• Unaddressed or unresolved disputes are destructive
• Remedies through Court processes are frequently lengthy, costly and delayed and the adversarial process leads to an underlining of the points in dispute and exacerbates the negative emotional impact
• Court decisions are limited in scope as they can only deal with the direct matters at issue as pleaded in the formal Court documents
• Parties to litigation frequently feel disempowered as in a Court process they are limited to giving evidence on factual matters related to the dispute and cannot express their feelings
• Many Court processes are heard in open Court and are not therefore private

Mediation is a voluntary process held in private and in “safe” non-threatening surroundings in which the neutral mediator seeks to help the parties to find ground upon which they can base resolution

In mediation resolutions can be explored which could not be considered in a Judicial process which may be far more beneficial to the parties and resolve wider issues; the mediator seeks to help parties understand the emotional and spiritual hurts in their own lives and to allow for healing to take place; in private meetings during the mediation a party can explore these hurts in a confidential and safe environment

Confidential

Mediation is a confidential process in which the parties agree to keep the entire process confidential and it is held on a without prejudice basis so that information from the mediation is not directly admissible in evidence if there should be later Court proceedings

Accessible

A mediation can be arranged much more quickly than a Court hearing and the cost to each of the parties is many times less than the costs of going through a Court process

Flexible

In mediation there is opportunity for the parties to express their feelings and address side issues to the main dispute

Effective

Conflict is always stressful but mediation can remove that stress because of the speed of the process and the parties will feel more satisfied with any resolution as they will have personal involvement in reaching it

Why Christian mediation?

For those who profess a Christian faith The Bible contains guidelines and teaching which is very relevant to the resolution of conflict

The mediator is able to help the parties to explore the background to the conflict in a structured process in the light of Biblical understanding and to apply Biblically faithful resolutions

The exploration of the background to the conflict and to the parties’ responses to conflict enables the parties to explore and take responsibility for their part in causing, perpetuating or failing to resolve the conflict and to then apply in a spiritual and practical way the teachings of Jesus and Biblical guidance

The process of Christian Mediation allows time for prayer and for consideration of the Scriptures both together and privately

The awareness that the parties and the mediator are gathered in the presence of Jesus and in reliance on the influence of The Holy Spirit pervades the process and shifts people’s concentration away from themselves and onto The Lord and to their responsibility as Christians to live their lives in such a manner as to honour Him and not to be self-serving

Christian mediation almost always brings not only resolution of the conflict but at the very least the start of emotional healing, reconciliation and personal spiritual growth