Rick And Kay Warren Launch Saddleback Church Mental Health Ministry After Son’s Suicide” (Huffington Post, March 2014). These kind of conferences are few and the needs are great, as shown in this article, “ This conference and website provides many of the most valuable resources for churches and Christians to care lovingly and biblically for people’s mental health. Gathering on Mental Health and the Church, with more than 2,200 people attending and nearly 4,000 people watching the conference online ( ). Recently, on October 8th and 9th, Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, hosted its 2nd Sharing the Truth about Mental Illness in Faith Communities Why is that? Because people instinctively know that churches are called by God to be places of refuge, comfort, guidance, and practical help for those who suffer. Anyone who’s served as a receptionist for a church knows that they often are required to do triage in mental illness cases. For centuries the Church has been a refuge for the outcast, those on the margins, and anyone enduring societal stigma and shame.įinally, studies have shown that when families or individuals experience the chaos caused by mental illness, the first place they typically call in a crisis is not a doctor, a law office, the school, or the police, but rather they call or go see their priest or pastor. Most people are unaware that it was the Church that invented the idea of hospitals. Second, the church has been caring for the sick, both physically and mentally for 2,000 years longer than any government or agency. In Christ’s name, the Church extends compassion, acceptance, and unconditional love to all who suffer from the pain of mental illness, and as his Body, we offer hope and the healing power of God’s grace. As Christ followers, we are compelled to continue His work today. There are biblical, historical, and practical reasons that churches must be at the table with this issue.įirst, from the Gospels, we know that Jesus cared for and ministered to mentally ill people during his ministry on earth. Why the church must help people who struggle with mental illness, as explained in this March 2014 TIME Magazine article, Rick Warren: Churches Must Do More to Address Mental Illness (or watch this video of Why The Church Should Care About Mental Illness with Pastor Rick Warren). We want to minister to the physical, spiritual, emotional, relational and mental needs of a person because Jesus did.” We care about the whole family, and we want to care about them for their whole lifetime. Tommy Hilliker (Saddleback Church’s pastor of ministry) describes it this way: “ (Isaiah 41:10)Īnd the Bible has inspired believers and churches to care for people, for their health and well-being: spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally. (2 Timothy 1:7)įear not, for I am with you be not dismayed, for I am your God I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Matthew 4:24)įor God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Psalm 34:17-20)ĭo not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. He keeps all his bones not one of them is broken. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. Top 5 Bible verses about mental illness (via ). The Bible offers hope and help for people that struggle, as expressed in these How the Bible Gives Hope for Mental Health Ninety percent of people who die by suicide also had mental illness.One in five children will have a mental illness by age 18.Half of all chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14.Half of all adults will suffer from mental illness in their lifetime.That meansĮvery one of us knows someone who is living with a mental illness - depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, an eating disorder, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder and some additionally have a substance abuse. Sixty million Americans - that’s one in five adults - will experience a mental illness in the coming year. Hope for Mental Illness” (Huffington Post, August 2015) illustrates. BIBLE Registry Categories: ExamplesĮvery one of us probably knows someone that struggles with mental illness, as these startling statistics from Kay Warren’s article, “
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