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TechnoratiSometimes the phrase “it seemed like yesterday” can be viewed as an overused cliché, but in this case it is absolutely accurate.
I’m talking about the April 20, 1999, tragedy at Columbine High School, where 12 students and one teacher were killed by two students who later took their lives. The reason it still seems like yesterday is because of my closeness to the situation. I was a youth pastor in Littleton, Colorado, with a youth group made up primarily of Columbine students.
At first the images from that day struck me as a fire at the school, but within seconds the cold hard reality of what was really going on sunk in to my conscious mind. The unthinkable was happening. Of course you remember that day as well … images of aerial shots over the school, children jumping out of windows, and groups of students holding on to each other for dear life. A quiet suburban neighborhood was transformed into a war zone; except instead of soldiers being shot, there were innocent teens going through hell on earth.
Over the next several months I met with each of my students who were there to let them pour out their anger and grief, and somehow try to answer the unanswerable question of why God would allow this to happen. Each teen had a different perspective, but they all shared one thing in common: the loss of innocence and the illusion of safety forever shattered.
Now eight years later—almost to the day—the old wounds are reopened with visceral intensity. It was painfully surreal as I drove by Columbine High School Tuesday morning with the unfolding details of the Virginia Tech tragedy blaring through my radio. Once again I am not only faced with my own questions and fears, but also the ones from those in my family and ministry.
My gut feeling is that you are in the same situation. You are a pastor or church leader who, as a shepherd, has the responsibility of ministering to your flock in the midst of a national tragedy. And as you know, when wickedness is allowed to rear its ugly head (and seemingly triumph) in situations like this, God opens new doors of opportunity to turn what was meant for evil and use it for good. But the question is…how? How do we try and make sense out of senseless violence and discharge our ministerial duties at a time when they are needed the most?
Obviously there are no easy formulas or answers, and every situation has its own unique set of challenges. Yet I believe there are a few words of direction and suggestion I could offer from my experience with Columbine and as a professional counselor that, God willing, may assist you as you walk our brothers and sisters through the valley of the shadow of death.
Suggestion #1 - Let them process and help them label.
As I met with parents and students following the Columbine massacre, my first instinct was to offer as much Scripture and words of comfort as quickly as possible. In retrospect, I might have even been a bit fearful of what might happen if I just let the questions and grief pour out. In fact, some pastors might be hesitant to talk with their congregation about the recent tragedy out of the apprehension that it will only exacerbate the stress and fear already imbedded in their emotions. Yet the truth is that the opposite is actually the case. The profusion of emotions that we all felt over this horrific turn of events need a healthy outlet. Otherwise they will work their way out in negative ways. So help your people put accurate labels on what they are experiencing (stress, fear, sadness, etc.); then talk about ways to address each individual one. For example, if they are feeling sadness, ask them what has helped them in the past with those feelings. If they are anxious, walk them through the whole concept of how God is still in control, so we need not be anxious about the future (see Matthew 6:25-34). Continue »
