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When we go to church, we bring our stories with us. Our stories can color how we experience Christian community, and even affect the larger community.
Fresh Expressions Pioneer Elaine Heath and church planter Charles Kiser are co-authors of Trauma-Informed Evangelism: Cultivating Communities of Wounded Healers. Motivated by their own experiences, they have worked to create expressions of church that are safe spaces for healing and connection. You can learn more about their book at https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802882356/trauma-informed-evangelism/.
Elaine Heath, along with her spouse and several friends, lives at Spring Forest, a new monastic community in rural North Carolina, where she serves as Abbess. They tend a forest and small regenerative farm, and they have a range of ministries that support immigrants and people in recovery from trauma. She has served in pastoral and academic ministry, including serving as the McCreless Professor of Evangelism at Perkins School of Theology, and Dean of Duke Divinity School, and is the founder of Neighborhood Seminary and co-founder of the Missional Wisdom Foundation. She is also the author of thirteen books.
Charles Kiser is a pastor, theologian, coach, and trainer. He is the cofounder with Mallory Wyckoff of The Healing Collective, a ministry that creates spaces for healing from religious trauma both for survivors and religious leaders. Kiser is also the Regional Area Developer for the Dallas-Fort Worth region of the Post-Evangelical Collective, an organization that seeks to connect and resource post-evangelical leaders and cultivate new post-evangelical churches that function as healing communities. Kiser holds a doctorate in contextual theology and his work focuses on the intersection of post-colonial mission, contemplative spirituality, and trauma healing. He lives in the Dallas area with his wife, their three kids, and their frenetic Boston Terrier, Gus.
In season 5 of the Fresh Expressions podcast, we’re exploring the loneliness epidemic that is sweeping across North America and learning how new kinds of Christian community can help.
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Related Resources:
Spring Forest – a new monastic community in rural North Carolina
Email us: podcasts@freshexpressions.com
Interview Summary
“There is a form of evangelism that embodies good news and life and flourishing.” – Charles Kiser
This season dives deeply into the theme of community—specifically how new church expressions can address the pervasive loneliness affecting many in North America. Host Heather Jallad, alongside guests Elaine Heath and Charles Kiser, explores the transformative power of creating community through the lenses of trauma-informed evangelism and the nurturing of wounded healers.
Community Building Amidst Loneliness
The season’s focus on community building as a remedy for loneliness is timely and essential. Heather Jallad and her guests discuss how fresh expressions of church are specifically designed to reach people who might feel isolated or disconnected from traditional church settings. These new forms of church are not just about worship in a conventional sense but about creating spaces where people can connect deeply with others through shared interests and activities, such as gaming groups or community farming. The idea is to meet people where they are, offering fellowship in environments where they feel most comfortable and open.
Trauma-Informed Evangelism
Elaine Heath and Charles Kiser delve into the concept of trauma-informed evangelism, which is central to their book and the discussions in this podcast season. This approach acknowledges that many individuals have experienced spiritual or religious trauma and that this trauma can affect their ability to trust and engage with religious institutions. Trauma-informed evangelism emphasizes listening, empathy, and the creation of safe spaces for individuals to explore faith and community without pressure or judgment. This method aims to transform evangelism from a potentially harmful encounter into a healing and life-affirming experience.
The Role of the Church in Healing
This episode highlights the church’s potential role as a healing force in society. This involves recognizing the church’s own failures and missteps and actively working towards becoming a more compassionate and understanding community. The discussion points towards a church that not only supports its members but also reaches out to the wider community to offer support for various forms of suffering, including mental health challenges, loneliness, and past abuses. This repositioned role of the church is seen as crucial in addressing the broader societal issues of alienation and disconnection.
Empathetic Witness and Community Support
A significant part of the conversation focuses on the practicalities of being an “empathetic witness”—someone who listens deeply and responds with empathy to the stories and experiences of others. This practice is crucial in forming communities where healing is possible. The concept extends beyond individual interactions to how community leaders and church members can be trained to support those recovering from trauma. This involves understanding the psychological and emotional aspects of trauma recovery and creating environments where people can share their stories without fear of judgment or retribution.
The insights from this season of the Fresh Expressions podcast underscore a pivotal shift towards communities centered around empathy, understanding, and collective healing. We are called not only to address the loneliness and trauma prevalent in today’s society but to forge spaces that offer sanctuary, understanding, and connection. This transformative vision for the church compels us to act— to weave empathy into our spiritual practices, to embrace trauma-informed approaches in our ministries, and to actively engage in the creation of communities that celebrate authenticity and provide refuge.
Reflection Questions
- How does your community address the loneliness epidemic?
- In what ways can trauma-informed practices be integrated into your church’s outreach and pastoral care?
- What does it mean to be an ’empathetic witness’ in your own life?
- How can churches transform into more inclusive and healing spaces?
- How might the concept of wounded healers influence your view on spiritual leadership?
