Both squared off with red faces. Mandy, a gentle soul at heart, was furious at her possession being threatened. A leader stepped in and separated the two. We shouldn t be surprised when conflicts spring up around group meetings. After all, our group members are going through transitional years emotionally, mentally and physically.
Conflict is a normal, albeit disturbing, part of teen life.
Because this situation seemed to be edging close to a physical exchange, a leader did step in to intervene, but intervention is not always called for. Early in ministry I was prone to intervene in every conflict I heard of between group members. Now I understand that intervention is often inappropriate. Here are some guidelines for discerning when and how to intervene. With tongue in cheek, one author recommends never stepping into arguments until there s bloodshed.