Leading Churches Through Transition, Change and Conflict

Session Dates: Friday, July 17, 5:00pm - 9:00pm & Saturday, July 18, 8:30am - 4:30pm
Location:  Spark Lipscomb's Idea Center (downtown Nashville)

This workshop will focus on the challenges of leadership in the 21st century as leaders guide churches through transition, change and conflict. Leaders must manage the inevitable transitions and changes of church life, but effective leaders also initiate change as they seek to honor God’s mission in today’s world. Particular attention will be given to the importance of understanding the church from a systems perspective. The workshop will: (1) explore foundational principles at the heart of good conflict management, (2) propose effective strategies for resolving congregational conflict; and (3) propose a process for initiating purposeful change in a congregational setting.


About the Instructor: Dr. Barry Stephens
Barry served as the Senior Minister for the Monterey Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas for over 23 years before retiring from full-time church ministry in December 2023. Since 2000, he has also served as a Part-time Instructor at Lubbock Christian University where he teaches graduate courses in preaching and church leadership. He has also served as an Adjunct Faculty Member with the Institute for Conflict Management since 2012. He has spoken on church leadership and conflict management on numerous seminar, retreat, and lecture programs in several states and countries, and has served as a consultant for several churches. Barry received both the M.Div. and D.Min. from Harding School of Theology, and he holds the Graduate Certification in Conflict Management from Lipscomb’s ICM. He and his wife Debbie were married for 51 years before her death in September 2025. He has three children, and seven grandchildren.