The Peace Maker: A Book Review

Preparation is what you do when you don’t know what is coming. Fervent preparation is what you do when you do know what is coming. And you know conflict is coming. You are fallen and selfish and you live around fallen selfish people. Only the Hermit is going to avoid conflict, and even he will probably argue with himself from time to time. Therefore, since you are a fallen person as I am, you should be fervently preparing to enter conflict with biblical wisdom, effective tools, and a heart ready to follow Christ through every difficult step. Don’t enter the whirlwind of conflict just hoping to hang onto your umbrella of peace. You should batten down the hatches of truth and lash your tranquility to the rock of God’s word and the gospel of peace.
One of the best ways you can do that is by being guided by someone who has done it many times before. You will hardly find a better guide for inevitable conflict than Ken Sande and his book The Peace Maker.

This work is a treasure trove of applications from God’s word. These applications fall under 4 major sections: 1) Glorify God, 2) Get the log out of your eye, 3) Gently restore and 4) Go and be reconciled.

I found myself constantly saying, “This is something that I will be using soon.” Why? Because I know conflict is going to happen and Sande has so many helpful lists and applications that are imminently practical.

Let me give you a list of issues and procedures I compiled from the book which can be immediately applied in most conflicts:

- The three types of responses on the Slippery Slope of Conflict

- 4 Questions concerning the legitimacy of “rights”

- When to overlook and when to confront

- The Seven A’s of Confession

- The 4 promises of Forgiveness

- The P.A.U.S.E. method for negotiation

- Alternative ways to revolve conflict

- When is it right to go to court

The above is just the tip of the iceberg. Every page deals with the vast array of issues that need to be understood biblically, and he does so in a clear and readable manner. Additionally, there are many helpful illustrations and real life examples that throw further light on difficult matters. At one point he uses the situation of two neighbors who are at odds because of the constant barking of the neighbor’s dog. He walks through each step of what the PAUSE method would look like for resolving that issue. It is very practical and helpful.

Every family and every church needs peace makers. This book is giant leap towards being equipped to be that kind of person. I highly recommend it and hope many read it and others go further and get specific training provided through Peace Maker Ministries.