Consider the definition of the word "crisis", which literally means: "a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger" or "a time when a difficult or important decision must be made".

Crisis is not a word you usually associate with church, however many churches face crisis incidents that test the leadership, organization, and management skills of the whole church.

For most churches the crisis may be issues dealing with finances, attendance, growth, or some other similar issue. But sometimes I feel that the Christian community doesn't go far enough in defining what a "crisis" may be for them.

As always though, reality teaches us valuable lessons.

The actual incidents that churches in the U.S. have faced, shows the diverse nature of a "crisis" every one may encounter; take a look at the following headlines:

• Performer falls to her death during church Christmas play
• Thief breaks into CB church, thousands of dollars missing
• Arsonist torches Seattle minister's home
• Outreach volunteer shot dead in robbery
• Church bookkeeper charged with $300,000 theft
• Alleged scammer bilks area churches
• Pastor accused of pulling gun on son at church
• Teen Taped Women In Church Restroom
• Gunfire hits Texas City church bus
• Church worker arrested after boss stabbed
• Man charged with fondling girl at Baltimore church
• 34 recovering from carbon monoxide at Pa. church
• Authorities investigating child killed in church elevator shaft
• Man commits suicide at Crystal Cathedral

These are just a random sampling of some real-life crisis incidents that churches have had to face - look closely at each one; does your church have a plan to deal with these types of incidents?

The Christian Security Network stresses the two important components of a sound Safety Ministry that every church should have in place.

The first part is the Safety Team; this is the group of people who are the bridge between the actual emergency incident and the first responders (i.e. Police, Fire, EMS). The second part is the Crisis Management Team, which basically handles the aftermath of an incident.

Many times we see a church or ministry concentrating on one of these teams or the other and really, both are equally as important. The worst-case scenario is no teams are in place.

Every one of the churches, in the headlines above, probably never thought, the incidents listed above, would ever happen to them.

During and after a crisis the church is going to have to be prepared to deal with things like emergency first-responders, investigating agencies, media, counseling of their staff, volunteers, and congregation, insurance agencies, and legal counsel, all while taking in consideration the church's liability, reputation, and ability to continue to operate, depending on the incident.

Because of the scope of what the church does, incidents like this are inevitable. Crisis incidents are going to happen and understanding how to deal with them before an incident ever occurs is the key.

Being prepared, planned, and practiced will make a terrible situation bearable and help the church recover and continue to do the Lords work as soon as possible.

If you do not have a Safety Ministry, start one. If you have one in place, make sure each member and the church as a whole is prepared to deal with any crisis that may come their way.

Leadership in a crisis brings calm to the masses.

In Christ,
Jeff Hawkins
Executive Director

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