Ambassadors of Reconciliation

Getting to the Heart of Conflict Workshop

You’ll never view your conflicts the same way again!

Getting to the Heart of Conflict workshop is a half-day Bible study on understanding how idols of our heart spark and fuel the conflicts in our lives. In this eye-opening presentation, Luther’s explanation of the first commandment is contrasted with three idols of our heart. Instead of fearing God most of all, we fear others or created things. Instead of loving God most of all, we crave the created. Instead of trusting God most of all, we trust ourselves and judge others. And then you will hear how God through Christ forgives all your sin and gives you the strength to overcome the power of your idols.

But this seminar is far more impacting than academic wonder! Participants learn to identify their own idols that fueled an actual conflict in their own lives through a carefully guided self-examination exercise. Participants are taught how to announce God’s grace to one another privately, using a tool called Announcing God’s Grace. Then, every person has the privilege of meeting one-on-one with a partner for privately confessing sins and announcing God’s forgiveness to one another. Many people report that this half-day seminar changed their lives – for eternity!

Benefits of Attending a Getting to the Heart of Conflict Workshop

Even God’s children frequently view conflict the same way that unbelievers do. However, Scripture teaches a different perspective. Understanding the idols of our heart that spark and fuel conflict will change the way you address conflicts in your own life!

In Getting to the Heart of Conflict seminar, participants reframe their struggles in conflict with new biblical clarity. Most importantly, they learn how to bring healing through the very personal application of confession and forgiveness.

Seminar Features

Each seminar is presented by a Certified Christian Conciliator™ who is experienced in assisting people in their conflicts through coaching, mediation, and arbitration. Biblical accounts of struggling sinners, together with contemporary stories of real people, inspire and demonstrate how the principles presented are not theoretical but realistic and practical. Getting to the Heart of Conflict workshop covers the following topics:

Biblically defined causes of conflict.
Responses to sin-caused conflict (God’s and ours).
Three idols revealed in our conflicts.
Probing questions to help identify idols in our conflicts.
Self-examination on our own struggle with idolatry.
God’s grace to us: Forgiveness in Christ.
Real-life exercise (not role-play!) in confession and forgiveness.

Each person attending the seminar receives a study guide for note taking during the seminar and personal review afterwards, and everyone receives an easy-to-use handout called Announcing God’s Grace through Confession and Forgiveness. Ted Kober’s book, Confession & Forgiveness (2002, Concordia Publishing House) is available for purchase at the seminar for follow-up and sharing with others. We offer a selection of other resources at our seminar book table for Bible studies and other teaching materials, personal coaching, and further study.

Benefits of Hosting a Getting to the Heart of Conflict Workshop

After attending Getting to the Heart of Conflict, a woman met with her pastoral counselor at the pre-arranged time. She brought him a list of 25 items to discuss, but noted that all but one had been crossed off. Then she explained:

"Pastor, you see these items that are crossed off? These were all things I wrote down to talk to you about, but I don’t need to any longer. You see, when I attended yesterday’s [Getting to the Heart of Conflict] workshop, I saw how my own idols had affected my relationships. In the forgiveness exercise, I confessed them to my partner and he announced God’s forgiveness to me. That took care of every item I crossed off!"

Later, her pastor reported to Ambassadors of Reconciliation that in his 25 years of pastoral counseling ministry, he had forgotten how powerful proclaiming God’s forgiveness was in counseling. But now he learned a valuable lesson and received new tools for confession and forgiveness in counseling. With tears, he vowed to never forget what Getting to the Heart of Conflict taught him as a person and as a counselor.

Just imagine how this one seminar will benefit the individuals and families in your church, in your Christian school, and in your community!

Who Can Host a Getting to the Heart of Conflict Workshop?

Congregations, schools, universities, seminaries, circuits, districts, and synods are just a few examples of those who have hosted this seminar. Any organization interested in equipping people for personal reconciliation can host the seminar.

Scheduling and Sponsoring a Seminar

The seminar usually runs three hours (plus time for a break), and can stand alone on its own merit or be added to Blessed Are the Peacemakers Seminar for a full 1½ day life changing experience. The schedule is easily adaptable to fit the host’s needs. We coordinate with our hosts to accommodate specific scheduling needs.

If you are interested in hosting a seminar, please call 406-698-6107 or email at bzagel@HisAoR.org.

Costs of Sponsoring a Seminar

Seminar hosts may charge any registration fee they desire to help cover costs. Many of our hosts have also acquired grants from local Thrivent branches, foundations, and other sources to help pay for costs of hosting the seminar.

Click here to learn about our Fees for Seminars and Conference Presentations.

Registering for a Scheduled Seminar

To register for a seminar already scheduled, see Scheduled Seminars and Practicums.