The pastor is gone and is not coming back.

What is the best thing you can do for those who grieve the loss of their pastor?

• Tell them it’s going to be OK?
• Tell them the search committee is already looking for the next pastor?
• Tell them God has a plan for our church?

No, no, and no.

What grieving people need is a companion to walk alongside them. It doesn’t need to be you, if you’re the transitional pastor, but it needs to be someone — someone equipped to know what to say, what not to say, and how to show up.

How we walk with people who are grieving matters. I’ve been learning to support grieving people in a way that has a track record of being very helpful - the term for it is companioning. How you and I show up with those who have experienced loss, whether it’s the loss of a pastor or the loss of a friend, makes a lasting difference.

One resource I’ve found very formative in learning how to walk with grieving people is the work of Dr....