The Need For Mental Health Support Within The Church

Recently ‘Christianity Today’ addressed a very important topic on; ‘The Christian Struggle with Mental Illness’ showing that many Christians who are directly affected by a mental illness aren’t talking about it.  Most that aren’t directly impacted with a mental health problem have a family member or know someone who is.

Churches need to be the community’s ‘go to’ safe place where people come to connect with others, where they feel comfortable discussing their problems with those in leadership, and where they are encouraged and equipped to flourish in their walk with Christ.

Healthy Minds Have Healthy Relationships

Struggling mentally seems to be as common within the church as it is out in the community. Studies show that one in every five persons will have a mental health problem affecting feelings, emotions and thinking processes that can cause distress, impact on day-to-day functioning and affect relationships.

Taking care of the triune combination of spirit, mind and body is vital to our overall wellbeing and very relevant for healthy marriages, parenting, families, children, youth and young adults.

Having a relationship with God whose Word is infallible includes regular prayer and faith.  He can absolutely heal a person with any physical or mental health problem.  We can expect a miracle as Jesus himself went around preaching the gospel, forgiving sin and healing the sick.

Addressing The Christian Struggle

Some believers prefer to think that mental health problems are a spiritual condition alone due to sin. When we visit our doctor and take our prescribed medications it’s not considered an act of faithlessness, but an acknowledgement that we don’t always receive a healing when we expect one.  We need not feel guilt, shame or feel like a failure or less of a Christian for doing so.  Mental illness should be regarded the same as any sickness or disease that came about as a direct result of the fall.

Christians who are diagnosed with a mental illness can feel very conflicted between their faith and the medical side of their diagnosis.  Many Christians will wonder where they stand with God asking themselves questions like; ‘Does mental illness mean I’m not a Christian?

Mental illness is a sickness of the mind often caused by a chemical imbalance that may require counselling and medication or a combination of the two.

The reality is that many Christians struggle with a mental illness and to combat the shame and stigma associated with mental health, we need to enable open talk on mental health topics with trained, skilled and educated leaders within a safe church environment that will listen and understand.  This may also mean pointing people to the right resources.

In an online study asking mentally ill Christians to respond anonymously, it was found that the church had dismissed the diagnosis of a huge 41.2 percent of participants, showing that there are a huge number of people falling through the gaps.  Co-authors of ‘Perceptions of Serious Mental Illness in the Local Church’ Matthew S. Stanford PhD & Kandace R. McAlister state, “Clergy, not psychologists or other mental health professionals, are the most common source of help sought in times of psychological distress.”

Quoting Ed Stetzer, “How can we, the church, expect to offer the hope of Christ and life-changing help to those suffering if our churches are not a safe place for us to own our brokenness?”

THE CHURCH – Australia’s Greatest Resource

Our greatest resource within Australia is the local church, where mental health training is a great opportunity to increase the churches capacity to reach out to the community, fill in the gaps and become more influential and relevant within a society that desperately needs help.

Counselling training equips and enables the listener to differentiate between; an upset that can be resolved with prayer and faith alone or one that may require a more sensitive approach. By becoming equipped to deal with mental health issues within the church, the trained counsellor minimises the chances of hurting those they’re trying to help.

The trained church becomes a dynamic place for spiritual and personal growth, where equipped leaders gain the trust of their local communities through understanding. The flow on effect from the church will be flourishing relationships, transformed lives and changed communities making the church even more inviting.

Study a Diploma, Advanced Diploma or Graduate Diploma in Christian Counselling with aifc. All our courses are Bible-based and are available to study with 13 face to face seminar days or solely online. Get prepared for life and equipped for purpose.

Counselling Education Introduction Video

SOURCES

The Christian Struggle – Christianity Today – Ed Stetzer

Mental Health In Australian An Opportunity For The Church – Spheres – John Warlow

What If I’m Diagnose With A Mental Illness? Jessica Mannion.

Does Mental Illness Mean I’m not a Christian? Amy Simpson

Where to Get Help

Talk to your doctor and see a mental health professional.
Visit CCAA to search for a Christian counsellor near you.
Visit ACA to search for a counsellor near you.

Studying at aifc

Have you thought about counselling?   It’s a great opportunity to learn how you can extend God’s love and grace to the hurting out in the community.

For those who would like to enrol in aifc’s accredited Christian counselling courses we have two intakes per year for courses commencing around the following months:

1. Beginning of the year in February.
2. Mid-year in July.

Enrolment season opens 2-3 months prior our courses commencing. Enrol online here during our enrolment season.

Enquire now and fill out the form with your details to receive course information by email.

Those living overseas can study aifc’s courses via our Distance Based Program.
The International  Student Program,  enables those with a student visa to Study On Campus in Sydney.

A Master of Counselling course is a one year (full-time) or 2 years (part-time), and is an award accredited by the University of Divinity, delivered through a partnership with Stirling Theological College.

Contact aifc Monday to Friday from 9am – 5pm with your enquiries on 6242 5111 or toll free on 1300 721 397