| Disasters may be considered a fact of life, but how people respond to them can vary drastically. Too often churches do not possess emergency plans, and when a crisis occurs, they react with no training and limited effectiveness. Research within the Alaska Ministry Network (AMN) revealed that almost no churches have a crisis response plan, and the AMN lacked a statewide crisis response ministry.;This project conducted a review of the disasters unique to Alaska, the local, state and federal resources available to pastors during a community disaster, and the need for advanced planning in order to provide effective spiritual first aid to survivors. Using Paul's collection for the saints as a theological foundation for immediate and long-term crisis ministry, ministry interventions were developed which highlighted the need for both aspects of such a ministry.;The specific ministry interventions concentrated on developing a crisis response ministry handbook and conducting a four-hour seminar to educate local pastors about the divine imperative and potential ministry implications for conducting crisis response ministry. Pastors received instruction on developing church emergency operations plans, the essential nature of continuous self-care practices, and the dangers of crisis response ministry, as well as briefings on the need for critical incident stress management training and the capabilities of 46:1 Response Ministry. |
