The necessity of conflict in congregations

I would be the last to say that I thought there could be a necessity in conflict - I tend to avoid conflict as much as possible (and I know I'm not alone). However, I'm learning that there is room for healthy conflict, "because congregations without conflict are dead or dying". On the flip side, "a byproduct of conflict is energy and passion" - and New Hopers have demonstrated these two attributes many times specifically over the past year. We are heading into a new year, but also a time to take stalk of where we are, how we got here and where we are going as a community of hope in the east end of Hamilton. We have had, over the past months, some different perspectives of ministry within our body. We need to continue to dialogue about these perspectives or it will drain the passion and energy of the body. But I am expectant and hopeful for this coming year. We have acknowledged and named this tension and are working towards taking ownership of where we individually contributed to the tension, and we are moving forward together, to see how God is shaping us and calling us into our community in this coming year.