Prayer is not an excuse for ignorance about mental issues in the church
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The church often can do one of several things when it comes to mental health issues. The church can ignore or snob mental issues, leave the illness to professionals or pretend it does not exist. Some believe that those who are mentally ill are cursed. Unfortunately, we have heard of instances where some church members were asked to leave. We can only assume this is because the leaders did not know how to deal with the issues at hand or were ignorant. The Bible admonishes us that people perish where there is no knowledge. So knowledge is vital. Above all, remember this – Mental illness does not threaten or intimidate God.
Encourage home/cell groups
Friendships and relationships are formed in home/cell groups. These church groups inspire confidence and encourage each to look out for one another. It makes the church more networked. Train the home group/cell leaders on how to interact with their members, and especially members where there are issues of mental illness or caregivers of such. Cell/group leaders may be the first to notice if there are any behaviourial changes and escalate matters to the church leaders. They can raise the alarm, offer prayer support and follow up through calls and visits. They can also offer practical help such as babysitting, cleaning the home when a parent is in hospital or ill and the other parent is very busy caregiving. Having home groups also can be a watchman for the mentally ill. In large churches where a member feels like a number in the crowd, home groups makes the church less distant. Home groups are also be the extended hand of the pastor. The pastor may not intimately know every member in a 500 church but a cell leader can know his/her members in a group of 10 to 15 members.
Learn how to effectively communicate
Don’t joke about mental health issues in your sermons. Don’t make inflammatory remarks that makes those challenged with mental illness feeling even more isolated. Instead educate your congregation and get others to accept families suffering from mental illness in a positive way.
Empathise not sympathise
Sympathy will not help get the people out of their issue. Being too sympathetic can be an excuse for people to stay in their predicament forever. Also relating with someone does not mean agreeing with them. Someone that uses self harm to seek attention obviously needs help. They do not need pandering to their beck and call. As the church leader, you are there to guide your flock. So there are instances where you need to take a stand in order to move the people along in their healing and recovery.
Medicine is not an enemy
Sciend and Medicine do not all the answersnor even the correct answers in some cases in mental illness. However, taking medication does in cases help alleviate the suffering of those challenged with mental illness. Although the side effects can be horrible, medicine should not always be seen as the last resort. Taking medication whilst encouraging your members to build their faith goes a long way with mental illness.
Prayer
This cannot and must never be neglected. Whilst practical knowledge is very vital, prayer is fundamental and the bedrock of the church. Prayer changes things. There is even some documented evidence that people of faith fare better with serious diseases. Prayer changes the impossible. The Bible admonishes that we ought always to pray and not faint (Luke 18:1)!
Mental Illness affects leaders too!
Yes, many may not want to admit this but mental illness affects even leaders. Perhaps you are a leader suffering from mental illness or even have a member of your family that is challenged with this. Being strong for others whilst you have challenges of your own can be very pressurizing. You need to practise what you preach however! Pastors usually have spritual leaders of their own too. Make sure your spiritual leader knows what is going on as soon as possible. Don’t ride it alone. If you are the head of your ministry though, remember that you can get strength from other ministers who can join you in prayer and in encouraging one another. Also, remember to talk to God about your challenges with mental issues. You are never alone. God will never leave you nor forsake you. Elijah, a great prophet of God, ran away, depressed and tired, but God reached out to him. David, a man after God’s own heart, encouraged himself in the Lord in those trying depressing times. If you feel you are tired, GET REST! It may be all you need for you to recover. And you will come back stronger and better in ministry than ever before!
Read ‘Dealing with Mental Illness in the Church (for leaders) – Part 1’
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