Preparing to Serve Victims:

NWC Basic Volunteer

Training

Module 4
PARTICIPANT GUIDE
Spiritual Support for Victims of Crime
 Spiritual Support for Crime Victims

Module Objective

At the completion of this module, the participant will be able to respond

appropriately to spiritual reactions of crime victims.

Key Topics

 Spiritual Impact of Victimization

 Questions Victims May Raise
 Learning from Job
 Addressing Spiritual Needs
 Your Role and Goal
 Answering Tough Questions
 Basics of Evangelism
 LEARNING FROM JOB

INSTRUCTIONS: Read Job 1-2 individually, then answer the following

questions at your table.

1. What can we learn from Job 1:1-2:10 about God (his character, abilities, nature,
desires)?

2. How did Job's friends deal with his suffering (2:11-13) at this point?

3. As days go by Job's suffering increases; at last he breaks his silence

and expresses his feelings about his life and God. Look up these
verses and discuss how Job feels. How would you feel in his place?
(Take turns.)
3:1-3 19:7
9:27-29 19:13-14
10:1-3

4. Job's friends don't remain silent either. They try to "counsel" him,
to tell Job why he is suffering. What do they say?
Eliphaz 22:4-5
Bildad 8:3-6
Zophar 11:11-12

5. Is there anything wrong with the counsel of Job's friends? Look at these
passages:
1:1-3 16:1-5
6:14-15 42:7-8
12:3-5

6. What can you learn from Job and his friends on comforting someone who is
suffering?
 Dr. Richard Halverson Quote

"Most personal evangelism - as I have observed for 50 years, is something 'done to'
someone with whom the personal evangelist has little relationship- certainly not
friendship. Tragically, zealous personal evangelists often reject those who refuse to
respond favorably to their evangelistic advances, thus alienating the 'target'. Jesus was
a friend of sinners, friend to the friendless, friend even to his enemies! What a difference
when evangelism issues out of friendship and love. How beautiful when one is loved
to Christ, rather than being an object sought after as a means to achieve some
evangelistic goal or record... He who loves is born of God and knows God."

“He who does not love does not know God.” (1 John 4:7,8)
 SUGGESTIONS FOR OFFERING SPIRITUAL SUPPORT

1. Ask if you can pray for or with the victim. Let it be his/her decision. Don't
push, just ask!

2. If he/she is uncomfortable, ask if you can pray for them on your own (most
people don't turn down prayer).

3. Ask if they participate in a church or are religious. Let them talk if they like.

4. Ask how this crisis affects how they think about their faith and God.

5. Ask if they would like you to contact their church or if they would like you to
put them in touch with a church.

6. Ask if they would like to have some material they can read later. Leave a New
Testament if they agree or other material NWC provides.
 ANSWERING TOUGH QUESTIONS

INSTRUCTIONS: Select two or three of the issues or questions a victim might raise
(See the list of spiritual issues). How would you respond? Write a response that
you might make to the victim's question or concern.

Victim Issue/Question #1:

Response #1:

Victim Issue/Question #2:

Response #2:

Victim Issue/Question #3:

Response #3:
 SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO “TOUGH QUESTIONS”

QUESTION: Why did God allow this crime to happen?

We don't know. Sometimes we may never know. But we can

know God and what he tells us about himself through the
Bible:

SUGGESTED 1. He never changes (Malachi 3:6).

2. He doesn't leave or abandon us (Psalm 139:7-10).
ANSWER:
3. He is loving and caring (Exodus 34:6-7).
4. His will is good, acceptable, and perfect (Romans 12:2).
5. He is sovereign-in complete control (1 Chronicles 29:11-12).
6. God desires us to know and love Him (John 3:16).
Why did he allow suffering to happen to me/to my
QUESTION:
family?

We don't fully know and can't know. We know we live in a

world where sin and evil thrive. We also know that he allows
SUGGESTED
Christians to suffer. And he can redeem that suffering. He can
ANSWER: use it in our lives so that we can be of great help and comfort
to others. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

QUESTION: Where was God?

He was with you. He says that he never leaves us (Hebrews

SUGGESTED 13:5). He also suffers with us. The word "compassion" means
ANSWER: to "suffer with." God has compassion on us and for us when
we suffer.

Adapted from "The Biblical Perspective on Suffering Resulting from Crime" by Lisa
Barnes Lampman. 1990.
 SUGGESTED SCRIPTURE VERSES TO HELP VICTIMS

P U RP O SE S C RI P T U RE

2 Corinthians 1:3
What a wonderful God we have - He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and
God's Comfort strengthens us in our hardships and trials.
Psalm 119:76,77
Now Jet your loving kindness comfort me, just as you promised. Surround me
with your tender mercies, that I may live. For your law is my delight.

Psalm 46:1
God's Presence God is our refuge and strength, an ever -present help in trouble.
and Help Psalm 10:14
But you, 0 God, do see trouble and grief,· you consider it to take it to hand. The
victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will
strengthen you, I will help you; I will uphold you my victorious right hand.
Psalm 145:18
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
1 Peter 5:7
God's Care Let him have all you worries and cares, for he is always
thinking about you and watching everything that concerns
you.
Psalm 145:8,9
The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and
rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all
he has made.
Psalm 103:13
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on
those who fear him.
 BASICS OF E VANGELISM

DO NOT Teach: Trying to communicate intellectual truths without empathy and

care is not appropriate at this time.
Preach: At this time, it is not helpful to get into the
theological perspective (e.g., "You should
forgive now.").
Screech: Don't react negatively to what a victim tells you or how he/she
expresses what he/she is feeling.

DO Care: Listen without judging, encourage and validate, and

give support.
Pray: Before you call, ask God for guidance and help.
Pray for a victim.
Pray with the victim if appropriate (Ask him/her first).
Share: Scriptures, your church, your experience, how to know God, if
appropriate.

DEMONSTRATE "Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words."

St. Francis of Assisi
CHRIST’S LOVE Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you
says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing
about his physical needs, what good is it? James 2:15-17

GIVE YOUR What your life was like before Christ

How you came to accept Christ
TESTIMONY What your spiritual life is like now (Be honest).

SHARE THE STEPS Admit that our sin keeps us from God
FOR ACCEPTING Believe that Christ has died on the cross to pay for our sins
CHRIST AS YOUR and lead us back to God
PERSONAL LORD Receive Jesus by accepting his death as a payment for my sin, making a
AND SAVIOR personal decision, and thanking him.
 SPIRITUAL SUPPORT QUICK REFERENCE

The quick reference on the following page summarizes the skills and sources you have
learned in this module. You may want to keep this page in a convenient place for easy
reference in the beginning. Soon you'll find the techniques will become second nature
as you use them.

ANSWERING TOUGH QUESTIONS OFFERING SPIRITUAL SUPPORT

Why did God allow this crime to happen?
• He doesn't leave or abandon us
(Psalm 139:7-10).
• He is loving and caring
(Exodus 34:6-7).
• His will is good, acceptable, and
perfect (Romans 12:2).
• He is sovereign - in complete
control (1 Chronicles 29:11-12).
• He never changes (Malachi 3:6).
Why did He allow suffering to happen to
me/to my family?
• We don't fully know and can't know.
We know we live in a world where
sin and evil thrive. We also know
that he allows Christians to suffer,
and he can redeem that suffering.
He can use it in our lives so that we
can be of great help and comfort to
others. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
Where was God?
• He was with you. He says that he
never leaves us (Hebrews 13:5).
• He also suffers with us. The word
"compassion" means to "suffer
with." God has compassion on us
and for us when we suffer.
• He desires us to know and love him.
(John 3:16)
Ask:
• "Would you like me to pray with
you?" "For you?" Don't push;
just ask.
• "Do you have any spiritual
questions?"
• "Has the crime impacted you
spiritually or your relationship
to God?"
• "Do you attend church or a
place of worship?" "Do you see
your church as a source of
support?"
• "Do you want me to contact
your church?" "Do you want me
to put you in touch with a
church?"
• If the victim says yes to these
questions, ask if he/she would
like to talk or pray about what
has happened.
• If the victim says no to the
questions or is not receptive,
do not pursue.