This series is based on real statements really heard in risk situations.
"I'm ready to be blown up."
Background:
A young father shares his concerns about the current threat level against the international church. The leader responds with, "I'm ready to be blown up." This leader fits Risk Myths #7, 8, 13, and 14. This leader did not "feel" the threats, and felt he was ready, as a man who had raised his children, that he was ready to be blown up should the building be attacked one Sunday. The leader truly may be ready, but the young father did not feel cared for, and went to another person to share his fears.
How would you have responded to this father's fears?
If it would have been with a Bible verse, that's called a "conceptual response." The young, concerned father already knows those verses. If it would have been a statement like the one above, implying that the elder had counted the cost but the young father had not, again, it does not address the situational issue of counting the cost of attending church with little ones who have no choice in the matter.
As a leader or member care personnel, we need to be more discerning of what people are trying to communicate by "reading between the lines." Meaning: the underlying issues of the surface statements.
A situational response is what was called for here. There was a direct threat against the church, thus, a very specific risk situation. The outcome could have been different if the leader had drawn the young father out, asked him to share more about his fears, addressed what mitigation had been done and was planned for by the church, and what more felt needs the young father was aware he had, then the conversation would not have been passed on.
The father could have felt cared for by the leaders of the church, which would have lowered his anxiety and fear level, thus increasing his resiliency in an increasing risk situation, so that the strategic work could continue to be effective as the father was encouraged and could demonstrate joy in a dangerous situation for his family and those he was leading.
Risk Myth 13 and Risk Myth 14 are available here.
Go to Unhelpful Things People say in Risk #2
