PTSD minister wounded in service to others

Kevin Turner is a man of faith, a man of compassion and courage. Yet what he experienced caused the wound of PTSD. Again, it's a human wound that cuts into the mind, body and spirit.

Wounded ‘soldier of the cross’ scarred by Christian service
By Ken Camp, Baptist Standard, Managing Editor
Published: July 18, 2008
BARTLESVILLE, Okla.—After 18 years serving in hot spots around the globe, Kevin Turner finally was wounded in the line of duty—not physically, but emotionally and spiritually.


As president of Strategic World Impact and an ordained Baptist minister, Turner wanted to be “a soldier of the cross.” He traveled to war zones, disaster areas and regions where Christians are persecuted, convinced God had called him to provide emergency relief in Christ’s name to people “standing on the brink of eternity.”

Post-traumatic stress disorder

When his wife finally persuaded him to seek medical attention at an after-hours clinic, the physician on duty—an Army doctor who had returned recently from service in Iraq—diagnosed Turner as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.


In the weeks that followed, Turner’s family physician and counselors confirmed the PTSD diagnosis, stemming not just from the trip to Kenya but from the cumulative effects of 18 years of ministry in crisis situations.


Over the last few months, Turner reports progress, but he still feels like he’s far from fully recovered.


“My life has been in turmoil. The nights have been like hell for me,” he said. “I’ve been able to keep my thoughts in some perspective in the daytime. But nighttime is the worst. It all comes flooding in.”


Psychologist Dan McGee noted the symptoms Turner described, coupled with his prolonged exposure to trauma, fit the PTSD profile.

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This is also one more example of the need for the members of the clergy to get involved with PTSD so they can address the wounds of the spirit.