Preparing your Community for a Crisis

On Wednesday Morning this week, I will be leading a panel discussion on Preparing your Community for a Crisis. Here are ten key principles that anyone in leadership can apply.

Principles for Preparing Your Community for a Crisis

1. Have a personal preparedness plan. If you are not ready when a crisis comes, you will not be able to serve others.

2. Influence needs to be leveraged by the church in times of crisis. Churches tend to be sectarian by nature. We need to be intentional about unity before a crisis hits our community.

3. Get to know Christians already serving in key roles for crisis management. Find Christians in the EMS, Fire Department, Police Department and Red Cross. Get to know them and let them know what help you can provide. Ask them to help you.

4. Place people in these agencies as volunteers and employees. The agencies will be glad for the interest and the help. These people then can train churches in preparedness.

5. Co-sponsor preparedness training events.

6. Have your churches get the licensing they need from the government and the Red Cross to serve as shelters and kitchens. This needs to be done in advance.

7. Identify people who are grant-writers in the Christian Community. They will help you get the aid you need.

8. Goodwill needs to be accompanied by competence.

9. In a crisis, provide for physical needs and offer Christ-centered spiritual counsel and prayer. Demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit in all you do.

10. Tell your story. You have a witness to share. The story of how the church is ministering is an important piece of the good news and encourages Christians everywhere to be more compassionate toward those in need. It will strengthen the resolve of others in their witness for Christ.