Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it. Hebrews 4:16
I did not have a burning-bush experience like many I know. I just grew up having faith from as far back as I can remember. But my faith was deeply shaken and challenged in my early thirties as a result of an accident and a string of losses, all in a two-year ...
Urgent-care situations often require an immediate response from church leaders. This overview outlines major steps you should take in addressing this situation. These action steps are explored in greater depth and detail in the remainder of this packet.
Immediate Concerns
1. Gather facts about the victim's suicide.
2. Locate family and close friends and help inform them if necessary.
DEVOTIONS After a Suicide Strategies and reflections for serving those who are left behind. Randy Christian
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Imagine the secretary hands you a note. Emergency, it says. Call home.
Your throat is dry as you punch the buttons on the phone in your office. When your spouse answers after a single ring, the hello seems scared, forlorn, raw from crying.
Two minutes later you hang up the phone. Your hand is trembling. Your throat feels swollen. All you can do is stare at the wall. You've just learned that your son, ...
DEVOTIONS Is Suivide Forgivable? What is the biblical hope and comfort we can offer a suicide victim's family and friends? Lewis B. Smedes
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People who ask this question seek biblical grounds for giving hope to the kin of believers who take their own lives. The burden of proof, I should think, lies not with those who offer the solace of grace but with those who deny it.
Will Jesus welcome home a believer who died at her own hands? I believe he will, tenderly and lovingly.
My biblical basis? It is the hope-giving promise of Romans 8:38–39, ...
Four steps to help you minister in the face of extraordinary loss.
1. Listening
The leader's task is to create a hospitable space and become a nonjudgmental, caring presence that invites disclosure. Within this safety, active listening can help a pastor or leader hear the fullness of a parishioner's experience. Listening means listening to words and paying attention to contextual factors that express ...
In the aftermath of a suicide, pastors and leaders often end up notifying friends and family. Here are some guidelines for communicating in the initial conversations that follow a suicide:
• It's best to be gentle and up front with the one you're talking to: "I wish I didn't have to share with you this news, but I need to inform you that _______________ committed suicide."
People of different ages and family roles will suffer the impact of suicide in a variety of ways. Use these points to prepare for and guide your counseling of families that face suicide.
Children
When talking to children about suicide, remember that your response is crucial. The following are some facts to take note of when communicating to children regarding suicide:
ARTICLE Talking to the Church One church’s plan for grieving a suicide as the body of Christ. Loren L. Townsend
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After Mr. And Mrs. Brown found their teenage daughter, Susan, dead in her bedroom, the church family had to be notified. The church leaders formed a crisis team to meet with various age groups in the church. With the Browns' approval to share the information, the crisis team called a congregational meeting and committed themselves to the following course of action:
Printer view of these results
