Gail Tucker
Liberty University
PACO 604
Dr. Max Mills
July 4, 2021
Journal Article Review: Church Members in Crisis
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Journal Article Review: Church Members in Crisis
Summary
The journal article A Study of Church Members During Times of Crisis is the subject of
this paper. In reviewing this article, the authors stive to find cohesion of church members and
how this affects individuals and the whole during times of crisis. Twenty-Six church members
are interviewed within two weeks of a community crisis. The Crisis Appraisal and Coping
Interview Protocol is developed and utilized for this study (Stone et al., 2003). The researchers
strive to identify the experience of church members during a crisis and the resources that are
available because of membership in a faith community.
The very first point of the article is memorable. During crisis, we find ourselves stripped
and bare, completely vulnerable to God, others, and ourselves. Crisis can be either an internal or
external hazard (or both). People in crisis are not necessarily suffering from mental illness,
instead they are coping with a temporary stress. A person’s return from a state of crisis to steady
state is dependent upon many factors. There are two types of crises according to these authors,
both developmental and situational. All persons undergo developmental crisis. This is the normal
growth and development of a human being, that is the stages of life. These are somewhat
predictable. However, a situational crisis is random and not predictable. Whether the crisis is
situational or developmental, they do have one thing in common. They must be a threat. This is a
threat to the person directly or their perceived family (Stone et al., 2003).
This article describes three components of a crisis about church members. The first
component is the event or peril itself. The second factor is the individual’s perception of the peril
as being hazardous or not. Finally, the third component is coping ability and access to resources
for coping. Coping is found to be a result of social support (family, friends, peers) and the
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presence of faith or religion. A person’s faith in a religion directly affects their perception of
vulnerability to a crisis. Crisis processing among these study participants led to the development
of a model for crisis processing. This model displays the headings of “Self,” “Acts,” and
“Others” (Stone et al., 2003, p. 413)
Interaction
The study by Stone et al (2003) is a qualitative research design. It is an interesting
premise that result in the design of a study tool for persons experiencing crisis. The limitations of
the study include a very small sample size of 26 people. Additionally, as a descriptive design,
there was no comparison group for evaluation. The study protocol allowed researchers to
customize the tool according to the type of crisis the individual experienced. This is both an
advantage and limitation. By customizing the interview, additional or unintended variables could
be added to the study. This could also be as strength from counselor’s point of view because the
tool does allow flexibility. No crisis was the same. Everyone presented with their own situational
crisis; (1) divorce; (2) health problems; (3) death of a close contact; (4) and others. This allowed
for a variety of situations to be examined, however at the same time creating variation in the
intensity and meaning of each crisis. The wide array of variables in this methodology potentially
skews the validity and reliability of results (Stone et al., 2003).
Application
This research brings up several applications for mental health and pastoral counselors.
For the participants, crisis was multifaceted. Crisis created uncertainty in their faith and values.
Questions about the future, their worth, and even their own guilt were among the many reactions.
Extreme vulnerability is at the core of many of the participants asking God “Why did you let this
happen?” or “What did I do to deserve this? (Stone et al., 2003, p. 419). Due to the scope and
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depth of these reactions, counselors should recognize the holistic nature of their client’s crisis.
Certainly, one modality or one theory of therapy is not enough to cover the abyss of feelings in
situational crisis.
A thorough review of coping methods found helpful by these participants is as follows:
(1) the presence of others ;(2) prayer; (3) music; (4) resilience; (5) empathy; and (6) acts of
kindness. Counselors will also find it helpful to recognize common themes of crisis including:
(1) shock; (2) numbness; (3) inability to cope; (4) overwhelming emotion; (5) flashbacks of prior
crisis; (6) embarrassment; and (7) theodicy (Stone et al., 2003). These coping methods and
themes may not be on the surface. Knowing when to speak and knowing when to sit in silence
are valuable skills. Low key, non-threatening questions can help probe the crisis further and
foster discussion (Wright, 2011).
This study, despite the small sample size, is especially helpful for a pastoral counseling
student. I am familiar with crisis as a Registered Nurse. However, my experience thus far is
focused on the technical and biological aspects of saving a life in crisis. In the hospital, we
always have access to social workers, mental health counselors, and chaplains. So beyond
expressing my compassion and empathy, crisis counseling is new area of learning. As Nurses we
always want to “fix” things as soon as possible. We fix things with a pill, an IV infusion, or other
medical treatment. Allowing the client to experience their crisis and coping mechanisms is part
of their journey on this earth. God knows that we will have trials, but he also makes sure to give
us adequate resources to cope with these trials. I believe that helping clients identify their
resources is key. In their grief they may be unable to see the experience and hope of those around
them. Clients in crisis may be so emotionally disabled that they cannot call to action their
previous coping mechanisms. It is our job as pastoral counselors to listen, educate, and be
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present in the face of crisis. We may not always know the “right thing to say.” The Holy Spirit is
there to guide us and our clients in these times. Thanks for the opportunity to review this journal
article.
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References
Stone, H. W., Cross, D. R., Purvis, K. B., & Young, M. J. (2003). A study of church members
during times of crisis. Pastoral Psychology, 52(5), 405–421. Retrieved July 4, 2021, from
https://doi.org/10.1023/b:pasp.0000020688.71454.3d
Wright, H. N. (2011). The complete guide to crisis & trauma counseling: What to do and say
when it matters most! (Updated, Expanded ed.). Bethany House Publishers.
