with pleasing
ourselves than we are with edifying others. Rom. 14.14-15.3
OUTLINE OF EXPOSITORY SERMON ON HEBREWS 12.11-17

“Peace Brother!...Watch Out! There’s Danger”
I. The actions of individuals can affect the corporate peace of the church. Heb. 12.15
II. To ensure peace, when necessary, brothers should correct one another in effective
ways. Heb. 12.11-13
A. Effective correction requires faith. Heb. 12.11

B. Effective correction requires loving emotional support. Heb. 12.12
C. Effective correction requires the transmission of practical steps of
“how to walk correctly.” Heb. 12.13a
D. Effective correction requires patience while others heal. Heb. 12.13b
III. Brothers should diligently watch out for one another and warn one another of
danger. – Heb. 12.15-17
A. Danger my beloved brother! You might miss out on God’s grace. Heb. 12.15a
B. Danger my beloved brother! You might miss out on God’s truth. Heb. 12.15b
C. Danger my beloved brother! You might miss out on God’s will. Heb. 12.16-17
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OUTLINE OF EXPOSITORY SERMON ON 1 PETER 3.8-12

“God is Watching You Work for Peace and He Will Reward You”
I. God rewards us when we do the right thing (interpersonally) 1 Pet. 3.12.a.

God rewards us when…
A. We seek to be likeminded. 1 Pet. 3.8a
B. We have compassion on others. 1 Pet. 3.8b
C. We show brotherly love. 1 Pet. 3.8c
D. We show mercy. 1 Pet. 3.8d
E. We are courteous. 1 Pet. 3.8e
F. We respond well to others’ interpersonal evil by blessing them. 1 Pet. 3.9
G. We refrain our tongue from wrongdoing. 1 Pet. 3.10
H. We consider our interpersonal reactions in terms of good and evil. 1 Pet. 3.11a
II. God resists those who do interpersonal evil. 1 Pet.3.12b
OUTLINE OF EXPOSITORY SERMON ON ROMANS 12.9-21

“Have You Done Everything You Can to Bring Peace?”
I. Interpersonal peace is so important we should do everything we can to bring it

about. – Rom. 12.18
II. How to prepare for peace before conflict arises. Rom. 12.9-13, 15-16, 17b
A. Practice genuine love. Rom. 12.9a, 10
B. Always try to do the right thing. Rom. 12.9b
C. Prefer and honor one another. Rom. 12.10
D. Do all you do as unto the Lord. Rom. 12.11
E. Prayerfully stir your hope. Rom. 12.11
F. Be generous. Rom. 12.13.a
G. Empathize with others. Rom. 12.15
H. Search for unity, one-mindedness. Rom. 12.16.a
I. Humble yourself. Rom. 12.16.b
J. Do what is honorable in others’ sight. Rom. 12.17b
III. How to promote peace after conflict arises*. Rom. 12.14, 17, 19-21
A. Bless your persecutors. Rom. 12.14
B. Prefer God’s vengeance over personal vengeance. Rom. 12.17a, 19
C. Bless your enemies, do good to them. Rom. 12.20
*and after forgiving them
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OUTLINE OF EXPOSITORY SERMON ON JAMES 3.18

“Reaping a Harvest of Righteousness on the Farm of Peace”
I. All sowing is done with faith.

II. God wants us to sow righteousness with faith.
III. Peace is the soil in which the peacemaker sows righteousness.
IV. Righteousness is sown in peace by those who purposefully make peace.
V. God wants us to reap even more righteousness (individually and collectively) in the
future by sowing our righteousness in the soil of peace today.
OUTLINE OF EXPOSITORY SERMON ON ROMANS 4.1-5.5

“Faith in the Prince of Peace brings us Peace with God and Others”
Introduction.
A. Having peace with God is even more important than having peace with one’s
neighbor. It has serious eternal ramifications.
B. We have previously learned the importance of being swift to hear, slow to
speak, and slow to get angry.
C. We have also concluded that in and through conflict God wants us to bring Him
glory, love others, and become more like Christ, the Prince of Peace.
I. Abraham believed in the word (promise) of God and was justified by his faith.
Rom. 4.3-5
A. He gave more credence to God’s Word than the “supposed” facts. Rom. 4.19
B. He brought glory to God because he did not waver as time passed. Rom. 4.20
C. He was fully convinced of God’s ability to keep his promise. Rom. 4.21-22
II. Today, we believe in the Word (Son) of God and are justified by our faith.
A. The Prince of Peace was delivered up (crucified) for our offenses. Rom. 4.25a
B. The Prince of Peace was raised to prove our justification (before God now, and
before all men eventually). Rom. 4.25b
III. Having been justified by our faith in the Prince of Peace…

A. We have peace with God. Rom. 5.1
B. We can live a rejoicing lifestyle no matter what tribulation may occur
(including conflict). Rom. 5.2-4
C. The Holy Spirit pours out God’s love to us and through us. Rom. 5.5
APPENDIX 6
TRAINING MODULE #2
PowerPoint Presentation for Training Module #2
(The Spanish version can be found at

persiguiendoarmonia.org)
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161
Leader’s Session #2 Listening well is a

combination of . . .
• Disposition
• Skill
Slide #1 Slide #2
5 steps to 1. Wait
listening well: • Learn to be tranquil, relaxed
when there is a long pause.
1. Wait • Don’t interrupt the other person.
2. Pay attention • Don’t arrive at premature
conclusiones, maintain yourself
3. Clarify open to new ideas.
4. Repeat back • Don’t offer solutions to every
5. Be agreeable, not combative problem the other person
mentions.
Slide #3 Slide #4
2. Pay attention 3. Clarify

• Concentrate on the other person. • Ask questions or clarify your
understanding with phrases like:
• Don’t mentally practice your answers
because it inhibits your memory of – “Are you saying that . . . ?”
what you heard. – “Can you give me an example . . . ?”
• Avoid negative body language. – “Let me see if I understand . . . ”
• Don’t let sounds or others distract – “Please explain to me . . .”
you. • Ask open-ended questions (Who,
• Communicate your understanding What, When, Why, How).
(respond affirmatively with your head, • Ask questions so you can under-
phrases like “yes, I understand”). stand, not to trap or embarrass.
Slide #5 Slide #6
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4. Reflect back 5. Be agreeable

• Summarize the words and feelings of • Show that you are in partial
the other person. agreement. It’s not necessary to be
• Summarize in a constructive tone. in total agreement. One can show
• Avoid negative body language. partial solidarity.
• To summarize doesn’t mean you are in • Resist the temptation to confront
agreement, it means you understand incorrect ideas.
what is being communicated. • Show agreement in what you can.
• Summarizing helps reduce the tension Help the other person to open up
of the moment if the other person is and share the necessary details for
angry. mutual understanding.
Slide #7 Slide #8
“Let’s Listen to the Selective emotional

Message Behind the messages
Message”
• Anger • Superiority
Behind every verbal • Fear • Guilt
message, there is an • Shame • Jealousy/Envy
emotional message. • Sadness
Slide #9 Slide #10
Emotional messages . . . What do we want?

• Anger Irritation, Annoyance,
Exasperation, Rage, Fury • Peace Tranquility and rest
• Fear Mistrust, Alarm, Terror • Pleasure Experiences and
• Shame Unappreciated, Rejection, entertainment
Humiliation
• Sadness Pain, Contrition, • Money Financial security,
Without consolation buying power
• Superiority Disapproval,
Condemnation of others • Power Influence or liberty
• Guilt Hypocritical, Dirty, • Possessions Properties and
Condemned material goods
• Jealousy/Envy Envy, Desire,
Ambition, Greed • Position Honor and recognition
Slide #11 Slide #12

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Worksheet for Training Module #2
“Let’s Listen to the Message Behind the Message”
Exercises for Small Group Session #2
When we hear the emotional message behind another’s verbal message, it’s because we
are better hearers. Our purpose with this activity is to listen to a person in conflict (or tension),
analyze their position, and identify the emotional need behind their verbal declaration.
In order to do that, we will analyze a portion of an episode of “Chavo del 8” titled
“Friend Day.” First, let’s watch the clip. Later, we’ll answer the questions.
In this episode, Doña Florinda invites the neighbors to participate in a friend day
celebration.
Clip One: Doña Florinda vs. Don Ramón
What skill did Don Ramón lack?

□ Being swift to hear
□ Slow to speak
□ Slow to anger
We understand one another better when we understand one another’s emotions.
What emotion was Don Ramón feeling when Doña Florinda approached him?
□ Fear □ Sadness
□ Anger □ Jealousy
□ Shame/Guilt □ Superiority
Why?
Doña Florinda’s face reflected irritation when Don Ramón y Chilindrina misunderstood her. Of
the six things that we desire, which did Doña Florinda want? What was the hidden emotional
desire behind her invitation?
□ Peace
□ Pleasure
□ Treasure
□ Power
□ Possessions
□ Position
How might Don Ramón improve his listening to others?

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Clip two: Chilindrina vs. Chavo
Which skill did Chavo lack?

□ Slow to speak
□ Slow to anger
What emotion did Chilindrina display when Chavo did not understand or appreciate her?
□ Anger
□ Sadness
□ Which did Chavo lack the most?
□ Willingness to listen to Chilindrina
□ Skill in listening to Chilindrina
Clip three: Professor Jirafales vs. Don Ramón
Which skill did professor Jirafales lack?

□ Slow to speak
□ Slow to anger
Of the six things we desire, which did Don Ramón want?

□ Peace
□ Pleasure
□ Treasure
□ Power
□ Possessions
□ Position
Who proposed a solution that satisfied all the parties involved?

□ Professor Jirafales
□ Don Ramón
□ Doña Florinda
□ Quico
□ Chavo
□ Chilindrina
□ Doña Clotilde
Considering all the actors involved, some behaved themselves better than others.
Which of the actors was most swift to hear?
Which was most slow to speak?
Considering the actors of “Chavo del 8,” which actor generally expresses genuine love for
neighbor? That is to say, which habitually takes into account the needs of others and fulfills them
in love?
APPENDIX 7
TRAINING MODULE #3

165
166
Listening well is a
Leader’s Session #3 combination of . . .
• Disposition
• Skill
Slide #1 Slide #2
Let’s celebrate what’s

going on among us The role of
humility
Stories of the Pursuit of in the pursuit
Peace
of harmony
Daily readings read this
week
Slide #3 Slide #4
Humility affects our . . .

• Ability to listen well.
• Judgment of and prejudice
How to Avoid
toward others Judging Others
• Confession of our faults.
• Asking for forgiveness.
• Style of rebuking others.
• Ability to forgive.
Slide #5 Slide #6
167
Let’s Be Swift to Hear 3 options that are

better than judging
The notebook
(the stewardship of conflict) 1. Asking good questions
2. Suspending judgment
and the watch
(suspending judgment) 3. Expressing empathy
Slide #7 Slide #8
2. How to suspend
1. How to ask good judgment
questions
• Delay making a judgment until
the future when He who knows all
• Decide to ask questions that wants to participate. Invite Him to
give the other person the participate.
benefit of the doubt. • Refuse to make a final determi-
• Ask questions to learn from nation about others’ motives and
others, not to trap them. actions.
• Throw trust in the gap, not judg-
ment or suspicion.
Slide #9 Slide #10
James 2:9-9 James 2:12-13

8 12
If ye fulfil the royal law according So speak ye, and so do, as they
to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy that shall be judged by the law of
neighbour as thyself, ye do well: liberty.
9 But if ye have respect to persons, 13
For he shall have judgment
ye commit sin, and are convinced without mercy, that hath shewed no
of the law as transgressors. mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against
judgment.
Slide #11 Slide #12

168
How to suspend
judgment by asking
good questions Proverbs 20:5
Counsel in the heart of man is
• Ask questions with the motive like deep water; but a man of
of learning, not judging understanding will draw it out.
• Be a student, not a critic.
• Make it safe for them to answer
questions or listen to your
opinions.
Slide #13 Slide #14
3. How to express
empathy Romans 12:15
Rejoice with them that do
• Express understanding and rejoice, and weep with them
comprehension of another’s that weep.
emotions.
Slide #15 Slide #16
Review
1 Corinthians 12:26
And whether one member Being swift to hear is
suffer, all the members suffer
with it; or one member be
a combination of…
honoured, all the members
rejoice with it. • Disposition, Willingness
• Technique, Skill
Slide #17 Slide #18

169
Exercise: Exercise:
As far as I know . . . Did I understand

you correctly when
you said . . . ?
Slide #19 Slide #20
Exercise:
In any case . . .
Slide #21
170
“Let’s Be Merciful”
The Bible calls us to be merciful instead of being judgmental. This includes the
suspension of judgment and demonstrations of empathy. To practice the suspension of judgment
and empathy we will do three exercises in groups of three. Of the three persons in each group,
one will have the role of being the offended one, one will take the role of being the offender, and
one will offer counsel to the two.
Case #1
You play the role of a father who is worried about the direction of his daughter’s life. She is 18
and has been going out with some friends every Friday for three months. Among the group is a
young man who shows special interest in your daughter, but he does not behave transparently or
responsibly. She has arrived home very late the last three Fridays. She has just arrived at 12:30
a.m. without having called home to inform you of her whereabouts. Right now is the best time
to talk to her because in the morning the whole family has to go to work together in the family
business.
Case #2
You play the role of a lender who has lent a friend $200 two months ago. Your friend promised
to pay you back in 2-3 weeks, but he has only paid you $20 so far. You are behind on your bills
and urgently need your money to pay them. You are approaching to ask him to pay you within ten
days because, if not, they are going to cut off the electricity to your house.
Case #3
You play the role of someone of whom everyone is gossiping. A good friend has informed you by
text message that a member of your small group at church is speaking badly about you to others.
This is the second time you have been informed about this. You are approaching to speak with
your supposed offender.
171
Phase 1: As Far As I Know…
Read the cases one by one and summarize them without judging the motives or actions of the
offenders. Speak unemotionally about the facts, and not about your characterization of the facts.
To summarize, start with the phrase, “As far as I know…”
Phase 2: Did I understand?
In each case, the offender offers a reasonable excuse. For example, the young lady has arrived
late because the bus she was taking broke down, your friend has not paid you because his mother
is in the hospital and he is having to pay the bills, and the member of your small group did not
say those things about you, but when others said it to him about you, he did not defend you and
believed it might be true.
The offender has now offered his/her excuse in an emotionally laden message, having elaborated
the details. You have to listen and respond, demonstrating that you understand the emotions of
the offender. Verbally demonstrate your comprehension and understanding, and then ask if you
understood by saying, “Did I understand correctly that…” The third person in your group will
offer an evaluation of both of your communication skills.
Phase Three: In any case…
Having listened and demonstrated that you understand your offender, in any case, you need to see
an immediate change in their behavior. It is not an acceptable option that the situation continues
as it is. Speak to your offender in a respectful way, but communicate your desire to see a change.
APPENDIX 8
TRAINING MODULE #4

172
173

Leader’s Session #4 going on among us
Stories of the Pursuit of

Peace
week
Slide #1 Slide #2
Some Traps to Avoid When Some Traps to Avoid When

Mentioning Another’s Fault: Mentioning Another’s Fault:
1. Exaggerating the offense. 7. Raising your voice.
2. Repeating offenses that are already 8. Questioning others’ character or
forgiven. morality.
3. Basing the accusation on gossip or 9. Getting distracted from the central
hearsay. issue on peripheral issues.
4. Beginning the conversation when 10. Rebuking in the presence of others.
you’re already angry.
11. Having a judge’s attitude instead of
5. Not preparing in prayer. a student’s.
6. Failing to examine oneself beforehand.
Slide #3 Slide #4
Some Traps to Avoid When Being swift to

Mentioning Another’s Fault: hear requires a
12. Communicating too strongly, combination of . . .
avoiding vulnerability.
13. Letting the other person off without • Disposition
repenting.
14. Speaking without being conscious • Skill
of one’s emotions.
15. Lying about the evidence against
Being slow to speak
your offender. also requires both.
Slide #5 Slide #6
174
Let’s Be Swift to Hear Let’s Be Slow to Speak
The notebook The gifts

(the stewardship of conflict) (to speak the truth about an
offense, in love)
and the watch
(suspending judgment)
Slide #7 Slide #8
A faith which works

affects our . . .
The role of • Judgment of and prejudice
a faith that works toward others
in the pursuit • Confession
• Whether or not we rebuke
of harmony others and how we do it
• Asking for and granting
forgiveness.
• Level of patience for avoiding
unnecessary conflict.
Slide #9 Slide #10
Galatians 6:1-3
1
How to Help Others Brethren, if a man be overtaken in
a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore
with Their Faults such an one in the spirit of meekness;
considering thyself, lest thou also
be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s
burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be
something, when he is nothing, he
deceiveth himself.
Slide #11 Slide #12

175
Conquerer or Incan
Exercise: Destroyer or Builder
Conqueror Incan
Conquerer or Incan
Destroyer or Builder
Destroyer Builder
Slide #13 Slide #14
When mentioning another’s

fault, our message should
Exercise: include three elements:
• You have done the following
Three steps for _______ (or the following has
mentioning anothers’ fault happened to me)
• I have been emotionally affected
in this way _______,
• And it has resulted in _______.
Slide #15 Slide #16
Galatians 6:1-3
1
How to Help Others Brethren, if a man be overtaken in
a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore
with Their Faults such an one in the spirit of meekness;
considering thyself, lest thou also
be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s
burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be
something, when he is nothing, he
deceiveth himself.
Slide #17 Slide #18

176
“Conqueror or Incan, Destroyer or Builder”
Exercises for Leader’s Session #4
This exercise is designed to evaluate whether a certain rebuke sounds positive or

negative. If it sounds positive to you, indicate so by showing the picture of Tupac Amaru, the
Incan, the builder. If it sounds negative to you, indicate so by raising the image of Francisco
Pizzaro, the Conqueror/Destroyer of Incan society.
Let’s study two cases in which an offense has occurred…
Case #1
You play the role of a father who is worried about the direction of his daughter’s life. She is 18
and has been going out with some friends every Friday for three months. Among the group is a
young man who shows special interest in your daughter, but he does not behave transparently or
responsibly. She has arrived home very late the last three Fridays. She has just arrived at 12:30
a.m. without having called home to inform you of her whereabouts. Right now is the best time
to talk to her because in the morning the whole family has to go to work together in the family
business.
Case #2
You play the role of a lender who has lent a friend $200 two months ago. Your friend promised
to pay you back in 2-3 weeks, but he has only paid you $20 so far. You are behind on your bills
and urgently need your money to pay them. You are approaching to ask him to pay you within ten
days because, if not, they are going to cut off the electricity to your house.
Now, evaluate each of the following answers to the offender to determine if the rebuke sounds
intended to build up (represented by the Incan) or intended to tear down (represented by the
conqueror).
177
Answers to Case #1 – The young lady who arrives home late:

• Why do you always arrive late?
• You know that you should not arrive late, but you act like it doesn’t matter to you.
• You arrived late and you didn’t call, and I suspect that you were with that young man again.
• It worries me when you don’t arrive on time because I don’t know who you are with.
• Your behavior is a violation of our house rules.
• Maybe your friends do have more liberty than you do because their parents don’t care about
them like we care for you. We love you and that’s why we insist that you arrive on time.
• You arrive late, knowing that we are here waiting for you.
Answers to Case #2 – The friend who still owes you $180:

• You are always avoiding me and trying to stay away from me.
• Why won’t you pay me when you know how much I need you to do so?
• I’ve learned from you that you have extra expenses with your mom’s health and I want
to be sensitive to that. Could you let me know earlier next time? Because this situation is
really making it difficult for me.
• Could you pay me something so that I can pay my water bill?
178
“Three Steps for Mentioning a Fault”
When you mention an offense to an offender, your message should include three
elements:
• You have done the following _______ (or the following has occurred to me).
• It has affected me emotionally in this way _______.
• And it has resulted in _______.
Now, practice mentioning another’s fault using the cases we studied last week.
Case #1
A young lady 18 and has been going out with some friends every Friday for three months. Among
the group is a young man who shows special interest in your daughter, but he does not behave
transparently or responsibly. She has arrived home very late the last three Fridays. She has just
arrived at 12:30 a.m. without having called home to inform you of her whereabouts. Right now is
the best time to talk to her because in the morning the whole family has to go to work together in
the family business.
Case #2
Your friend borrowed $200 two months ago. He promised to pay you back in 2-3 weeks, but he
has only paid you $20 so far. You are behind on your bills and urgently need your money to pay
them. You are approaching to ask him to pay you within ten days because, if not, they are going
to cut off the electricity to your house.
Now, evaluate each of the following answers to the offender to determine if the rebuke sounds
intended to build up (represented by the Incan) or intended to tear down (represented by the
conqueror).
• Tell the truth about the undeniable facts of the offense.
• Tell the truth about the emotions that you have experienced.
• Tell the truth about the observable results that the offense has caused.
Now, kindly ask the person to change their behavior.

APPENDIX 9
TRAINING MODULE #5

179
180


Peace
week
Slide #1 Slide #2
Being swift to
Let’s Be Swift to Hear
hear requires a
The notebook
• Disposition (the stewardship of conflict)
• Skill and the watch
Being slow to speak (suspending judgment)
also requires both.
Slide #3 Slide #4
Let’s Be Slow to Speak The role of

love
The gifts in the pursuit
(to speak the truth about an of harmony
offense, in love)
Slide #5 Slide #6
181
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
1 Though I speak with the tongues of
men and of angels, and have not charity,
James 2:8
I am become as sounding brass, or a
tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have If ye fulfil the royal law according
the gift of prophecy, and understand to the scripture, Thou shalt love
all mysteries, and all knowledge; and thy neighbour as thyself, ye do
though I have all faith, so that I could
remove mountains, and have not charity, well;
I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all
my goods to feed the poor, and though
I give my body to be burned, and have
not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Slide #7 Slide #8
Only he who loves Only he who loves

can pursue peace… can pursue peace…
he who loves: he who loves:
• Is swift to hear • Is slow to speak
– He suspends judgment – He corrects others only
for their good
– He listens to the heart
– He confesses
behind the message appropriately
Slide #9 Slide #10
Only he who loves

can pursue peace… Part of being slow to
he who loves: speak is preparing
• Is slow to anger oneself to confess
– He forgives one’s faults and ask
– He shows patience and
forgiveness.
allows God to decide
between opponents
Slide #11 Slide #12
182
To confess a fault in
three steps:
How to Confess a
Fault in Three Steps 1. I did ____, something bad,
made a mistake
2. My actions reflected ____,
an inferior attitude or
perspective.
3. I will not do it again/I’ll try do
the better
Slide #13 Slide #14
To ask for forgiveness

How to Ask for in three steps:
Forgiveness in
Three Steps 1. I did bad, made a mistake.
2. I need your forgiveness,
would you forgive me?
3. How can I make restitution?
Slide #15 Slide #16

183
“Pursuing Peace and Harmony by Way of Confession

of a Fault and Asking for Forgiveness”
Exercises for Training/Small Group Session #5
An exercise for confessing a fault:

In groups of three, let’s practice confessing a fault against another person by following the rhythm
of the three steps below. The example offenses listed below may be used
1. I did the following _______________ (something bad, made a mistake).

2. My actions reflected _______________ (a poor attitude or a limited perspective).
3. I won’t do it again/I will try to do better.
Example offenses for which one needs to confess:

1. Arriving late time after time
2. Not having paid a debt
3. Having offended in word
4. Having shown a lack of respect
5. Not having done a duty
6. Having gossiped, criticized
7. Having borrowed without asking
8. Having hidden the truth
9. Having left someone out of the group
10. Having broken a promise
An exercise for practicing asking for forgiveness:

1. I did wrong/I made a mistake
2. I need your forgiveness. Would you please forgive me?
3. How can I make it up to you?
APPENDIX 10
TRAINING MODULE #6

184
185


Peace
week
Slide #1 Slide #2
Being swift to
Let’s Be Swift to Hear
hear requires a
The notebook
• Disposition (the stewardship of conflict)
• Skill and the watch
Being slow to speak (suspending judgment)
also requires both.
Slide #3 Slide #4
Let’s Be Slow to Speak Let’s Be Slow to Anger
The gifts the jail

(to speak the truth about an (forgiving from the heart)
offense, in love)
Slide #5 Slide #6
186
The role of wisdom One must receive and

in the pursuit of put into practice the
harmony wisdom that comes from
God to be able to deal
with irritations in a way
that pleases God.
Slide #7 Slide #8
James 3:13-17 James 3:13-17

13 Who is a wise man and endued with 16
For where envying and strife is,
knowledge among you? let him shew there is confusion and every evil
out of a good conversation his works work.
with meekness of wisdom. 17
14 But the wisdom that is from above
But if ye have bitter envying and is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,
strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie and easy to be intreated, full of mercy
not against the truth. and good fruits, without partiality, and
15This wisdom descendeth not from without hypocrisy.
above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Slide #9 Slide #10
When one forgives…

1. he imitates God and brings Him
The Blessings of honor.
Forgiveness 2. he invites God to bless his
person.
3. he invites God to forgive him.
4. he leaves a place for God’s
anger.
5. he maintains his communion
with God.
Slide #11 Slide #12

187
When one forgives… When one forgives…

6. he lives with a clean 11. he becomes a good example for
conscience. others.
7. he has peace. 12. he promotes cooperative and
8. he doesn’t have to carry the productive relationships.
emotional weight of resentment. 13. he gifts peace, freedom and
relief to others.
9. he enjoys reconciled and
peaceful relationships. 14. he shows honor and love to
others.
10. he makes it easier to forgive the
next time. 15. he assures others that they are
accepted next time.
Slide #13 Slide #14
How will I know if

If I’ve forgiven, I’ve forgiven?
why am I still hurt 1. I’ve defined the offense.
by the offense? 2. I’ve allowed myself to feel the pain.
3. I’ve tried to understand my offender.
Have I forgiven 4. I’ve liberated my offender.
or not? 5. I’ve tried to find the pearls in the
offense.
6. I’ve expressed my feelings.
7. I’ve extended a hand to my offender.
Slide #15 Slide #16
Colossians 3:12-13
Many times, the 12Put on therefore, as the elect of
wisest way to deal God, holy and beloved, bowels of
with an offense is to mercies, kindness, humbleness of
mind, meekness, longsuffering;
forgive it rather than 13 Forbearing one another, and
forbear it. forgiving one another, if any man
have a quarrel against any: even
as Christ forgave you, so also do
ye.
Slide #17 Slide #18

188
The Promises of
Forgiveness
. I will not meditate on this incident.
1
Promises that Help 2. I will not mention this incident to
Confirm Forgiveness you to use it against you.
3. I will not speak with others about
this incident.
4. When I am reminded of the
incident, I will remind myself that
I have forgiven you and that God
has forgiven me of even greater
offenses.
Slide #19 Slide #20
Game:
Forgive or Forbear
Slide #21
189
“Pursuing Peace and Harmony through Forgiveness”
Exercises for Leader’s/Small Group Session #6
Col. 3:12-13 – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies,
kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving
one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
What is the difference between forbearing an offense and forgiving it?

• To forbear is to decide not to assign blame to the offender.
• To forgive is to decide to not punish the offender any more in spite of the blame they
deserve.
Forbear or Forgive
…an exercise to develop discernment for determining whether one should forgive and offense or
forbear it. Let’s decide which should be practiced and why.
Should you forbear or forgive?...:

1. When your boss regularly asks you to stay an extra hour at work without remuneration.
2. When you suspect that yours spouse is hiding a secret.
3. When your neighbor plays his music too loudly and will not lower it even if you ask kindly.
4. When someone lies to you.
5. When someone criticizes you time and again.
6. When your friends forget your birthday.
7. When someone has gossiped about your person or character.
8. When someone reveals your secrets to others.
9. When someone arrives late to an important event.
10. When your parent gets mad and yells at you in public.
11. When you are falsely accused of…
12. When your _______ comes home drunk.

When should we practice both?
APPENDIX 11
TRAINING MODULE #7

190
191


Peace
week
Slide #1 Slide #2
Being swift to hear,

Let’s prepare slow to speak, and
slow to anger requires
ourselves to tell a combination of…
our story
• Disposition
• Skill
Slide #3 Slide #4
Let’s Be Swift to Hear Let’s Be Slow to Speak

The notebook The gifts
(the stewardship of conflict) (to speak the truth about an
offense, in love)
and the watch
(suspending judgment)
Slide #5 Slide #6
192
Let’s Be Slow to Anger The role of submission

in the pursuit of
the jail harmony
(forgiving from the heart)
Only those who submit to God
the trumpet will obey Him when it is difficult
(placing my trust in God)
Slide #7 Slide #8
Only he who submits to James 5:7-11

God will consistently…
7
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto
• Listen attentively to what God the coming of the Lord. Behold, the
wants to say through his opponent husbandman waiteth for the precious
• Suspend judgment fruit of the earth, and hath long
• Speak the truth patience for it, until he receive the
• Speak with love as his motive early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your
• Will forgive early and often
hearts: for the coming of the Lord
• Trust his situation to the just judge
draweth nigh.
Slide #9 Slide #10
James 5:7-11 James 5:7-11

9 Grudge not one against another, 11 Behold, we count them happy which
brethren, lest ye be condemned: endure. Ye have heard of the patience
behold, the judge standeth before the of Job, and have seen the end of the
door. Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of
10 tender mercy.
Take, my brethren, the prophets,
who have spoken in the name of
the Lord, for an example of suffering
affliction, and of patience.
Slide #11 Slide #12

193
James 1:2-4 From Where Do You

2My brethren, count it all joy when Seek Consolation?
ye fall into divers temptations;
3
Knowing this, that the trying of
your faith worketh patience. From
4
But let patience have her perfect Your- From
work, that ye may be perfect and self Others From
entire, wanting nothing. God
Slide #13 Slide #14
Poor expressions of Poor expressions of

self consolation: social consolation:
• Depression • Complaining • Gaining other’s
• Giving yourself luxuries acceptance by
• Criticizing
From • Excessive entertainment cursing or
• Gossiping
Your- • Allowing yourself to be lascivious telling dirty
self • Bad habits, vices • Sex outside From jokes
of marriage
• Expressions of anger Others • Participating in
• Seeking vengeance • Bragging sinful activities
• Bitterness/Complaining to oneself or pressuring
• Avoiding the resolution of others to
conflicts participate
Slide #15 Slide #16
Poor expressions of Activity: Measuring Irritation

God-centered consolation:
1. Saddened, slighted.
• Taking one’s irritations to Him 2. Misunderstood, criticized.
• Asking for wisdom 3. Frustrated, discouraged.
• Searching God’s Word and
implanting it in one’s heart 4. Insulted, mistreated.
From 5. Made light of, humiliated.
• Hoping for the second coming
• Trusting one’s case to the just God 6. Attacked, assaulted.
judge 7. Indignant, outraged.
• Submitting under God’s mighty
hand 8. Furious, infuriated.
• Rejoicing in trials by remembering that 9. Enraged, incensed.
God offers eternal rewards for faith that is 10. Beside myself, teeth-gnashing mad.
exercised in patience and obedience
Slide #17 Slide #18
194
“Telling My Story”
Leader’s/Small Group Session #7-8
Please circle the number of the 5 harmony campaign concepts that have helped you the most.
Now share a short personal story with your small group that illustrates this principle.
The Harmony Campaign principle that has helped me the most is:
1. God not only desires us to avoid fights between us (peace), but that he wants us to have
harmony (unity of spirit, love in our hearts, and goodwill)
2. I am responsible to God for every conflict I’m in as a stewardship for which I will give an
account.
3. In every conflict, three persons are involved; myself, my opponent, and God. Each of us
wants to accomplish our purposes.
4. In order to promote peace, willingness is not enough. I need to develop skill as well, and I
can do so with biblical instruction and practice.
5. I should pursue peace to obtain her. Peace should be sought aggressively, deliberately, and
purposefully.
6. The Bible is a book about conflicts.
7. If in the middle of a conflict I ask God for help, He will help me. Even when my opponent
does not respond well, God is at work.
8. I should listen to the emotional message behind the verbal message of others.
9. When I am swift to hear, I suspend judgment because I am humble and recognize that I am
not the judge of others, and it is not yet time for them to be judged.
10. Regular and profound self-evaluation can produce humility.
11. Judging others can destroy God’s work in their lives.
12. A lack of humility prohibits me from listening well.
13. Meekness responds to adversity with the proper measure of energy necessary to show God’s
love to my neighbor.
14. When I respond to a conflict in a way that pleases God, I invite him to bless me.
15. When I rebuke a brother, I should tell the truth about the undeniable facts of the offense,
about how the offense has emotionally affected me, and about the observable results.
16. Each conflict is a result of competitive desires. The heart is a desire factory. If we don’t take
care, our desires transform into demands, and later into little gods.
195
17. My tongue has the capacity to give grace to its hearers – to bless others even when they do
not deserve it.
18. To control my tongue, I need to control my heart. I will need God’s help for this.
19. My tongue does as much destruction to my life as it does to others (e.g., it spoils my religion,
leads me down the wrong path, destroys my relationships, poisons my heart and thoughts,
and invites God’s judgment).
20. That a quality confession mentions my faulty actions, my heart attitude behind my fault, my
need for forgiveness, and my willingness to make restitution.
21. Thankfulness is the mother virtue that gives birth to the virtues that promote interpersonal
peace.
22. When I suffer opposition, I can encourage myself by considering the biblical prophets’
examples.
23. As an act of worship, I can celebrate my progress in stewarding conflict well even when
others have not yet responded to it well.
24. Some offenses require me to forbear them and to forgive them.
25. Jesus was our example of he who forgives early and often.
26. My forgiveness frees me from my offender.
27. Forgiveness shouldn’t be granted only for larger offenses; rather it is for smaller ones as well.
28. When I see a gap between what I expect from and what I observe in others, I can fill that gap
with trust of the person (and forgiveness) or trust that God will judge between us.
29. Avoiding conflict that God calls “necessary” is as offensive to God as is entering into conflict
he calls unnecessary. To avoid being in conflict with Him, I should follow His leading with
regard to my conflicts with others.
30. When I proudly commit relational sins, God opposes me. When I humbly right my relational
sins, God rewards me.
31. To resolve conflicts in a way that pleases God, I need to receive the wisdom that comes from
God and act accordingly.
32. Righteousness (doing right) is a seed that I should plant in the soil of harmonious
relationships if I hope to reap a harvest of righteousness in the future.
33. My neighbor needs my help with his offenses, and God is waiting for me to help him, but I
have to be healed before I help him. I have to ask myself and God what I need to heal first,
wait for healing, and then try to help.
34. Unity among God’s children includes the resolution of tension and the reestablishing of
common understanding, emotional harmony, and goodwill.
35. It is God’s will for me to be customarily swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
36. My love for God and neighbor has everything to do with my conflict stewardship.
37. In conflict stewardship, my faith must work.
38. Man’s anger does not accomplish the righteousness of God.
39. Anger is irritation with the circumstances God has designed for me. To control it, I need to
submit myself under God’s mighty hand and accept the circumstances He chooses for me.
Only then can I alleviate the tension I create by resisting His will.
40. When I complain about others’ actions that hurt me, I invite God’s judgment on my life.
APPENDIX 12
PRETEST/POSTTEST QUESTIONS
Understanding My Responses to Interpersonal Conflict
Please read each statement below and place a number on the line to the left of the number that
best describes how much you agree with the statement. Please respond to all the statements.
Disagree Neutral Agree
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
_____ 1. Peacemakers know how to have peace in all of their relationships.
_____ 2. The second coming of Christ is an important doctrine for me when I deal with
conflict.
_____ 3. In many conflicts, it is possible for everyone to get what is important to them.
_____ 4. Conflict happens primarily because people are sinners.
_____ 5. My ability to promote peace is directly related to my trust in God.
_____ 6. When I get angry, it is because I want something.
_____ 7. In every conflict if someone wins, someone else loses.
_____ 8. The reason I judge others too soon is because of my poor listening skills.
_____ 9. My tongue does more damage to others’ lives than to mine.
_____ 10. It is wise to withdraw emotionally or physically from conflict when it makes one
uncomfortable.
_____ 11. When I am in a conflict with someone, I pause and ask myself if there is a better
way to accomplish what I want to.
_____ 12. When I am in conflict with someone who has authority over me, I act as though I
think it is wiser to let them have their way than to approach asking for a change.
_____ 13. When people are hostile toward me I tend to ask questions of them to seek to
understand their reasoning and feelings before answering back.
_____ 14. I tend to talk to others about my conflicts for more minutes than I do with the
person with whom I am in conflict.
_____ 15. I tend to complain to God more than I do to others.
_____ 16. When I am in conflict, I act as though I want God’s approval more than anyone
else’s.
_____ 17. I listen to others as though God were speaking to me through their voice.
_____ 18. Before getting angry, I pray to ask God’s permission.
_____ 19. When I finally get angry it is usually the other person’s fault.
_____ 20. Conflict is always related to the sin of someone involved.
_____ 21. All interpersonal conflict is bad.
_____ 22. I think all disputes should be handled privately.
_____ 23. To avoid conflicts, I need to listen to others better.
_____ 24. I consider conflict between people to be more of an opportunity than a problem.
_____ 25. Anger is sinful.
_____ 26. There is always a winner and a loser in conflict.
_____ 27. When I’m in conflict with someone it is usually because I want something.
196
APPENDIX 13
POSTCAMPAIGN INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Let’s Remember What We’ve Learned about Harmony
A. Name of Interviewee: ____________________________________

B. Name of Interviewer: ____________________________________
C. Age: □ 15-21 □ 21-30 □ 31-45 □ 46-60 □ 61 +
D. Civil Condition: □ Single □ Married □ Widow(er) □ Separated □ Living together
E. Sex. □ M □F
F. Primary position in the church.
□ Staff □ Small Group leader □ Children’s leader □ Member □ Attendee
G. I would like to record our interview so that I can type this up later. Would that be okay
with you? □ Yes □ No
1. Project “Harmony” presented three things one must do to pursue peace. Looking at a
three-colored traffic signal light, can you remember what they are and repeat them to
me?
In which of these three areas do you think you have grown the most in the last 3
months?
□ Being slow to speak
□ Being slow to get angry
Can you give me an example of how you feel you’ve grown?
2. What is the single most important thing that you learned from project “Harmony?”
3. What influence has project “Harmony” had on your family life or marriage?
…On your small group?
…At work or at school?
197
198
…What proof is there that your relationships are better today than they were 3 months
ago?
4. Project “Harmony” presented conflict between people as an opportunity to.

□ Glorify God
□ Demonstrate love and honor to others
□ Become more like Christ
□ Improve our relationships
□ Commune with God
Which one of these stands out to you (please mark it) and why?
5. What was your favorite life-story presented in the Harmony Campaign?
6. Please take a moment to check the box of any of the following areas of relationship
training in which you would like to be trained better?
□ Self-evaluation before entering conflict
□ Active listening to understand the others’ point of view
□ Avoiding the prejudgment of others
□ Communicating offenses of others
□ Forgiving others their small offenses
□ Confessing one’s faults
□ Recognizing God in the conflict
7. In the past two months, which of the following benefits of conflict have you
experienced?
□ Greater productivity/Creation of better solutions
□ Personal growth/maturity/growth in Christlikeness
□ Clarifying of interests so needs can be met
□ Better communion with God himself
□ None of the above
□ Other _________________________
Please explain briefly.
8. Can you please explain any correlation you see between your pursuit of peace with
others and your own inner peace?
APPENDIX 14
POSTCAMPAIGN EVALUATION QUESTIONS
Evaluation of the Harmony Campaign
What are the benefits we are still enjoying to this day that came from the Harmony
Campaign?
On a personal level – What is the most significant lesson that you learned from the Harmony
Campaign?
How many of the following kinesics motions can you remember by name? Can you
remember what they mean?
Name: Meaning
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
How might we have better implemented following elements of the harmony campaign:
1. Sermons
2. Sunday evening lessons on fundamental values
3. Small group lessons
4. Memory verses
5. Daily Readings
6. Publication
7. Music
What part of the campaign do you remember being the most effective?
Do you remember lacking material or orientation for leading your part?
How did you feel about leading your part of the campaign?
If we were to do another spiritual life campaign again, which elements from campaign
harmony should we repeat?
199
APPENDIX 15
HARMONY CAMPAIGN DEVOTIONAL NOTEBOOK

200
APPENDIX 16
TABLES
TABLES
1. COMPARISON OF THE URBAN POPULATIONS OF PERÚ

BETWEEN 1940 AND 2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
2. COMPARISON OF MARITAL STATUS FOR THE POPULATION

OF PERÚ, FOR ADULTS 12 AND OLDER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
3. PRETEST/POSTTEST ANALYSIS/COMPARISON OF GAINS

PER STATEMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
4. PRETEST/POSTTEST ANALYSIS/COMPARISON OF GAINS PER

POSITIVE STATEMENT vs. GAINS PER NEGATIVE STATEMENT. . . . . . . 204
5. PRETEST/POSTTEST ANALYSIS/COMPARISON
OF GAINS PER LEARNING DOMAINS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
6. PRETEST/POSTTEST ANAYLYSIS/COMPARISON
OF PARTICIPATING CONGREGATIONS’ GAINS PER PERSON . . . . . . . . . 205
7. PRETEST/POSTTEST ANALYSIS/COMPARISON
OF TREATMENT GROUPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
8. PARTICIPATING CHURCH’S RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUNDAY

MORNING AND SUNDAY EVENING CONGREGATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
201
202
TABLE 1
COMPARISON OF THE URBAN POPULATIONS OF PERÚ

BETWEEN 1940 AND 2007
YEAR POPULATION URBAN % RURAL %

1940 6,207,967 35.4% 64.6%
1961 9,906,746 47.4% 52.6%
1972 13,538,208 59.5% 40.5%
1981 17,005,210 65.2% 34.8%
1993 22,048,356 70.1% 29.9%
2007 27,412,157 75.9% 24.1%
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (National Institute

for Statistical Information), http.//www1.inei.gob.pe/Anexos/libro.pdf
(accessed on January 5, 2009).
TABLE 2
COMPARISON OF MARITAL STATUS FOR THE POPULATION OF PERÚ,

FOR ADULTS 12 AND OLDER
1993 % 2007 % Annual growth %

(12 years +) 15,307,295 20,850,502 1.6
Cohabiting 2,488,779 16.3 5,124,925 24.6 188,296 5.2
Separated 269,495 1.8 714,242 3.4 31,768 7.1
Married 5,384,534 35.2 5,962,864 28.6 41,309 0.7
Widowed 617,750 4.0 809,707 3.9 13,711 1.9
Divorced 65,654 0.4 114,093 0.5 3,460 3.9
Single 6,481,083 42.3 8,124,671 39.0 117,399 1.6
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (National Institute

for Statistical Information), http.//www1.inei.gob.pe/Anexos/libro.pdf
(accessed on December 13, 2008).
203
TABLE 3
PRETEST/POSTTEST ANALYSIS/COMPARISON
OF GAINS PER STATEMENT
# Statement Expected Avg. gain/

change statement
1 Peacemakers know how to have peace in all of their relationships. pos. 0.35
2 The second coming of Christ is an important doctrine for me when I
deal with conflict. pos. 0.51
3 In many conflicts, it is possible for everyone to get what is important
to them. pos. 0.09
4 Conflict happens primarily because people are sinners. neg. -0.09
5 My ability to promote peace is directly related to my trust in God. pos. 0.38
6 When I get angry, it is because I want something. pos. 0.67
7 In every conflict if someone wins, someone else loses. neg. -0.05
8 The reason I judge others too soon because of my poor listening skills. pos. 0.65
9 My tongue does more damage to others’ lives than to mine. neg. 0.11
10 It is wise to withdraw emotionally or physically from conflict when it
makes one uncomfortable. neg. -0.29
11 When I am in a conflict with someone, I pause and ask myself if there
is a better way to accomplish what I want to. pos. 0.30
12 When I am in conflict with someone who has authority over me, I act
as though I think it is wiser to let them have their way than to approach
asking for a change. neg. 0.20
13 When people are hostile toward me I tend to ask questions of them to
seek to understand their reasoning and feelings before answering back. pos. 0.80
14 I tend to talk to others about my conflicts for more minutes than I do
with the person with whom I am in conflict. neg. -0.08
15 I tend to complain to God more than I do to others. pos. 0.37
16 When I am in conflict, I act as though I want God’s approval more
than anyone else’s. pos. 0.71
17 I listen to others as though God were speaking to me through their voice. pos. 0.56
18 Before getting angry, I pray to ask God’s permission. pos. 0.62
19 When I finally get angry it is usually the other person’s fault. neg. -0.23
20 Conflict is always related to the sin of someone involved. neg. -0.81
21 All interpersonal conflict is bad. neg. -0.05
22 I think all disputes should be handled privately. neg. -0.22
23 To avoid conflicts, I need to listen to others better. pos. 0.18
24 I consider conflict between people to be more of an opportunity than
a problem. pos. 0.75
25 Anger is sinful. neg. -0.49
26 There is always a winner and a loser in conflict. neg. -0.39
27 When I’m in conflict with someone it is usually because I want something. pos. 0.06
204
TABLE 4
PRETEST/POSTTEST ANALYSIS/COMPARISON OF GAINS PER

POSITIVE STATEMENT vs. GAINS PER NEGATIVE STATEMENT
Avg.
Expected Pretest/Posttest gain
result statements involved (change)
reported
More 1, 2, 3, 5, 6,
agreement 8, 11, 13, 15,16, 0.47
expected 17, 18, 23, 24, 27
Less 4, 7, 9, 10,
agreement 12, 14, 19, 20, 0.20
expected 21, 22, 25, 26
TABLE 5
OF GAINS PER LEARNING DOMAIN
Pretest/Posttest Learning Avg. gain/

Statement #’s Domain statement

#’s 1-9 Cognitive 0.30
#’s 10-18 Behavioral 0.46
#’s 19-27 Affective 0.35
205
TABLE 6
OF PARTICIPATING CONGREGATIONS’ GAINS PER PERSON
Church Avg. gain per person

Name Pastor per statement

Vida Nueva de Mayorazgo
(New Life of Mayorazgo) David Liles .31
Cristo el Fundamento de Villa
(Christ the Foundation) Walter Mattos .38
Nuevo Amanecer de Villa
(New Beginning) Antonio Quispe .60
TABLE 7
OF TREATMENT GROUPS
Level of participation
Taught Attended Avg.
Comparison materials Attended 5+ Sunday gain/
Group to others in 5+ training meetings state-
small group modules a.m. and/or p.m. ment
Group 1 * * * 0371
Group 2 * * 0.38
Group 3 * 0.21
206
TABLE 8
PARTICIPATING CHURCH’S RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUNDAY

MORNING AND SUNDAY EVENING CONGREGATIONS
Sun. a.m. Approx. avg. Sun. p.m. Principal Approx. avg.

congregation attendance location Teachers attendance
Brian Garrison/
Vida Nueva de 165 1. Mayorazgo Jonatán Rafael 50
Mayorazgo
2. Santa Clara David Liles 30
Cristo el
Fundamento, 50 El Mirador, Walter Mattos/ 35
Vill el Salvador Sector 9 Edison Ramirez
Nuevo Nuevo
Amanecer, 50 Amanecer, Antonio 40
Villa el Salvador Villa el Salvador Quispe
APPENDIX 17
ILLLUSTRATIONS
ILLLUSTRATIONS
1. 40-DAY MIRROR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
2. SMALL GROUP LEADERS’ WEEKLY REPORT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
3. TRAFFIC LIGHT REPRESENTING BEING SWIFT TO HEAR,

SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO ANGER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
4. DEVOTIONAL READINGS CHART FOR ENCOURAGING

ACCOUNTABILITY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
5. RELATIONSHIP TRIANGLE TO DEMONSTRATE GOD’S

INVOLVEMENT IN EVERY INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT. . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
6. PROMOTIONAL POSTER FOR THE HARMONY CAMPAIGN. . . . . . . . . . . 213
7. DEVOTIONAL NOTEBOOK COVER FOR THE

HARMONY CAMPAIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
8. PROMOTIONAL FLYER FOR THE HARMONY CAMPAIGN. . . . . . . . . . . . 215
9. MEMORY VERSE BOOKMARK FOR THE HARMONY CAMPAIGN . . . . . 216
207
208
ILLUSTRATION 1
THE 40-DAY MIRROR
Let’s take a look in the mirror

to see how we are doing . . .
Have I done my reading for today?
Have I been swift to hear today?
Have I been slow to speak today?
Have I been slow to anger today?
Daily Swift Slow Slow Daily Swift Slow Slow

Date reading to hear to speak to anger Date reading to hear to speak to anger
1 21
2 22
3 23
4 24
5 25
6 26
7 27
8 28
9 29
10 30
11 31
12 32
13 33
14 34
15 35
16 36
17 37
18 38
19 39
20 40
NOTE: This illustration was not used as planned. Instead, the public reading chart was used to take better
advantage of collectivist group pressure. It was decided that this approach was tainted by individualistic
tendencies not likely to produce the desired results.
209
ILLUSTRATION 2
SMALL GROUP LEADERS’ WEEKLY REPORT
Small Group Leader:__________________________________
Date of the meeting:_____________ # of people present _________________
Time meeting started: ___________ Time meeting ended: ________________
Lesson elements taught/covered:
Tenor of the meeting:
Peacemaking stories collected / how our group members are implementing their new
skills:
NOTE: This report form was not used either. While it does encourage accountability on
the part of the small group leader, it does not encourage the small group participants to
read the daily readings. Thus, it was scrapped for the more collectivist friendly question
of how many had read 0-2, 3-4, or 5-7 of the daily readings.
210
ILLUSTRATION 3
TRAFFIC LIGHT REPRESENTING

BEING SWIFT TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO ANGER
Red Light
Representing being slow to anger
Yellow light
Representing being slow to speak
Green light
Representing being swift to hear
This banner was printed at 5' x 6' and placed at the front of
the auditorium as a constant reminder of the three principles.
211
ILLUSTRATION 4
DEVOTIONAL READINGS CHART FOR ENCOURAGING ACCOUNTABILITY
This chart was printed in at 5' x 6' size and publicly

displayed in all participating churches.
212
ILLUSTRATION 5
RELATIONSHIP TRIANGLE TO DEMONSTRATE GOD’S

INVOLVEMENT IN EVERY INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT
God
Me My Neighbor
213
ILLUSTRATION 6
PROMOTIONAL POSTER FOR THE HARMONY CAMPAIGN
This poster was printed at 10' x 15' and placed on the outside
face of the churches to advertise Campaign Harmony.
214
ILLUSTRATION 7
DEVOTIONAL NOTEBOOK COVER FOR THE HARMONY CAMPAIGN
Printed at 8.5' x 11'

215
ILLUSTRATION 8
PROMOTIONAL FLYER FOR THE HARMONY CAMPAIGN

216
ILLUSTRATION 9
MEMORY VERSE BOOKMARK FOR THE HARMONY CAMPAIGN

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234
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BIBLIOGRAPHY REGARDING ANGER MANAGEMENT

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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

THE PROACTIVE PURSUIT OF PEACE:

EQUIPPING CHURCH MEMBERS OF THE NEW LIFE BAPTIST CHURCH IN

LIMA, PERÚ, FOR THE PROMOTION OF INTERPERSONAL UNITY

THROUGH PURPOSEFUL CONFLICT STEWARDSHIP

A PROJECT DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO

THE FACULTY OF MIDWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF

CHAPTER ONE: DEFINING THE MINISTRY SETTING AND PROBLEM . . . . . . . 1

Identifying the Need. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Validating the Problem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Statistical Information Regarding Family Violence and Discord . . . . . . . . 5

Opinions of a Peruvian Sociologist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Field Research Methodologies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Field Research Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Research Results Regarding How Often the Respondents

Research Results Regarding Where Conflict Stewardship

Research Regarding Views of Peruvian Society vs.

Shadows of Collectivism Revealed in the Field Research. . . . . . . . . 12

Field Research Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Jesus’ Desire for Interpersonal Unity among His Disciples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Peter’s Exhortation to Proactively Pursue Peace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Paul’s Exhortation to Proactively Pursue Peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

The Author of Hebrew’s Exhortation to Proactively Pursue Peace . . . . . . . . . . . 37

The Kiss of Righteousness and Peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

James’ Peaceful Farm of Righteousness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

CHAPTER THREE: PROJECT OVERVIEW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

A Business-Centered, Social Psychology Approach

A Spiritual, Biblical, Psychology-Sensitive Approach

A Religious (Perhaps Christian), Experience-Centered Approach

A Bible-Centered Approach to Training Adults

The Candidate’s Approach: A Bible-Based, Culturally-Specific,

This Approach Is Bible-Based . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

This Approach Is Culturally-Specific. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

This Approach Is Designed as a Spiritual-Growth Campaign . . . . . . 67

This Approach Gives Central Regard to Conflict Stewardship . . . . . 68

Goals and Subgoals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

The Plan for Teaching the Proactive Pursuit of Peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Description of the Treatment Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

A Broad Description of the Training Sessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Outline of the Lesson Plans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

CHAPTER FOUR: PROJECT REPORT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Sunday Morning Churchwide Motivational Sessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Weekly Training Modules for Leaders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Weekly Small Group Sessions in Homes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Sunday Evening Values-Training Sessions and

Results of Measurement Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Pretest vs. Posttest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Follow-up Interviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Follow-up Evaluations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Unforeseen Effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

CHAPTER FIVE: PROJECT EVALUATION AND ANALYSIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Purpose Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Goals 1 and 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120