Five different cities, five different leaders, five different churches. Each congregation has its own culture, its own priorities, its own demographics. But each of them has one thing in common: each recognized the mental health needs in their church and community, and decided to do something about it. Their why is the same: they all want to care for people well. They just differ on the how.
You may be convinced of the need for your church to fill in the gap and provide care for hurting people— and maybe even prevent some hurts as well. But you might not be sure how to go from knowing there’ s a need to knowing how to meet it. Here are five true stories of churches from a variety of styles, cultures, ethnicities, and sizes that have built a mental health ministry well, and in different ways.
The Recovery Church
Community Church( not its real name) sits in a prominent spot in a quiet town about an hour’ s drive from the nearest small city. Beyond the church building, forests and farmlands fill the horizon. Like roughly a third of those living in the United States, those in this community are in a mental health desert, or what the government calls a mental health workforce shortage area. There aren’ t nearly enough caregivers. Unmet needs abound in the church and the community— and the pastors feel it.
Community Church had limited options. If a couple was on the verge of divorce, if someone faced an addiction, or if a teenager was questioning their gender identity, pastors— several of whom juggled other part- time jobs— could see people for a few sessions. But they didn’ t have the capacity or the training to truly meet the need. They referred out to mental health professionals, knowing that the waiting lists often extended to three or four months.
Even if a church member could get in to see a mental health professional, the cost was often prohibitive. The church used its benevolence fund to subsidize professional services, but many people couldn’ t afford it, even at a reduced cost. The breaking point came when a pastor saw a church member who was struggling with an addiction. This person was doing everything the pastor advised— going to Bible studies, meeting with an accountability group, and being disciplined— but still couldn’ t get control of his life. The realization came: there has to be a way to get all these people more specific help.
The church had been saving money to renovate their old sanctuary. The pastor told his board that they needed to use that money for a part-time position instead and see if they could start something to help with a mental health and recovery ministry— perhaps even a program that would bring new people into the church and pay for itself over time.
The board agreed, and they hired a licensed mental health professional / pastor who had been part of leading a popular recovery program at a church in another state. He got to work and built a new model: a“ come as you are” Friday night with dinner and
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