Tag Archives: mental health ministry

The Gospel and Depression…Gillian Marchenko

Posted on July 3, 2017 by

I speak about depression. I write books. But shame exists deep within. Part of the reason (outside of the battle of the mind) is because the stigma is alive in churches. “You are less spiritual than others,’ my illness whispers in my ear. “You can’t be a Christian and depressed,” I believe the enemy chimes in.
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Posted in Depression, Key Ministry, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why the church doesn’t “get” mental illness

Posted on April 30, 2017 by

I suspect that much of the church’s struggle to “get” mental illness, and in turn to minister effectively and compassionately with persons with mental illness is rooted in our understanding of how much control we have over our thoughts and our behavior.
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What if Mom is depressed?

Posted on April 23, 2017 by

An argument can be made that it’s very important to get the entire family to church if any member of that family is affected by depression. So, what can the local church or individuals from the local church do to help mom (or dad) and the entire family? Continue reading →

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Is past experience of church a barrier for persons with mental illness and their families?

Posted on March 6, 2017 by

I suspect that past experiences of church may be a major barrier to current church involvement for many adults with a history of mental illness or parents of children or teens with significant mental health conditions. Continue reading →

Posted in Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Stories, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A different way of looking at mental health ministry

Posted on November 21, 2016 by

I left feeling very encouraged that the Lord is raising up like-minded people in many different places to champion the development of mental health inclusion ministry as he is doing for special needs ministry. Continue reading →

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The false gospel and mental illness

Posted on October 31, 2016 by

At the same time, we need to reject the false gospel that the outcome of our efforts to obtain relief from the burden of mental illness for ourselves or our loved ones hinges not on our efforts to heal ourselves, but on God’s mercy and grace. Continue reading →

Posted in Key Ministry, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A conference dedicated to mental health inclusion ministry

Posted on October 24, 2016 by

We’d like to invite as many of our friends and colleagues to join us and other champions for mental health outreach and inclusion at a special event next month for church leaders throughout the mid-Atlantic region and the East Coast. Continue reading →

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Ten ways for churches to serve families impacted by mental illness

Posted on October 2, 2016 by

Small things done with great love will change the world. Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Mental Health Ministry…So What?

Posted on August 28, 2016 by

More than anything, mental health ministry is about your church community, as a whole, getting the concept that people with mental health issues aren’t problems to be solved, they are people to be loved.
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Catherine Boyle… Stepping Into Mental Health Ministry: Understand Who Your Church Is and Find the Champions

Posted on July 17, 2016 by

Before launching the Ironbridge Baptist Church mental health pilot, I spent months talking and meeting with individuals of influence within the church community, many with ‘lived experience.’ The goal of such conversations was ultimately to generate support for the idea that we could – as a faith community – be much more upfront about the reality of mental illness, in all its various forms – and begin truly supporting one another. Continue reading →

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