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FEATURE
Finally, Jesus provides a revelation. We don’ t need to construct revelations for our sermons, because Jesus himself is the revelation, just as Cleopas found. Verse 52 of the passage contains the beautiful phrase:‘ They asked each other,“ Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”’ The revelation of who Jesus is and how he lived, died and was risen from the dead brings a greater hope than we could ever imagine. It’ s not just an academic knowledge of the facts, but a heart-changing experience of the living God. As Frederick Buechner says‘[ he ] offers us new hope, a new vision of light that not even the dark world can overcome.’
Oftentimes, a world with mental illness can feel like a desperately dark place. We might be preaching to people on their last hope and we can’ t offer an end to their problems or their pain. What we can do is present a vision of the God who created a perfect shalom, who casts a perfect hope and who gave us the ultimate revelation of who he is and how he loves us through the life, death and resurrection of his son. We aren’ t preaching a prosperity gospel which says that a faith in Jesus makes life trouble free, but we are preaching a gospel where the hope is secure through everything that life throws at us because Jesus understands human life.
A WORLD WITH MENTAL ILLNESS CAN FEEL LIKE A DESPERATELY DARK PLACE. WE MIGHT BE PREACHING TO PEOPLE ON THEIR LAST HOPE AND WE CAN’ T OFFER AN END TO THEIR PROBLEMS OR THEIR PAIN. WHAT WE CAN DO IS PRESENT A VISION OF THE GOD WHO CREATED A PERFECT SHALOM, WHO CASTS A PERFECT HOPE AND WHO GAVE US THE ULTIMATE REVELATION OF WHO HE IS AND HOW HE LOVES US THROUGH THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF HIS SON.
TOP TIPS FOR PREACHING ON MENTAL HEALTH
c Start with the text We don’ t need to imagine links in the text with mental health – they’ re all there for us to see. Think about the emotions of the cast of characters from the passage: are they anxious? Hopeless?
c Look for the response We must move beyond preaching about the reality of mental illness to the hope that is found in God. Sometimes there is silence, such as that found at the end of Psalm 88 where the last words are‘ darkness is my closest friend’. Where does that leave us? What does it encourage us to do now?
c Avoid pathologising We can’ t diagnose Elijah with depression or Daniel with psychosis, but we can look at the feelings described in their stories.
c Watch your language Both in our sermons and our wider lives, we must consider the language used when referring to mental health. Avoid terms such as‘ crazy’ and‘ committing suicide’, opting instead for‘ mentally unwell’ and‘ died by suicide’.
c Think practically Ensure that there is pastoral care available after the service and also ensure that you have the details of organisations that can offer further support.
1. Wilkinson, J( 1980), Health and Healing, Edinburgh: The Handsell Press, page 5.
2. www. who. int / features / factfiles / mental _ health / en /.
3. Keller, T. Preaching: Communicating in the Age of Skepticism. Hodder, 2015.
Rachael Newham
Rachael Newham is Founding Director of ThinkTwice which she set up whilst studying at the London School of Theology. ThinkTwice works to raise awareness of mental health issues by providing training and consultancy. Rachael travels the country speaking on these issues and is currently writing her first book. You can find her on Twitter: @ RachaelNewham90 @ ThinkTwiceInfo