UPHEAVALS IN CONGREGATIONS - THE CAUSES AND OUTCOMES OF SPLITS

In spite of the increased research on congregational conflict, much re mains to be learned about the causes, processes, and outcomes of such conflict. In the research reported here, the causes and outcomes of co ngregational conflict were examined in 11 self-governing congregations that had experienced such an intense conflict that some members from each congregation had left the parent and formed a new breakaway congr egation. Thus, 22 congregations now exist where only 11 existed before . Data showed that governance and doctrinal issues were the primary re asons for congregations to split apart. Members who remained at the pa rent congregation were more likely to perceive the conflict as authori ty-based while those who left to form the breakaway were more likely t o perceive the conflict as doctrinally-based. in the period immediatel y following the split, the parent congregations continued to experienc e some difficulties, but the breakaways prospered. Over time, however, the performance of patient and breakaway congregations converged. Imp lications for future research and for congregational growth and perfor mance are analyzed.