I was on a Zoom meeting a few weeks ago with some community and academic leaders, and something was stated that really piqued my curiosity. As the challenging impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were being discussed and lamented, one business leader from another state shared that the company she worked with was focused, not solely on the current challenges around us, but more importantly on opportunities for what she termed “post-traumatic growth.” Frankly, I found the combination of hearing these two seemingly oxymoronic words [post-traumatic growth], and the optimism with which she shared them, enlightening and hopeful. I immediately wrote down the phrase to explore later: “Post-Traumatic Growth???”
It a real thing as the trained psychology folks on the District already know. In fact, I encourage you to read Lorna Collier’s article Growth after Trauma by the American Psychological Association by clicking HERE. I do not agree with everything in this article, but I do think exploring the relationship between trauma and growth has merits, especially in this season of our global challenges. As Collier writes in her article, “Post-traumatic growth (PTG) is a theory that explains… transformation following trauma. It was developed by psychologists Richard Tedeschi, PhD and Lawrence Calhoun, PhD in the mid-1990s, and it holds that people who endure psychological struggle following adversity can often see positive growth.” She quotes Dr. Tedeschi, "People develop new understandings of themselves, the world they live in, how to relate to other people, the kind of future they might have and a better understanding of how to live life." [my italics] That astute businessperson was insightful; she knew that the trauma of this pandemic offers unique and rare possibilities for growth, despite the many losses that I fully acknowledge and in no way diminish.
In fact, aside from the nascent 1st Century Church, I believe there has never been a more opportune time for discipleship formation and Church growth. The challenges of our current reality, combined with modern technology, offer unique and rare opportunities to learn and grow as disciples so that we might influence others to serve. People… all people everywhere… are seeking hope in the midst of despair and Light in contexts of oppressive darkness. As Disciples of Jesus we are called to be that hope and to illumine the darkness with the light of Christ through our presence, words, and deeds.
How do we do this hard work? How does growth emerge within and after trauma? This work is deeper than adaptive leadership and emotional resiliency (as important as these are right now). PTG occurs, not because of trauma, but because of the transformation that can be birthed when one travels within and through trauma, embracing the moments even in the non-normative challenges and loss they create. It happens when we make a conscious rational decision and spiritual commitment to learn and open ourselves anew to transformative possibilities. The Biblical record is replete with such experiences.
I invite you to join me in pondering the trauma experienced by the thief on the cross with Jesus; you can read the story by clicking HERE. Could it be that grace intersected with the trauma present in the thief’s experience to open a window of transformation and even an evangelistic proclamation to his fellow thief? The point — there are incredible growth opportunities in liminal or in-between spaces.
So, we each have a choice to make, each day, each minute. Will we allow trauma to diminish us or will live fully in this liminal space and embrace the learning and growing opportunities for transformation and revival for the cause of Christ?
I invite you to join me for a time of open and guided discussion on fresh opportunities in ministry during this time… to hear from each other and God as we seek to be life-long learners who influence others to serve. To that end, I will be offering a 75-minute Zoom for all District clergy on Wednesday, August 12, at 7 p.m. and for all District Laity on August 13 at 7 p.m. A link to these Zoom sessions will be sent out on Constant Contact on Monday, August 10, so please look out for that notification.
Thank you for all that you do in ministry on our wonderful District and for your ongoing prayers.
In Christ’s Service,
Steve
But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh.
2 Cor. 4:7-11, NRSV
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