HERE'S YOUR GUIDE:
5 Things Every Christian Should Know About Disaster Relief
How to love your neighbor and share the Gospel when disaster strikes
When disaster strikes, it can feel like God is far away–or terrifyingly close.
Humans have always grappled with what it means when we’re impacted by tragedies we can’t control. Is God punishing us? How can God allow it? Is God still there?
It's no different today. Disasters humble us, shift our perspective, and leave us asking new questions—and opening our hearts to answers we might not have considered before.
As Christians, we have a unique opportunity to love our neighbors and share the hope of Christ in the face of disaster. At Austin Disaster Relief Network, we’ve spent more than 15 years responding to disasters in Central Texas, serving more than 350,000 survivors. They’ve taught us a lot along the way, and we’re passionate about mobilizing our community to respond to disaster effectively and compassionately.
Whether you’re an individual, family, or church community, this guide will equip you with:
• A Christian perspective on disaster
• Five things Christians must understand to provide effective disaster relief
• Three things you can do today to serve your neighbors impacted by disaster
Where is God in disaster?
Most people don’t wrestle with that as an abstract question––we feel it while we’re in the middle of real loss, real chaos, and real pain. There are few mysteries of faith greater than how an all-powerful God interacts with human suffering. Even those who don’t follow Jesus wrestle with this question—it’s no coincidence that, when life feels out of control, we still refer to some events as “acts of God.
As believers, we must be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in us––especially when the world is asking, “Where is God now?” And this is where Jesus makes all the difference.
Jesus demonstrates that God is for us, not against us. Instead of standing at a distance and punishing us with suffering, He enters into our suffering, taking it on Himself and sympathizing with our human experience (Hebrews 4:15).
We will not always understand why God allows certain things to happen. But we can live—and serve—with the confidence that He never leaves us or forsakes us. His loving presence walks with us, even—often especially—in our darkest moments.
FIVE SURPRISING THINGS EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD UNDERSTAND ABOUT DISASTER RELIEF
1. The work continues long after the cleanup ends.
In the first few weeks after a disaster, the need is clear, and the response is great. Volunteers show up en masse, the government sends supplies, and fundraisers are held. It’s all so helpful and makes a real difference.
But when the immediate cleanup is done and the media has moved on, life is still far from normal for survivors. That’s when a different kind of storm starts to surface: mounting debt, insurance battles, exhaustion, anxiety, and depression. The crisis may no longer be as physically visible, but it’s still very real in people’s homes and hearts.
As people called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, we don’t just show up for the “event"––we stay for the long road of recovery. We walk with survivors until lives and families are truly restored, and in doing so, we become living witnesses to the power of God in our own lives and in our community.
ACTION STEP
Life moves fast, and we have so many things fighting for our attention. This makes it easy to forget about people’s needs that remain long after the initial shock has worn off.
Practice slowing down, turning off your phone, and spending a few focused moments in prayer. Ask God: Where are You drawing my attention? Who is still hurting that I’ve moved on from? Is there a person, a neighborhood, a situation where the Holy Spirit is inviting me to keep showing up?
2. The emotional trauma lasts long after physical needs are met.
Disasters are traumatic—individually and collectively.
People who narrowly escaped with their lives may find their nervous systems stuck in a state of fight-or-flight, their bodies trying to return to a sense of safety.
Others can experience complex stress from the instability of being displaced for months or years.
Communities also suffer, as we process the loss of people and places we held dear.
The impacts of trauma are real and long-lasting. It affects us physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Churches and believers who want to respond effectively to disaster have to remember this: disaster relief is not only about the first wave of response—it’s about the long road of healing. The early days of cleanup and crisis response matter deeply, but so does what happens months and even years later. We have a beautiful opportunity to walk with people for the long haul, investing in relationships and providing holistic care.
ACTION STEP
One of the most loving things we can do is to be equipped before the next crisis hits. Taking trauma-informed training, learning how to connect survivors with trusted mental health professionals, and being prepared to share the spiritual hope that Christ offers are all practical ways you can help meet someone’s deepest needs after loss. Check out adrn.org/training to find upcoming trainings and take the next step in being prepared to serve.
3. Disaster doesn’t impact everyone equally.
Nature doesn’t discriminate, but disaster affects everyone differently.
Vulnerable communities are often the least able to withstand disasters. Recovery becomes especially hard for people who might not have insurance, finances, or a strong community to help carry the load following a loss.
People who were already in crisis before a disaster often find that the disaster can feel like a tipping point––often triggering a domino effect of negative events that can be difficult to recover from.
As the Body of Christ, we can be the village for people who don’t have anywhere else to turn. And we don’t have to wait for the next flood, fire, or crisis to strike to begin this work. By meeting needs like housing and food insecurity today, we can help make people more resilient to disaster tomorrow.
ACTION STEP
If you were impacted by a disaster, who would you call first? Who would open their home, share their clothes, or let you borrow their car? These types of connections are one of the most influential factors in how we experience and recover from a crisis.
Is there anyone you know who is facing a crisis or walking through isolation right now? Are there ways you could surround them with community—meeting a practical need, inviting them into your circle, or simply sharing your phone number and letting them know, “I’m here for you, and you’re not alone”?
4. Disasters happen every day, even if we don’t hear about them.
Here in Central Texas, we know how quickly life can change. Flash floods, tornadoes, wildfires, straight-line winds, ice storms—these moments are dramatic, disruptive, and they can impact entire neighborhoods in a matter of minutes.
But people experience life-altering “quiet disasters” every day—crises that never make the news or trigger a FEMA deployment, yet still turn their world upside down all the same.
As Christians, we can be prepared to show up in someone’s worst moments—a house fire, an act of violence, or other loss—often when no one else even knows what’s happening. We don’t have to have all the answers; we just have to be willing to be present, pray, listen, and help.
Remember that God is not asking us to save the world––He’s already provided a Savior. He just asks us to love our neighbor. Sometimes we can have the greatest impact right in our own backyards, with the people whose names we already know.
ACTION STEP
Austin Disaster Relief Network doesn’t just respond to major disasters. We’re local, active, and ready to respond to urgent, individual needs that arise. Browse our volunteer opportunities today to be connected to needs you might not hear about otherwise—places where you can make the biggest difference.
5. Disasters represent one of the greatest opportunities to share the Gospel.
Losing earthly possessions, navigating trauma, and experiencing a major life event can cause us to slow down and look at the deeper aspects of our lives.
After years of walking with thousands of people, we’ve found that following loss, many are asking spiritual questions and looking for answers. As Christians, we are equipped to respond to people’s most fundamental need: to know God loves them and they’re not alone.
The Bible teaches that God is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18, NIV). While God doesn’t send suffering into our lives, it’s often in those very places of pain and loss where He shows up most powerfully and where His presence is most clear in our lives.
Not only do we want to be there in those moments to share the Gospel with someone searching for hope, but we also want to support people who encounter God in the midst of disaster and are trying to take the next steps in their spiritual journey. That’s why we’ve built a network of more than 200 local churches. When a survivor expresses a desire for spiritual community, we don’t want them to walk alone—we connect them with a church family that can surround them with ongoing prayer.
ACTION STEP
If your church isn’t part of our network, we invite you to join us! Engaging your church is one of the best ways to mobilize your community to respond to disaster and connect survivors with long-term support.
HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED TODAY
1. Volunteer to meet immediate needs.
We joyfully invite you to join us in serving Greater Austin. We have hands-on opportunities and behind-the-scenes operational needs, so you can find a role that aligns with your gifts.
>> Explore current opportunities
2. Provide ongoing support and care.
Our Disaster Relief Shepherd and Critical Incident Stress Management programs pair community members with survivors to offer long-term emotional and spiritual support. This is an amazing way to build deep relationships with people and reveal the love of God in the middle of tragedy. We provide training to each of our survivor care volunteers.
>> Learn more and sign up today
3. Donate.
Your support provides the necessary resources and funding to help every family recover and get back on their feet. Every dollar given provides immediate relief and long-term preparedness, outreach, and coordinated disaster relief efforts.
About Austin Disaster Relief Network
Austin Disaster Relief Network is a network of networks—churches, government, trained volunteers, communities, organizations & businesses, and educators, ready to bring hope into crisis. We monitor, mobilize, and respond quickly to disasters in the community, and we stick around after others have left, walking with people on their journey of recovery. In all we do, we aim to connect survivors to the love of Christ, helping them rebuild their lives physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
LEARN MORE AT: adrn.org
