Training a Congregation to Support Those Grieving a Loss Cause by Death

Abstract

Death is a reality that every human has to experience even before his or her own death. One of the hardest events anyone could experience is the loss of a loved one through death. A pastor and the congregation will be looked upon to comfort those who survive the deceased at the funeral. What about after the funeral? The problem is that our culture has diminished the importance of grief and supporting those who are grieving. This paper examines the grief process by providing Scriptural support for grief and the importance of supporting those who are grieving. It also examines secular studies on grief and demonstrates the benefit of these studies for a pastor and his congregation. After going through these two studies, application is provided for training a congregation to support its bereaved members beyond the funeral. Since every congregation has those who are grieving, they will be better equipped to serve and comfort those suffering if they have been trained to better understand grief and how to best support the grieving. This support is not only God-pleasing but provides more opportunities to share the eternal hope and comfort of God’s Word with those who are suffering.