Every now and again in pastoral ministry we come across something unfamiliar. And in such circumstances our response, sometimes, is simply to retreat.
Partly that might be driven by a godly concern that, out of ignorance, we will say or do something that proves unhelpful. There may also be elements of a concern that is rather less godly – that of appearing ignorant or looking foolish.
For many, the concept of trauma feels unfamiliar. We’re aware that it’s become a prominent issue in our culture, but our understanding is thin at best. Perhaps that leads us to retreat – because we are fearful of the complexity. There might also be a measure of resistance because we are uneasy about the terminology or vaguely remember someone describing it as a cultural bandwagon. And quite where, and how, it fits into our Biblical framework isn’t clear at all.
Yet trauma is now such a prevalent concept in our culture it can’t make sense to ignore it. And while not many of us will have trauma experts in our churches, there are good reasons to develop at least a working knowledge. Let me suggest four.
Four reasons to understand trauma
- To engage contemporary society. Bessel van der Kolk’s book The Body Keeps Score, became a publishing phenomenon. It spent an astonishing 245 weeks on The New York Times best-seller list, 35 of those at number one. Trauma studies have become mainstream, and it makes sense that we should want both to understand and engage with something that is so prominent in our contemporary conversation.
- To care for those who suffer. People who have experienced trauma have faced some of the very worst forms of suffering. For some that has involved terrible accidents, injuries and loss. Others have endured years of suffering and abuse – in some cases right through their childhood. Jesus showed extraordinary compassion to those in need. To imitate Him will mean growing in our ability to love those who have suffered in these ways.
- To commend Christ. The gospel speaks of a suffering servant. A saviour who endured arguably the most barbaric form of execution ever invented to secure our salvation. Trauma, in that sense, is woven into the very heart of our salvation story. We have something to say about trauma. Not a simple word but an extraordinary message about a brutal and traumatic death becoming for us both power and wisdom (1 Cor.1:18-25). How the ugliness of trauma can be met with the beauty of Christ. There are powerful gospel words to speak to the experience of trauma – but we must listen before we speak.
- Finally, to avoid missteps. The word trauma comes from a Latin word meaning ‘to wound’ and, if we aren’t careful, we will hurt those carrying the wounds of past trauma. Learning how to avoid speaking clumsy words or acting in insensitive ways feels like a basic requirement of love.
Two resources
When faced with the unfamiliar, knowing where to start can be hard. One of our ambitions at Biblical Counselling UK (BCUK) is to provide resources which help churches meet their ministry aims – and that includes those areas where we feel unfamiliar.
Our annual conference in March will address the topic of trauma – and though it is already fully booked, a livestream is available via our website. We are also launching a new book entitled: Understanding Trauma: A Biblical Introduction for Church Care. As the title indicates, this isn’t the last word on trauma but helps familiarise us with contemporary thinking and then locates that thinking in relation to Biblical concepts.
Instead of retreating from the unfamiliar, our churches can step toward those who have experienced severe suffering. We can demonstrate compassionate listening, an understanding welcome and a safe community. We can learn to be churches where the grace of Christ reaches out to all of us – both those who have known trauma and those who have not – and speaks a message of hope.
