When Hurting People Come to Church: A Vision for Mental Health Ministry

The Growing Need for Care in the Church

Mental health concerns are more prevalent than ever, touching lives in every congregation. People walk into churches carrying invisible burdens—anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, loneliness. Often, the church’s first instinct is to refer them to a professional. While professional care is essential, the majority of hurting people simply need a community that listens, loves, and walks with them through pain.

A Model of Care for Every Church

Dr. Jim Sells, psychologist and professor at Regent University, coauthored When Hurting People Come to Church with Shaunti Feldhahn. Together, they present a powerful model for equipping churches to engage in mental health ministry.

The Triangle of Care

• Top of the Triangle (10%): Those with severe mental illness who require psychiatric or clinical care.
• Middle of the Triangle (30%): People with a history of mental illness who are stable with support—through medication, groups like Celebrate Recovery, or lay caregiving ministries.
• Base of the Triangle (60%): Everyone else—those carrying everyday pain, stress, grief, or struggles that need compassionate presence and wise listening.

The church is uniquely positioned to care for this largest group at the base, where healing often comes through community, not just clinical intervention.

Equipping Laypeople for a Ministry of Presence

Dr. Sells describes his grandmother—an eighth-grade educated woman with a Bible, a coffee pot, and a welcoming table—who faithfully cared for young moms in her neighborhood. She didn’t have clinical training, but she was present, compassionate, and willing to listen.

In the same way, every church member can be equipped to:

• Listen well
• Pray meaningfully with others
• Provide encouragement rooted in Scripture
• Walk alongside people in pain without fear of “not being enough”

Building a Culture of Care

The book emphasizes that mental health ministry is not just a “program,” but part of the church’s discipleship and evangelism strategy.

• People today often identify themselves through their struggles and pain.
• The church has the opportunity to meet people in that pain with the hope of Christ.
• True discipleship is not just Bible study, but living out the love of Christ by bearing one another’s burdens.

Why This Matters for the Future

• 96% of pastors surveyed believe that trained, passionate Christians caring for others is the best way to meet people’s needs.
• Yet, two-thirds of pastors admit their churches aren’t doing it effectively.
• This reveals a major gap—but also an incredible opportunity for transformation.

A Call to Action: Be the Church that Cares

Hurting people don’t need perfection. They need presence. They need community. They need to see the love of Christ lived out through relationships.

Imagine if every church member was trained to sit, listen, and pray with someone in need. Imagine the healing that could ripple through our families, communities, and culture.

👉 Call to Action: Don’t wait for someone else to lead the way. Start the conversation in your church. Ask:

• How are we currently caring for people in emotional pain?
• Where are the gaps?
• How can we equip our congregation to listen, love, and support one another?

Visit thechurchcares.com for free resources to begin building a culture of care in your church today.