Trauma:

You will have suffering in this world’ ” (John 16:33, CSB). Suffering floods our world today in countless forms, including violence, war, rape, child abuse, crime, displaced people, pandemics, sexual slavery, natural disasters, and more. You have undoubtedly seen forms of suffering in your congregation.

When suffering exposes someone to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence, it results in trauma.¹ In 2015, surveys of 68,894 people in 24 countries revealed that over 70 percent had suffered trauma and 30.5 percent had been exposed to four or more trauma-inducing situations or incidents.²

Some people are resilient and better equipped to recover from trauma. But those who are not so resilient or have been through multiple traumas may not recover for months, years, or ever. Then, stress disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), can settle in and take command of their brains and bodies.³

Severe suffering stays with us

When people do not bounce back from trauma, the amygdala, located deep in the brain, hangs on to the original fear and stands constant watch against anything that could cause harm. When it perceives a threat, the amygdala takes command of the frontal lobes, suppresses reasoning, and activates a flood of stress hormones that initiate the fight-or-flight response.⁴

Panic takes over, and the trauma victims automatically turn to survival strategies they have used in the past: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.⁵

Fight

Aggressive response to perceived threat 

• increased heart rate 
• higher blood pressure 
• adrenaline rush 
• clenched jaw 
• urge to physically lash out raised voice

Flight

Urge to run away to try to save oneself

• intense need to get away
• feeling trapped
• panicking
• running and hiding
• trembling
• fidgeting

Freeze

Shutting down when fight and flight are not options

• numbness
• dissociation (detachment from self and environment)
• inability to move or speak
• attempt to be “invisible”

Fawn

Appeasing the needs of the aggressor

• inability to say no
• pleasing and agreeing with the aggressor
• doing what the aggressor says
• affirming the aggressor’s actions

In your church, you may have seen the strategies above exhibited as flaring anger in a meeting, suddenly exiting from a worship service, standing on the fringes, or attempting to “fix” uncomfortable situations.

Can you see the sufferers in your congregation?

A 2022 study by the American Bible Society found that two in five people sitting in church have experienced trauma.⁶ Imagine looking out at those gathered for worship and seeing three to four people in every row with oozing bandages around their heads.

While you will not see the bandages, you can learn to see the signs of trauma. People with trauma often do not respond as you would expect. They are unpredictable, sometimes behave irrationally, and probably comment on your sermons and visit your office more than you would like.

Their brains constantly scan for danger, so they are extremely sensitive to words, inflections, omissions, judgmental statements, and any kind of dismissive or threatening body language.

You do not have to be a trauma expert

Being a trauma expert is not your job, but you are charged with the care of your congregation. When you see someone in pain, ask yourself, “What would Jesus do?”

Jesus met people in their pain. Jesus did not get irritated when the paralyzed man dropped down in front of Him and interrupted his teaching (Mark 2:1–5). He did not shy away from people with leprosy (Matt. 8:1–3). He saw the suffering in these people and took time for them.

Jesus gave people grace. Jesus spoke with traumatized people in caring and calming ways (Luke 8:43–48). He was not repulsed by or aghast at what they told Him. He did not judge them (Mark 5:21–24, 38–43).

Jesus’ ways were gentle, not forcible. Jesus was not invasive and never asked people to tell their painful stories (John 9:1–3). He went to people’s homes (Matt. 8:14, 15). He reassured the crowd it was going to be all right with Lazarus (John 11:4).

Jesus did not burden people. Jesus never said, “Go home until you calm down, then come back to see me.” He did not point out how someone’s behavior was upsetting other people. Instead, He sat with them (John 4:7–26).

Yes, Jesus knew things about suffering people that we cannot automatically know. Yes, He had healing power, and He knew the future. We do not have Jesus’ same capabilities, but we can watch how He did it and learn from the Master.

Guidelines to help you care for trauma survivors

1. Do no harm. When someone tells you about their trauma, they are sharing life-shattering realities that they have had to live through. Without knowing how to be present for them appropriately, you can compound their already staggering load of pain and do serious, lasting damage.⁷
2. Give trauma survivors a place of safety. In a trauma episode, survivors believe they are in a life-or-death situation. Their hearts race, they struggle to breathe, they panic. Become a protector whom they can begin to trust and assure them that the problem at hand will be worked out.⁸
3. Refer the person to trauma professionals. Unless you are a licensed trauma practitioner, do not offer counseling. Instead, offer spiritual, emotional, and relational support. Sit with them, call them, text them—let them know that they are not alone.⁹
4. Invite people to share if they would like to.¹⁰
   • First, make sure you have earned this person’s trust.
   • Honor their expectation that you are safe to share with and will not use their story against them in any way or share it with others.
   • Respond with the utmost compassion and no advice or judgment.
     • “Whatever you say will be confidential.”
     • “I don’t make judgments about people’s pasts.”
     • “If it would be helpful to talk about what’s going on, I’m here to listen.”
5. Make caring observations.¹¹
   • “It looks like this is a difficult time for you.”
   • “I’m sorry to see you distressed. Can I help in any way?”
   • “Would you like to talk in a more private setting?”
   • “We’re going to work this out together so you’ll feel safe at church again.”
6. Create safety.¹²Trauma victims’ primary concern is safety.
   • “How can I help make church a safe place for you?”
   • “What do you need to feel safe enough to come to church/return to church?”
   • “If you ever feel frightened here, let me know right away.”
   • “I know this is scary, but we’re going to work through it.”
7. Set boundaries.¹³Working with deeply traumatized people can be exhausting. Protect yourself and help them learn boundaries.
   • Offer regular, time-limited appointments.
   • Explain that while you can help with spiritual and relational aspects of what is going on, they need to see trauma professionals who can help them therapeutically.
   • Gently share that you must inform authorities if you believe they are a danger to themselves or others.
8. Listen, listen, listen.¹⁴If a trauma survivor wants to tell you their story, listen carefully and with empathy. They need safe people to talk with, people who will not be shocked, stone-faced, or judgmental.
   • “I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
   • “I can’t imagine what that must have been like for you.”
   • “Take your time, no need to rush.”
   • “If it’s too hard to say, you can write it to me.”
9. Maintain a list of trauma professionals in your area. This resource is essential.
   • Search online for psychiatrists and therapists who have specialties in trauma and PTSD. Psychology Today online has an excellent online search tool for 20 different countries with information about insurance, types of therapy, qualifications, and more.¹⁵
   • Consider including non-Christian professionals who excel in this field. They can provide professional help—while you provide spiritual support and guidance.
   • Talk with other pastors and people you know who might have recommendations about professionals in your area.
10. Develop strategies for funding professional services for those who cannot afford medical or counseling care.
    • Most medical (psychiatric) and some therapeutic resources are covered by individuals’ health insurance.
    • Many counseling services offer fees on a sliding scale.
    • Develop benevolence resources so your church can fund professional services when needed.
    • In the United States, people on Medicare or Medicaid can receive coverage or compensation for psychiatric and counseling services.
    • Many schools offer free counseling through adjunct services. Contact local schools directly, or search online for “free counseling services for children/teens” in your area.
11. Consider becoming a trauma-informed pastor in a trauma-informed church.¹⁶Worldwide, many training programs and other resources are available for pastors and churches. Searching online with key-word phrases like these will bring up many options:
    • “Christian trauma training”
    • “Trauma-informed churches”

Avoid these practices because they can compound the trauma that the survivor already carries with them

1. Do not ask, “What happened to make you this way/cause PTSD?”
   • This question often comes from curiosity, not compassion.
   • Trauma victims might answer this question, but for the wrong reason: to appease you, a person in authority.
   • Unless you are a licensed professional, you have no way of knowing if it would be healthy—or cause more damage—for a person to answer this question.
   • The retelling of their trauma story can trigger a PTSD episode that can last for days, weeks, or months.
2. Do not casually ask a trauma victim, “How are you doing?” This question brings current or past traumas instantly to mind. It puts the victim on the spot. Plus, there is no good answer. This question may be appropriate in a private setting where the victim knows you really want to hear what’s going on and that you are a safe person to share with.
3. Do not compare hurts and solutions.¹⁷Every trauma is different, and trauma responses vary widely. Avoid saying things like:
   • “I know just how you feel.” (You have not been through their exact experience.)
   • “I have a friend with PTSD, and they’ve completely recovered.” (This can induce guilt and unrealistic expectations.)
   • “Trying ___ (this/that/something else) has helped many people I know.” (You could be encouraging the use of something that might be detrimental to this person.)

Lastly, share God’s love with extra care

“I think we should view [trauma] survivors like prophets. . . . They are speaking a sharp word, showing us an uncomfortable reality, and inviting us to step into God’s desire to address that sharp, difficult reality well.”¹⁸

“Our first response to this tsunami of crises needs to be humility, lament and repentance. If Jesus is truly our Lord, then the only right response to him is love and obedience. We ought to be on the frontlines for those hurting by the side of the road and those suffering in our churches. . . .

“Secondly, we need to listen—and learn. Do you know what it is like to be terrified and abused in your own home? Or what it is like to be sexually abused or raped? Or to raise children who, because of the skin God gave them, are highly vulnerable to abuse, threats and death? Or to watch as the perpetrators of these ungodly and evil deeds are protected? . . .

“May the crises of our day reveal in us signs of the character of our Lord made flesh. May others witness the sign of our great love and humble service for the abused and for our neighbors. May we, like Christ, embody the great love of our great Father to a traumatized world.”

—Excerpts from Diane Langberg, “Today’s Crises Have Multiplied and Exposed Trauma: How Will the Church Respond?” National Association of Evangelicals, September 23, 2020, https://www.nae.org/crises-multiplied-exposed-trauma-church/, originally published in Evangelicals magazine.