Podcast Episode #446
I get asked this question on nearly a daily basis. Pastors from all over are wanting to know how to deal with angry church members.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- Responding to anger with more anger just escalates the situation.
- Sometimes people who are lashing out in anger just want to know they’ve been heard.
- Social media is not the place to try to end a heated argument.
- The visceral reaction is to argue with someone who is angry with us—the spiritual reaction is to pray for them.
- Sometimes pastors make decisions that make church members angry. It happens.
The seven ways you can deal with an angry church member are:
- Don’t respond in anger.
- Listen and repeat.
- Consider bringing in a third party.
- Try to determine the source of the anger.
- Dispel any factual errors calmly.
- Offer possible solutions.
- Pray with the person.
Episode Sponsors
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Feedback
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