Mental Health and the Church:
“Jesus didn’t wait for a crowd of perfectly well adjusted disciples to turn up; he appointed a real mixed bag of personalities, in spite of their weaknesses and struggles. There’s a place for everyone in the Church and it breaks my heart when I hear of people who’ve been stripped of responsibilities with no explanation or discussion, and all because of their mental health. In all circumstances there are ways of doing things that are honoring and encouraging, so be a kind church. Make sure everyone feels valued.” A struggle doesn’t mean a diluted or broken faith. In fact it’s often quite the opposite; sometimes it’s when you’re at your lowest ebb that you feel closest to God, as your dependency on Him soars. Sometimes, those people may actually have the most to give. I don’t want the next generation of young adults to see a church in which mental health problems have to be silenced and struggles kept out of sight. I want them to understand that we saw it, talked about it and then did something about it.”
By Rachel Welch at Christianity Today
from 5/28/18