Congregational Health and Problem-Solving
Congregations can be places of vision, risk taking, encouragement and nurture. When they are, the mission of the church is advanced, members thrive, and communities benefit. Churches can also be places of intense disagreement and even conflict, leaving a trail of broken relationships that can take years to heal.
Our goal is to help congregations become more knowledgeable about managing change, handling problem-solving, and working with differences...all in order to allow congregations to capitalize on the natural creative energy generated by change and diversity of perspective, and to keep healthy differences from deteriorating into destructive conflict.
Our consultation is grounded in broad experience working with a variety of denominations and churches in Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas—urban and rural, large and small, healthy congregations as well as those in acute crisis.
Interdenominational Foundations
In 1999, KIPCOR gathered an interdenominational group of clergy and laypersons dedicated to offering churches better tools for managing change, difference and disagreement through information, consultation, training and intervention.
That first gathering included consultation and training by Speed Leas of The Alban Institute, and represented a variety of religious traditions including the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Church of the Brethren, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Friends Evangelical Church – Mid America, Mennonite Brethren, Mennonite Church USA, Southern Baptist, United Church of Christ and United Methodist. Since then, this ongoing conversation has expanded to include representatives from Presbyterian and Episcopalian traditions.
- "Conflicts in the church can seem such a distraction from getting on with the real work; but this is the real work."
- Canon Robert Warren
