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christian counseling today
Vol. 21 no. 2
particularly true for churches maintaining a list of experts to
which people could be referred. Almost seven in 10 (68%)
pastors said their churches had such a list. Less than three in
10 (28%) family members had the same perception.
Amy Simpson, author and senior editor of
Leadership
Journal
, who has written extensively on the subject of mental
health and whose mother suffers from schizophrenia, says
family members need the Church’s help to “break the silence.”
She maintains those living with mental illness, whether their
own or someone else’s, “need to speak and be heard in church
and elsewhere. They need the Church to break its own silence
as well.”
This silence compounds the suffering of the mentally ill
and their family members. “So many have allowed stigma and
fear to prevent acknowledgement that mental illness exists
within the walls of churches,” says Simpson. “The silence
sends a clear message that God is not interested in their
suffering, serious problems have no place in the Church, and
our faith has no answers for hardships like theirs.” Simpson
further acknowledges that ministry to those affected by mental
illness “is not easy, quick or fashionable. It may not even be
rewarding, but it is right and fitting for people called to love
as Jesus loves, to serve as ‘the pleasing aroma of Christ’ in this
world, and to represent His healing grace.”
The Views of Those with Mental Illness.
Much like
their family members, those personally suffering from mental
illness and who also regularly attend church believe more
could be done to help them.
Here are the ways a majority said the Church could assist
them:
n
74%: help families find local resources for support and
dealing with the illness
n
63%: talk about it openly so the topic is not so taboo
n
61%: improve people’s understanding of what mental
illness is and what to expect
n
58%: provide training for the Church to understand
mental illness
n
57%: increase awareness of how prevalent mental illness is
today
For many suffering from a mental illness, they simply
want to be treated as people and not outcasts. Overall, 70%
of Protestants with a mental illness wanted fellow church
members to merely get to know them as a friend. For consis-
tent church attenders, that number climbed to 78%. They just
want to be treated like a person, which sometimes even those
in ministry can forget to do.
How Should the Church Respond?
Looking at the results from our survey is helpful, but it is
more important to consider the people involved and how we
might serve them better. In conclusion, let me share a few easy
fixes we, as the Body of Christ, could consider implementing.
First, talk about the issues. Both family members and
those with a disorder say one of the biggest helps would be
the Church working to erase the stigmatization of mental
illness. If a pastor has suffered, or is currently wrestling with a
mental illness, let him or her share the story with the congre-
gation. Regardless, we should be sharing how the Gospel and
Christian faith speak of hope and healing.
Second, make sure the congregation knows exactly what
resources are available to them, both within the local church
and community. According to Simpson, among those who
have pursued treatment for their mental illnesses, 25%
first sought out a member of the clergy. “That is a higher
percentage than those who have gone to psychiatrists, general
medical doctors, or anyone else,” she says. Connect individu-
ally with those who come to church for help and speak openly
with the congregation to encourage people suffering in silence
to come forward. There is a serious problem when 68% of
pastors say their churches maintain a list of experts for refer-
rals, but only 28% of families with mentally ill loved ones are
aware their churches have such a list. These are easily correct-
able situations.
Other issues may require a greater investment of time and
resources, but they are needed and certainly worth the effort.
Dr. Matthew Stanford is a professor of psychology, neurosci-
ence, and biomedical studies at Baylor University, as well as
the Co-founder and Executive Director of a non-profit orga-
nization that trains churches on ministering to those living
with mental illness and their families. He says the Church’s
role is three-fold: relieve suffering, reveal Christ, and restore
lives. To do this, he says the Church “needs to treat individuals
with mental illness the same way it treats anybody with an
illness. Offer a supportive care structure, help them spiritually,
help them understand where God is in the situation, and help
them connect more fully to God in their suffering.”
My challenge to the Church is that we might move beyond
the whispering, the silence, the shame, and the stigma.
Instead, let us understand and show others that Jesus came
seeking, saving, and serving the lost and broken people
around Him. We honor Christ when we join in His mission
by doing the same. Hopefully, we can learn from the ongoing
conversation around mental illness and the research insights
we are discovering. In this way, we can shape a new, more
helpful approach to those who need care and ministry.
✠
Ed Stetzer, Ph.D.,
is the Executive Director
of LifeWay Research, a prolific author, and well-
known conference and seminar leader. He has planted,
revitalized, and pastored churches, trained pastors and
church planters on six continents, holds two master’s
degrees and two doctorates, and has written dozens of
articles and books.