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ICC Certification Case Reporting
Make every effort to submit your case reports within 30 days of services ending. Case reports are carefully reviewed by a Candidate Review Team prior to graduation so a detailed report is the best way to communicate the dynamics of the peacemaking skills used. Copies are automatically sent to you and your Advisor.
Advisor Approvals
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Tough case, brother Paul! It is always heartbreaking to see when parties are so entrenched that separation is recommended. It sounds like you are applying your peacemaking skills to tough situations. Your labeling this case as "conciliation - coaching/mediation/arbitration" seems accurate. This is often how things are in a "denomination of independent local churches". Be thinking as you continue: what peacemaking tool or principle does this person need most? How could I help them "see" their need through the use of questions leading to self discovery. Stick to your tools and your Bible, that's the best any of us can do! Congrats on another case. Let me know if you'd like to chat sometime. Like you, my schedule is busy but I will do my best to find a time for us to talk.
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Case Management Questions
Case management is everything that precedes actual conciliation and is often a significant preparation for both conciliator and the parties.
Dave Harvey, President of Great Commission Collective, asked me to help him with this case.
Yes. We had an extensive conversation with their whole eldership. We had sent them a questionnaire to think through their understanding and practice of plurality. We ended up hearing from all parties about the areas of concern. This included the broader eldership, totaling 6 members.
Yes. We had separate meetings with Dustin and Gary. We talked through a number of questions and heard from them on a number of issues, including self-assessment.
Yes, other members of the eldership were included in different contexts. We needed to hear their assessment of the conflict.
I took extensive notes, provided biblical guidance, and submitted a final report for the eldership to consider.
These are pastors.
Yes. We were acting as conciliators, mediators, and adjudicators, of sorts, here. We were clear that we held no authority to make the final decisions. We were able to successfully deal with conciliation issues. We recommended some next steps as mediators/adjudicators. Our roles were influenced in part by Dave's responsibility as denominational head.
Dave and I and the eldership were all praying. We took two days, one a month, to fast and pray.
Pre-mediation / Coaching Questions
Conflict Coaching cases do not apply toward Supervised case requirements. However, Pre-Mediation coaching is essential and counts toward your total mediation case hours.
The two parties, Dustin, the Lead Pastor, and Gary, a team pastor, had long-standing disagreements in pastoral priorities and practices. They had relatively minor struggles to conciliate personally. They were completely unable to reconcile on the substantive issues.
Our conversations related to idolatries were mainly through listening and then asking how they were doing in trusting God, what are their biggest temptations, and how they can trust Christ for this situation. It was very natural and pretty easy to talk this way with these men who were self-aware and gospel-focused.
Their heart issues stemmed from two scenarios: 1) How can they trust God for their future together, given their significant philosophy of ministry differences? 2) How can they trust God for their future apart, should it be wiser to be in different churches?
I neglected to record the scripture I shared. It focused on the promise of the gospel we have that empowers us to forgive and trust God for all our need. Maybe Romans 8:32? They were doing well in this category and were affirmative and appreciative.
I believe I did that when sharing from Romans 8:32. My focus was on the goodness of the completed work of Christ.
They were asked to fast and pray. They were asked to work through our initial homework and follow up with individual meetings.
Both parties were in a good place relationally. They both expressed love and respect.
The next steps were to work through their substantive issues.
Mediation Case Questions
Continue completing this case form for all mediation cases, independent or supervised. You need to be the lead conciliator on two (2) cases submitted and you need to complete the intake for two (2) cases submitted.
Dave Harvey, President GCC
No. I should have!
It had to be done via zoom.
We didn't use the ICC agenda. We did extensive listening. We drew up conclusions based on all we heard. In this way, we acted more like adjudicators because of denominational convictions and obligations.
Both brothers were wrestling with trusting God to bring resolution of their substantive differences.
We had two private meetings with both men. This was to hear their perspective and address our concerns.
We focused on their obligation to walk in unity as an eldership and prioritize the welfare of the church. We cited Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 5:4, Eph. 4:3, and Acts 20:28.
They had processed through this together apart from our meetings. They seemed good in this category.
Dustin and Gary had constant conflict over pastoral priorities and practices. Gary had failed repeatedly to follow through on job description requirements from Dustin and the eldership.
Dustin was committed to a more rigorous learning-focused approach to discipleship with a fairly high commitment requirement. Dustin's approach was codified in their eldership documents. Gary preferred a lower-bar for theology and practice with higher relational involvement.
Gary and Dustin have spent hours and hours working on this with no change. It had been four years of conflict. Gary had a long documented track record of functionally failing to follow through on his job description. He showed no intention to change. They had divided their eldership over this.
We proposed that one of them resign as an elder. We recommended it be Gary, because Dustin is the founding and lead pastor of the church.
We encouraged their eldership to work through this.
I will send the final recommendations.
Personal Reflection
This section is one of the most important and helps your advisor and the Review Team understand your perspective and growth as a conciliator.
I learned how grateful I am for a unified eldership in my own church. I learned that vetting elders ahead of time is well worth the waiting involved. I learned that men can agree on the gospel and live peacably, yet differ significantly in priorities and practices.
I would like more time to work through the mediation. I was limited by the priorities of GCC.
Much sorrow for these men in their struggles. Much hope for a better day ahead.
My role was to assist a denominational leader with conflict among an affiliated eldership. It shaped what I did quite a bit. I was helped much by Dave's insight. I had to work within the GCC constraints/approach.