Building mutual understanding

Faith-Based Facilitation can be used in many ways to build deeper relationships. This case study highlights the use of theological reflection using the FBF process in relation to a major decision at a planning meeting. It shows how carefully relating such a decision to fundamental beliefs and values can have a significant effect on the facilitation and decision-making of such a meeting.

The Issue

There was unhappiness within the Salvation Army corps (church) on an island in South East Asia. There were rumours that Mr Stephen, who had joined the corps recently was misusing his membership and threatening to leave the corps if he wasn't given financial help. His wife was a Muslim and, according to the rumour, he was planning to join her at the mosque if The Salvation Army didn't help him. Even worse, some people were saying that he had told the landlord of the room the family lived in that The Salvation Army would pay the rent. These rumours gave rise to anger and frustration among corps members with some threatening to take the matter to the police.

When corps officer Captain Esther heard about these rumours she immediately called a meeting of leaders to decide on the best response. She was familiar with the Faith-Based Facilitation process and tools and decided that using it methodically in this situation might help to diffuse some of the anger.

» Find out how Captain Esther used the FBF process and tools to reach a satisfactory outcome