How churches can help...
One of the greatest resources in times of trouble is one's faith - turning to God, trusting Him to see you through, and leaning on other believers when the walk gets hard. Sadly, though, for many couples, church becomes an extremely difficult place to be in the days and months following a loss. For some, it becomes an instrument of pain, causing them to seek another place of worship or to leave church entirely for months, years, or never to return.
What has gone wrong? How can what should be a place of comfort and hope become a place of pain and misunderstanding?
There are several reasons. See if any of these resonate with your experience:
One of our goals through Naomi's Circle is to help churches know how to best come alongside parents struggling.
See these articles for additional information about how churches can help, and watch this spot for articles, suggested resources, and seminars in the not-too-distant future.
What has gone wrong? How can what should be a place of comfort and hope become a place of pain and misunderstanding?
There are several reasons. See if any of these resonate with your experience:
- Emphasis on family and the high calling of motherhood, baby dedications, etc.
- Lack of teaching/understanding/agreement about the eternal destiny of unborn babies.
- Discomfort with grief and sadness.
- Discomfort with discussions about reproduction, sex, etc.
- Misunderstanding about the role of faith in illness and death
- "American Christian" theology that seems to exclude suffering as a valid experience for a person of faith.
- Simplistic "answers" to deep questions
- No theology of pain and suffering
One of our goals through Naomi's Circle is to help churches know how to best come alongside parents struggling.
See these articles for additional information about how churches can help, and watch this spot for articles, suggested resources, and seminars in the not-too-distant future.