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As Christian Reconcilers we are often confronted with the question of how to encourage parties to abandon unproductive methods of communication and enter into meaningful, more-constructive conversations. We will discuss ways to assist parties in short circuiting "merry-go-round” conversations and also in recognizing when they might benefit from conciliation assistance. We will explore options to answer the age old question: “how do I get so-and-so to agree to get help together?”.

Biblical peacemaking principles and practice are timeless, universal, and effective. It has been observed that the Gospel message makes an impact and finds ready acceptance when it is applied with cultural relevance. In this workshop, we share lessons and experiences from a decade of teaching biblical peacemaking in West Africa, specifically in Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon. Peacemaking and conflict resolution go hand-in-hand. These lessons have been facilitated as part of mediation training for professionals, workplace conflict management training, married couples seminars, in churches, and other audiences. Some feedback and challenges encountered will also be discussed.

What difference does it make to teach biblical peacemaking in non-Anglo contexts? What concepts and practices that we typically teach are simply biblical and which are more cultural, and how do we know the difference? What language and concepts that we don't think twice about are problematic in other cultures? What difference does it make when dealing with honour/shame cultures and what changes in cultures more used to using intermediaries? What about the actual modes of content delivery and how the material is organised, and what exercises are used? Wayne and Stephanie have worked extensively on developing cross-culturally appropriate biblical peacemaking training for use within the international mission organisation SIM and will share and engage with participants around these and other important questions.

How many times have we taught adult peacemaking principles, only for people to say to us "I wish I'd known this years ago - it could have saved my marriage, my relationship with my family, my workmate etc.". Teaching our future adults these principles as children or youth is one of the most significant gifts we can possibly give them, and will change the course of both their lives and the lives of others. This workshop explains and showcases the comprehensive, biblical, fun, engaging curriculum developed by PeaceWise over the last 8 years to teach children and young people from ages 4-25 how to be peacemakers for life. These materials are now being used in more than 50 Christian schools and 17,000 students in Australia and we will also have input from a US school, with Sioux Falls Lutheran School Executive Director, Tia Wesser, joining us for the session.

New in 2024! We are introducing a new advanced course "Teaching a Coaching Practicum Practicum." Come see how this course is meant to equip elite reconcilers for leading their own practicums. See how this course will give you a turn-key solution for teaching these online courses.