When I was a church planter in the 90s, an evangelical leader used a phrase that resonated deeply. “People matter to God. They matter to us.” This phrase encapsulated why we were in ministry and, more specifically, why we undertook the challenging work of planting churches. We believed that God created each person in his own image, that he sent his son to die on the cross for our sins, and that he desires for all people to enter into a relationship with him. Because this is true, He sends us with the good news.
This belief is where I start when addressing the question: Why trauma-informed ministry? I begin with the understanding that you and I care about people and earnestly desire to see them come to faith in Jesus and grow in their relationship with Him. We believe that people matter. And because people matter, their needs matter, their experiences matter, and their hope and healing matter. Trauma-responsive ministry starts with the premise that people matter, and because they matter, we must respond with care and compassion whenever someone has experienced abuse or other significant trauma.
When a person experiences a traumatic event, they suffer a wound that needs care and healing. Many of these wounds are so severe that the person needs others to walk with them through the healing process. The Bible contains numerous passages that demonstrate God’s care for the brokenhearted, the oppressed, the abused, and those in need of help. The passage that most readily comes to my mind is the parable of the Samaritan in Luke 10, where Jesus teaches us what it means to love our neighbor.
In the parable, a man traveling from Jerusalem is robbed, beaten, stripped, and left for dead. While a priest and a Levite pass by without offering assistance, a Samaritan stranger goes out of his way to help, bind up the man’s wounds, and ensure he receives the care he needs. This parable illustrates God’s great command to love our neighbor. As I reflect on the story, I find myself asking: Which person am I in this story? When I encounter someone wounded by the effects of abuse or trauma, will I be the one who is too preoccupied with my own destination and agenda to make the effort to care for their needs? Or will I choose to be the one who ministers to the person in need, walks with them on their journey of healing, and does what I can to ensure they receive care?
Trauma-informed care begins with a commitment to care. Trauma-responsive ministry is rooted in our calling to minister to others. The “why” of trauma-informed ministry comes down to our calling to love our neighbor and to live out the “one-another” nature of our faith. Because people matter to God, they matter to us.
In part two of “Why Trauma-Informed Ministry,” I’ll delve into the concept of trauma and discuss why it merits our focused attention.
Image by HAMED ASAD from Pixabay