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Ten Steps a Church Can Take to Deal With a Tragedy
Without much of a precedent, Jonesboro, Ark., churches were not really prepared to deal with a tragedy of the magnitude of a Westside Middle School shooting in the spring of 1998.
"There was so much to do in such a short period of time after the Westside shooting that our staff members all just went wherever they felt they were most needed at the time," said Ron Deal, family life minister at Southwest Church of Christ in Jonesboro. "We would have benefited if we'd had a plan in place."
The Littleton, Colo., church community was somewhat better prepared due to learnings from the Jonesboro incident, but could have been more efficient with a plan written out in advance.
"Our community was somewhat prepared for this," said Larry Renoe, associate pastor of congregational care at Centennial Community Church in Littleton. "We have a great network of churches here. Two years before the tragedy, a group of pastors from churches in the surrounding area began meeting regularly on Thursday mornings for prayer. Approximately 30 churches were involved."
God has called the church to be salt and light to a world gone mad, and perhaps at no time is this more important to people in need than when they are trying to deal with a tragedy. The church that will be most effective in dealing with a disaster is the one that is best prepared. Following are 10 steps churches should consider in order to be ready if a horrible incident impacts their sphere of influence:
1. Have a plan. Nobody likes to think about potential tragedies, but the church needs to be ready to deal with it if one happens. Staff members should know their areas of responsibility in advance so that they can get working immediately after a tragedy hits.
2. Have a coalition of churches in place. A tragedy in the community shouldn't be only one church's issue with which to deal. Establishing relationships with other churches prior to a problem will help facilitate better and faster communication after it occurs.
3. Provide an immediate memorial-type of service. People need somewhere to go immediately after a tragedy to be with others who are experiencing what they're experiencing - and what better place than a church? It's key to provide an outlet for sharing shock, grief, and anger with one another. This service should occur as soon as possible following the tragedy.
4. Arrange for counseling. People in shock need immediate treatment. Don't assume kids and parents are dealing well with a situation just because they seem "normal." They may very well be in denial immediately following a tragedy, but they could come out of it at any time and will need help when they do.
5. Start ongoing support group sessions. If possible, arrange for several groups based on ages. A memorial service is a great start for grief sharing, but most people impacted by a tragedy will need ongoing help, and group sessions are the best way to provide it. Try to offer a licensed therapist for at least the first session to keep people on track and offer sound advice for dealing with strong emotions.
6. Focus on the tragedy during the next regularly scheduled service. Everyone is going to have this tragedy on their minds, and attendees will feel betrayed if their emotions are not addressed. Keep in mind that there are likely to be more unchurched people at this service than normal.
7. Utilize a guest speaker to address the "why" question. Unless you have the luxury of having staff members who are experts in the area of dealing with pain and grief, bringing in an outsider who can look at the situation dispassionately will be a big help to your congregation within a few months of the tragedy. In addition to the speakers' prepared remarks, give the audience a chance to ask questions.
8. Focus on church unity. No matter how you handle a tragedy, somebody in your congregation will be unhappy. Church attendees closest to the tragedy may think you're not doing enough, while those farthest away will believe you're doing too much. Try to keep giving everyone what they need, and help those furthest away from the situation understand the pain and needs of those closest to it.
9. Be ready for future fallout. Even if things seem to be under control six to nine months following the incident, be prepared for emotions to let loose again. This time frame seems to be when the aftershock often hits, especially if it's a school-related incident and it's the start of another school year. In addition, keep a list of individuals and families who are impacted most. Periodically over the next two years, call, visit, or send notes of encouragement to them. Don't let them fall through the cracks.
10. Pray. Of course, prayer - individual and corporate - should be a vital part of every step along the way. Ask God to help you as a church turn the tragedy into an opportunity to reach lost people, but place at least an equal emphasis on the well-being of your members most affected by the incident.
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