Recently, I’ve been reflecting on the perception of mental health within the church. As someone who has spent years both in the church and in the mental health field, I’ve had a front-row seat to see how mental health is often stigmatized within Christian communities.

This topic has resurfaced for me after a prominent pastor recently shared his perspective on mental health while promoting his latest book. Though the quote is long, I think it’s valuable to share:

“Psychiatry and psychology are finally admitting the noble lies they’ve been telling for the last 100 years. The major noble lie is that there is such a thing as mental illness. This isn’t new—you have Thomas Szasz in the 1950s, who was a psychiatrist, writing The Myth of Mental Illness. There’s no such thing as PTSD, OCD, or ADHD. These are noble lies used, ultimately, to justify medicating people.”

I have encountered this kind of stigmatizing perspective more often than I can count. While I would agree that, in the United States, we may rely a bit too heavily on medication, I assure you that mental health issues are real. Decades of research and countless personal stories attest to the reality of mental health challenges, and I could share many of my own professional experiences as further evidence. Some mental health issues are circumstantial, others stem from poor choices, and some are biologically based, but they are real.

This dismissal of mental health, as seen in the quote above, compounds the stigma surrounding mental illness and is often based on a misinterpretation of Scripture. I’ve often heard people advised to handle anxiety symptoms by reflecting on Philippians 4:6 or Matthew 6:25-34, or to address depressive symptoms by meditating on Philippians 4:8. While meditating on Scripture is always valuable and something I will always recommend, for many, this level of support isn’t enough. Some people are facing severe, biologically based challenges, such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, that require medical intervention as a primary means of healing. Telling people who are deeply suffering that memorizing Philippians 4:8 will fix their problems is not only oversimplified but also unkind. Often, the theology behind this line of thought is flawed, amounting to a new form of the prosperity gospel, one in which we name and claim mental healing rather than riches.

Since 2020, we have seen an exponential increase in diagnosed mental health challenges, particularly among children, adolescents, and young adults. If we wish to pass the Gospel on to the next generation, we must be willing to engage with issues surrounding mental health and mental illness. If we continue to dismiss these issues, as illustrated by the pastor’s quote above, we risk alienating an entire generation.

With this in mind, here are a few ways we can move forward as believers and leaders who are willing to engage with mental health issues compassionately:

 

1. LEARN TO LISTEN

We are terrible listeners in the United States. I’d argue that most of the time we aren’t listening at all, we are simply waiting to speak. In James 1:19, the Lord counsels us to be slow to speak and quick to listen. When someone shares they’re struggling with depression, anxiety, or trauma, let’s be quick to listen and slow to give advice. They don’t need our opinion—they need a compassionate, listening ear.

2. CARE FOR YOURSELF

If we want to be good listeners who offer a compassionate response to a suffering person, we must be healthy ourselves. Be sure that you’re spending time in God’s Word. Spend time in prayer and time meditating on God’s Word. (Apps like Dwell and Soul Space are great for this). Be active. Eat nourishing food. Spend time in God’s creation. These sorts of practices allow us to remain spiritually and physically healthy, so we are ready to offer compassionate support to others. This is particularly important for those of us who lead God’s people.

3. EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

Organizations such as Light University (operated by the American Association of Christian Counselors) offer courses that will help you offer compassionate support to others. The Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF) has a bookstore full of great resources for learning about mental health from a Biblical perspective, including a series of mini-books on specific topics. Organizations such as the National Institute of Mental Health and NAMI offer great educational resources as well.

4. BE CAREFUL HOW YOU TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

We all serve in local churches. We hold positions of authority in those places. The language we use around mental health matters. If we are going to deny its existence from the pulpit or be dismissive of people’s struggles when they come to speak to us, we are going to cause harm. We must be prepared to validate people’s experiences, to listen to them carefully, to offer Biblical encouragement or correction when needed, and to discern when they need professional help. We must also be ready to confront mental health denial with compassion and care when it crops up.

Mental illness is real and mental health is an important aspect of our lives. As we seek to engage others with the gospel, we must acknowledge this reality and be willing to approach the topic compassionately and helpfully.

If you find yourself with questions about mental health, please feel free to reach out to me. I love talking about it!