Post-Traumatic Church Disorder
by Rev. Mark E. Tidsworth, Founder and Team Leader
NOTE – I ran across this article from 2015, and think we may be seeing a recurrence, a new outbreak of PTCD here at the end of 2023. Though playful, I hope it provides insight into adjustments for us as God’s Church continues to unfold.
"The more I believe in Jesus, and want to live in the Way of Jesus Christ... the less fit I am for being a part of the church as I know it (as it's been designed and practiced during the 20th Century)."
Post-Traumatic Church Disorder (PTCD)
PTCD is a condition wherein the symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder combine with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, resulting in the following:
-Repeated exposure to unproductive committee meetings resulting in a persistent nervous twitch anytime the word “committee” is heard
-Fixation on a singular question, repeated in the mind over and over, “Is this what Jesus had in mind?”
-Growing fear that the numerous bureaucratic barriers to initiating new and innovative missional ministry through your church may eventually crush your spirit
-Recurrent distressing dreams wherein you see yourself becoming a compliant, polite, domesticated church-person rather than engaged with the wild undomesticated presentation of Jesus in the gospels
-Social isolation in your neighborhood due to over-involvement at the church campus
-Mild paranoia that you will forget the intricacies of church culture and the language of church-speak, leading to the decline of respect for you in your congregation
-Delusional thinking manifesting itself in the belief that if you just do one more small group study, then you will be ready to start living your faith
-Wondering if you are in touch with reality due to the impression that everyone else in church is able to avoid the deeper questions of existence while reciting empty platitudes
(Not an actual clinical diagnosis… developed for illustrative purposes only)
We were sitting at table together, talking about our faith journeys. She’s an insider; having been a part of the Christian movement since her birth. She’s a seminary graduate with plenty of resilience when it comes to understanding that we are flawed human beings, who bring our humanity to church with us. Nevertheless, she’s on the verge of becoming one of the “Dones;” insiders who can’t find God in the hyper-activity and misdirection of church anymore. I’m afraid she may be suffering from Post-Traumatic Church Disorder (PTCD).
I posted her statement on social media, with immediate and robust commenting following. Clergy, church staff, church members… so many are suffering from Post-Traumatic Church Disorder (PTCD). Their souls are so fatigued and traumatized from serving on so many committees, enduring endless discussions which don’t result in action, and running the organization. If they are asked by one more Nominating Committee to serve a three year term on a committee, they might snap and go postal.
It seems there are congregations who are especially adept at encouraging PTCD in their members. Their proclivity for this evolves from the questions they ask. Congregations with a higher incidence of PTCD among their membership frequently ask the following questions while ignoring more significant and life-giving questions:
-How can we get people to choose church over their other activities?
-How can we increase our financial income and/or reduce expenses?
-How can we motivate our members to staff our committees?
-How can we provide more attractive programming for children and youth so we can get them involved?
Listening to her talk about her faith was disturbing, while also so encouraging. She described the teachings of Jesus Christ as found in the gospels. She described how our world desperately needs the way of life described by Jesus. She actually sees this way of life as this planet’s best hope for survival and even containing the core values for a sustainable and healthy global society. She sees the Church as a major instrument of God to transform the world. Wow.
As I listened, certainly my slight case of PTCD was triggered. At the same time, I heard in her story the seeds of another condition. I’m not sure if this one is a disorder, condition, or just a joyous way to live. She described a yearning, a hunger for a robust Christian community gathered around the risen Christ. She says she needs partners in her faith journey, other disciples who will support, encourage, and challenge her. She described the need for others who will pick her up and brush her off when she falls down in her faith journey. She actually wants others to push her when she grows apathetic and lazy about living in the Way of Jesus.
I think she may have an emerging case of Faith Community Invigoration Syndrome (FCIS), Early Onset. When she described this hope, this dream for this robust faith community, her affect brightened, her energy rose, and her voice strengthened. Obviously, this emerging dream is good for her health. Yes, I think this patient might make it. She’s moving from PTCD toward FCIS. Since it’s in the Early Onset stage, it’s too soon to tell if this new syndrome will blossom into a full-blown experience. But if God is really like how she describes God to be, then my clinical judgment is that this new diagnosis of FCIS will be confirmed in short order.