We are much better at accepting broken bones than we are at accepting mental illness. We rarely think twice about someone’s fractured leg or the cast on their arm. We often don’t know how to engage with someone who is struggling with depression or bipolar disorder. Despite the present shifts toward inclusivity, there is still a stigma attached to mental health issues.
Congregations and pastoral leaders can play a big role in removing this stigma. For starters, how do we talk about mental health in our sermons? Do we speak with compassion about the fact that there are people who struggle to get through the day, or do we use language like “crazy” that we know will elicit an easy laugh?
We may wish that everyone who belonged to our congregations was psychologically balanced and highly emotionally intelligent, but let’s not forget that Jesus said he did not come for those who are well but for those who need a physician. Our congregations comprise people from all walks of life. Some of those people have wounds we cannot see on the surface.
Ministry at its best addresses the needs of the whole person — body, mind and soul. It’s time for the church to be more invested in holistic health and to think about how it can meaningfully engage and better inform the congregation on issues related to psychological well-being. Every church has someone (or is connected to someone) who is dealing with mental health issues on some level. When congregations are willing to address the topic of mental health, they will discover new opportunities to offer healing and hope where it is needed.
