By Steve Trader
Within every church there are people who deal with mental health issues. There are three common ways the Church has traditionally dealt with these individuals — ignore the problem, attribute the problem to spiritual weakness or refer the person to a mental health professional and forget about it.
A better way to help would be for leaders to educate their church members about this very real and difficult issue.
Many church members with a mental health concern will go to a spiritual leader first. Sadly most clergy have had little or no training to help people with these issues. In some cases spiritual leaders will tell people with mental illness that their condition is caused by personal sin, lack of faith or demonic activity. Such a response provides little support for the suffering the person is experiencing.
Chemical imbalance
While there are times spiritual and mental health are connected, there are many times when mental health issues are actually the result of a chemical imbalance within the brain. If important brain chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine are not produced in the right amounts, then mental illness likely will develop.
When this happens it can be terribly frustrating to be told you are “just not spiritual enough.” The fact is that an individual with mental illness truly cannot help it. I have known many wonderful Christian people who struggle with depressive disorders, anxiety disorders and bipolar issues. These individuals need our love and support, not our condemnation.
Pastors and church leaders can guide a congregation to minister effectively to those dealing with mental health issues by taking a few proactive steps.
- Educate. Invite a speaker or offer a workshop. Use bulletin inserts and newsletters to educate about mental health. May is Mental Health Month and several organizations have bulletin inserts and other free resources churches can use to educate members about mental illness (see resource list, this page).
- Pray. Make a commitment as a congregation to pray for people and families that deal with mental illness.
- Support. Each church regardless of size should have an easily accessible list of mental health professionals and services available in the area. Such a list is a valuable resource for individuals and families who need mental health referrals.
It is so important that we as the Church address mental health issues well. The sad fact is that many people sitting in our church pews every Sunday are silently struggling with depression, anxiety, mood swings or a number of other thoughts and feelings they do not understand and cannot control.
If the social and spiritual stigma attached to mental illness keeps people from opening up to someone then they may be tempted to engage in destructive behaviors such as drinking alcohol, using illegal drugs or watching pornography to escape the mental and emotional issues they are struggling with. Obviously these are unhealthy ways to cope.
The healthier thing to do is to talk with someone who loves and cares for them. Church leaders and members should be ready to meet these individuals at their point of need.
God wants to use us to help the hurting and hopeless. We must be aware and observant of what is going on in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Through God’s grace we can make a difference.
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