Christian Counseling Today Vol. 21, Iss. 2

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68 christian counseling today Vol. 21 no. 2
God has abandoned them. They also need to hear spiritual
leaders contradict the idea that Christians should expect
an easy life.
n Recognize the opportunity. Because people often turn
to clergy for help, churches have a unique responsibility to
be ready and respond to those who come to them during
their time of need. Church leaders must see this ministry
opportunity and educate their congregations on its critical
importance.
n Get educated. Church leaders must develop a basic
knowledge of mental illness. Mental health professionals
can help with this, sharing knowledge, equipping lay care-
givers and making themselves available for consultation.
This might include training, such as National Association
of Mental Illness (NAMI) programs or Mental Health
First Aid.
n Meet practical needs. People overlook the help they
already know how to offer others who are in distress:
meals, rides, financial help, child care, home maintenance,
and one’s tangible and caring presence.
n Offer referrals. Churches must recognize when they are
“in over their heads” and provide appropriate referrals to
Christian counselors and other mental health professionals.
n Be the Church. Referring people to professionals is not
an excuse to step out of their lives. The Church is uniquely
positioned to provide ongoing spiritual care and a loving
community.
n Discuss mental illness in sermons, classes, and
Bible studies. Mental illness is part of the human experi-
ence, and recognizing it in spiritual environments can
give people permission to acknowledge their needs and
questions.
n Pray publicly. People need to know that both the Church
and God care about their needs. Praying in general terms
for people struggling with mental health is a powerful
ministry.
n Start a ministry. Churches can start support groups,
crisis intervention, counseling ministries, and other care-
giving activities for people with mental illness and their
loved ones. Our mental healthcare system is full of gaps,
and churches can play an important role in making help
more accessible and providing Christ-centered care.
Above all, we must recognize our calling to follow the example
of our Savior. In Jesus’ ministry on earth, no one was outside
the margins of His notice. No one was unworthy of His atten-
tion, too sick for His healing, or too dirty for His touch. Jesus
loved to surprise those who were usually ignored by noticing
them. He loved to heal the ones everyone thought were
beyond hope. God’s heart is open toward those who are open
to Him. Christ came to save those who were aware of their
needs… and we, too, are called to the needy. ✠
Amy Simpson, M.B.A., is author of Troubled
Minds: Mental Illness and the Church’s Mission
and Anxious: Choosing Faith in a World of Worry
(InterVarsity Press). She’s also a life and leadership coach,
editor of Christianity Today’s Gifted for Leadership, senior
editor of Leadership Journal, and a frequent speaker. You
can find her at and on Twitter @aresimpson.
Endnotes
1 Any Mental Illness (AMI) Among Adults (n.d.). Retrieved June 22, 2015,
from
illness-ami-among-adults.shtml.
2 Wang, P.S., Berglund, P.A., & Kessler, R.C. (2003). Patterns and
correlates of contacting clergy for mental disorders in the United
States. Health Services Research, 38(2), 647–673. doi:10.1111/1475-
6773.0013.
In Jesus’ ministry on earth,
no one was outside the margins
of His notice. No one was
unworthy of His attention,
too sick for His healing,
or too dirty for His touch.
Jesus loved to surprise those
who were usually ignored by
noticing them. He loved to
heal the ones everyone thought
were beyond hope.