Pastoral Authority and Conflict Reconciliation
牧者與長執之間相處的關係，既微妙又複雜，是技巧也是藝術。衝突是人的本性，教會或福音機構裡發生衝突，是很常見的事。
筆者認為，若懂得如何調和衝突，會讓牧者及教會領袖成長，也使他們的屬靈領導成熟，建立教牧權柄。反之，對衝突採取定罪或迴避的態度，會讓教會受損，產生不合一，使教會因內鬥而空轉，是撒但送給教會的禮物─牠不怕你天天聚會，只怕你同心合意興旺福音。
近來有關「權柄與衝突」的書籍越來越多，在延伸閱讀的書單中已選列數本。但是牧者與長執或同工的衝突仍時有所聞，導致牧者受傷，信徒靜默出走，或產生教會分裂。到底，牧者與長執之間相處的關鍵在哪裡？筆者提出兩點與各位思考。
pastoral authority
一、權柄的來源
在看不見的屬靈層面，權柄是從神而來。
保羅將他的權柄來源定義為「主所賜的」（參考哥林多後書10：8，歌羅西書1：25）。他的權柄來自他的身分，「作基督的使徒」（參考帖撒羅尼迦前書2：6），使他有權柄在需要的時候應用影響力（參考帖撒羅尼迦前書2：7）。
On a visible and practical level, authority comes from believers.
Denominational churches come from conferences and general conferences, while local churches are empowered by the general assembly. Paradoxically, pastors and congregations view authority differently. If the pastor only values the spiritual aspect, he will consider himself to be in control of the church; if the congregation only values the practical aspect, they will consider themselves superior to the pastor.
Therefore, pastors are not only responsible to God, but also to the congregation; the congregation must not only obey God, but also be willing to cooperate with the pastor who leads them.
二、權柄的運用
As for the use of authority, pastors should know that their authority comes from God’s call. If the pastor does not teach and preach God’s words effectively, he will lose the authority given by God. He cannot rely on personal ability or strategy to establish authority, nor should he focus on how much authority he has obtained. He should focus on his own service responsibilities. If shepherding is good, authority will follow; if shepherding is poor, authority will be lost one by one.
As for believer leaders, they are elected by believers and exercise authority through the board of governors, councils, or co-workers, but do not possess authority themselves. Cooperate with pastors in accordance with church laws and regulations. To guard against abuse of authority, there are tenure and rotation systems, methods for evaluating preachers and elders, and the establishment of personnel committees or disciplinary panels, all with the goal of building a unified team.
所以牧者與信徒領袖不是互相制衡，而是互相尊重，衝突自然減少。從筆者牧養教會廿多年的經驗感受，牧者得到信徒領袖屬靈的信任，事情就容易解決。當長執們為某件方案或策略有不同意見時，他們總會問：「牧師，你的看法怎樣？」當我提出時，他們常會說：「那就這麼做吧！」
Why didn’t the pastor put forward his opinion immediately so that both parties would not have to spend time discussing it if they disagreed? The answer is simple: I want to know more about both sides’ views. On the other hand, I have time to pray and ask God to give me wisdom and judgment.
Some churches have asked me to help them revise their bylaws to avoid recurrence of conflicts. I would first talk to the elders to understand the crux of the problem, and I would also talk to the pastor individually to know his perspective. Then a compromise plan is proposed, and both parties discuss it together. The result often ends with everyone being happy.
衝突的調和
The scope of church ministry is broad and complex, and therefore requires effective church management, one of which is to mediate church conflicts.
有效率的教會管理與領導有關。上述的教牧權柄如果運用得當，則衝突會減少到最低程度，甚至恢復正面的和諧及發展。
當不同意見引發公開衝突時，以下五個步驟可用來調和教會的衝突：
步驟一、抱持健全心態
無論牧者或教會領袖，應該認真面對衝突，知道神把「使人和睦」的職分託付我們。聖法蘭西斯的詩《使我成為和平之子》，不只會唱會讀，也應是我們努力實踐的方向。在教會內部發生衝突的情形下，相信對方具有誠意是很重要的，在完成教會大使命的前提下，確信衝突可以疏導。牧者平時藉著信息或長執訓練，提供這方面的教導，就可以使教會在面臨衝突時，大家先以敬畏神的健全心態來互動。
步驟二、澄清衝突所在
衝突可以發生在事件、認知、做法、方式等差異上。因此不要含糊了事，要鼓勵當事人陳述自己所持的觀點。這樣才能夠釐清衝突，將問題限制在一個範圍內，也能夠提出一個建議性的解決方案。
Many times, however, the root cause of conflict lies in spiritual life. Unwilling to deny oneself and be self-centered. If we recognize that loving one another is the greatest commandment, submitting to one another as the greatest prerequisite, and holding the principle of peace in our spirit, we can “strive to maintain the unity of the Spirit.” (Refer to Ephesians 4:3)
步驟三、促進有效溝通
Effective communication includes listening skills, speaking skills, appropriate responses, and united prayer. When I was the senior pastor in the past, the senior executive meeting started with worship and praise, followed by group prayers for each other, a period of reading and sharing, and then discussion of the issues. Although it takes thirty minutes at the beginning, it saves a lot of time later and can often be effectively concluded within two hours.
步驟四、鼓勵彼此饒恕
「看見弟兄眼中有刺，卻不想自己眼中有樑木」（參考馬太福音7：3），這是牧者及長執常犯的毛病。請求饒恕常不因為衝突本身，而是為了那些在堅持己意時所表現出來的猜測、激動、攻擊和自我防衛等。
靠自己容易血氣衝動，老我要常對付，要倚靠聖靈的大能大力，記得「你們饒恕人的過犯，你們的天父也必饒恕你們的過犯。」（馬太福音6：14）
步驟 五、委身教會整體目標
If the overall purpose of the church is identified, opposing parties can notice that their opponents share their commitment to the church and its sound development. These people who have different opinions can come together and work together because of the general principles they agree on. Both parties are doing things for God, not for themselves. We must have faith in God and people, so that we can see through the unpleasant current situation and see a bright future.
The above five steps can be used flexibly depending on the church background, the nature and situation of the conflict. It is not just a step-by-step implementation when conflicts arise, but continuous application of these concepts and techniques in the church will surely reduce conflicts and increase harmony.
牧者要處理教會內部衝突，必須帶著屬靈的權柄，就是使教會領袖及信徒信服的影響力。人若不先服在神的權柄下，就不會有屬靈的權柄。在教會中高舉人，容易產生分門別類，遷就人而容讓罪來侵蝕。這都是以人為主的結果，結局是造成教會的混亂與衝突，如當日的哥林多教會一般（參考哥林多前書3至6章）。
神的兒女只有站在身體的地位上，讓基督作頭，教會才能顯出肢體合一的見證來。愛與合一是教牧權柄及衝突調和的最高指導原則。
Further reading
‧《教會衝突的處理與重建》，游宏湘、邱清萍著，美國，中信，2002。
‧《衝突臨爆點》（Leading Your Church Through Conflict and Reconciliation），馬歇爾雪來（Marshall Shelley）編著，臺北，橄欖文化，2003。
‧《教會行政管理學》，蘇文隆著，臺北，華神，2005修訂版。
‧《領導話領導》（Leaders on Leadership），巴喬治（George Barna）編著，香港，天道，2008。
Author profile
蘇文隆牧師，曾任聖迦谷羅省基督教會，及和平台福教會主任牧師，普世豐盛神學院院長，現任正道福音神學院實踐神學教授。著有《教會建造的藝術》、《精彩的基督化家庭》、《牧養事奉的藝術》等書。經常應邀在歐美各地主領聚會及講座。