Saying hello to conflict, with Chad Ford
In our introductory video of "Where Peace Begins", Chad Ford shares a story of youthful zeal, innocent oversights, and the hard truths we have to face about ourselves in order to become peacemakers.
Conflict shows us things we are often afraid to see. In his last twenty years as a conflict mediator, Chad Ford has seen pain, suffering, and anger show up in many contexts—but mostly what he has seen is fear. In this video—our first in the Where Peace Begins series—Chad tells a story of himself as a young missionary, when an encounter with a woman pried off a shield of pride and asked him to reckon with things he was afraid to see within himself.
Over the next few weeks, as you hear the stories in Where Peace Begins, you’ll hear the theme of “exile and return.” More than just distance, “exile” evokes feelings of alienation and isolation. When we are in conflict, we are in exile from truths that can bring us back into harmony with others. Peacemaking describes this return.
Can you think of a time when conflict showed you truths about life or yourself that you were afraid to see? We would love to share your stories with our audience later this week.
Questions for Personal Reflection
As you watch this video, we invite you to set aside your phone, find a quiet space, and ponder the following questions that Chad’s video prompted. You might journal or find someone to share your thoughts with. You can also respond in a comment below.
Where do you find yourself today? Where do you feel like you are in exile right now—whether emotionally, spiritually, or in your relationships?
Who else is involved in your story of your exile? What has their story been, their experience? Where do you think they find themselves, today?
What would peace feel like, in your circumstances? What do you picture, when you imagine the possibility of return, restoration, or reconciliation?
Shalom means both "peace" and "hello." What might change in your life if you saw peace not as an end goal, but as an invitation to show up and engage more fully with the present moment?
Chad Ford is a professor, mediator, and author specializing in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. He is an Associate Professor of religious studies at Utah State University, where he serves as a faculty advisor for the Heravi Peace Institute. He spent nearly two decades as the Director of the David O. McKay Center for Intercultural Understanding at BYU–Hawaii. His book, Dangerous Love: Transforming Fear and Conflict at Home, at Work, and in the World, explores how shifting from fear to connection can heal relationships and communities. His second book, Seventy Times Seven: Jesus' Path to Conflict Transformation examines the way Jesus navigated conflict in the New Testament.He has worked globally as a mediator and consultant, helping people navigate deep-seated conflicts with empathy and courage. You can follow Chad’s writings on his substack, The Waymaker.