In 2015, two Princeton economists, Anne case and Angus Deaton, conducted an important study. They set out to understand what accounted for declining U.S. life expectancies. Examining deaths between 1999 and 2013, they found a sharp uptick in deaths caused by drug overdose, heavy alcohol use, and suicides. These they deemed “deaths of despair.”

Since 2015, deaths of despair have only increased, fueled by the opioid crisis and the psychological strain of the pandemic. How can the church respond to this crisis? That’s the question Adam Carrington asks in the article, People Perish for Lack of Religion. Citing the numerous physical and psychological benefits of religious involvement, Carrington issues a challenge to the church to step up to provide hope and healing in this desperate time.

Of course, it would be a mistake to assume that Christians, or even Christian leaders, are immune to despair. Our survival guide on depression helps leaders recognize depression in themselves, and equip them to help others survive its debilitating effects.