When an impossible catch suddenly changes the direction and momentum of a game, the crowd ignites with joy and excitement. In a similar way, when ministry results start showing up, the impact is as great as that amazing catch in a game. Here are four indicators that mental health ministry is poised for a significant momentum shift.
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If you’re a sports fan, you know what an impossible catch can do to suddenly change the direction of a game. The underdogs are unexpectedly making a comeback; the crowd explodes with a roar of joy. The delight and excitement is meaningful not only for the spectators, but for the players and coaches as well.
When you’re in a job where a lot of the work requires you to produce or create in a solitary way, when feedback or results can be disconnected from the work itself by great lengths of time, even the most self-directed people can become discouraged. Ministry work is notoriously difficult—in part—for this very reason.
But when the results start showing up, the impact is as great as that amazing catch in a game. And I see many indicators that confirm this is where we are right now, with mental health ministry.
Here are four of the indicators I see that mental health ministry is poised for a significant momentum shift:
Several years ago, we created five steps to launch a mental health ministry. The first step is about the ‘why:’ why is ministry specific to mental health needed?
Regarding this ‘why’ question, a mindset shift is the important first step that must take place. Thanks to COVID, many ministry leaders are now well aware of negative impacts of poor mental health, on people of all ages. In particular, ministry as a whole recognizes that kids are not doing great. The ‘why’ of mental health support has been leapfrogged right into, okay—now what do we do?
From research studies documenting this shift, to articles in Christian publications like Christianity Today, to researchers sharing their findings about mental health and faith in curated Substacks, there is significant cultural chatter focused on unmet mental health needs, and how the church can help.
In the six years I’ve been with Key Ministry, we’ve longed for opportunities to speak to seminary students, not only about disability ministry, but mental health needs and ministry, to help train and equip the next generation of pastors and ministry leaders. We’ve also desired opportunities to present on mental health needs at conferences for children’s pastors and ministry leaders.
Just within the last year, we have had a significant uptick in these kinds of opportunities, not only with current and future ministry leaders, but also with current and future mental health providers. Here is a sample of what has come our way:
a. Dr. G presented on mental health at Wheaton College’s Amplify Conference, October 2023.
b. Just last week, Dr. G presented at Denver Seminary on mental health needs, to future pastors and ministry leaders.
c. Other seminaries have also contacted us to discuss presentations to student groups about mental health ministry.
We are especially encouraged that seminaries want to train their students about the realities of mental illness and how they can equip themselves to meet the demands they will face as they become the church leaders of tomorrow.
We’ve also had a significant increase in opportunities to present at conferences equipping children’s ministry leaders, including
d. Children’s Pastors Conference
e. KidzMatter
f. Salvation Army's annual equipping event for the northeast US.
Changes take root when all parties can see measurable results, can take specific action steps and understand each others’s roles. Mental health leaders increasingly recognize the important relationship role that churches provide, a role where individuals with mental health needs can find belonging, support and purpose.
We’re also regularly contacted now by organizations and individuals who work in mental health, to share Key Ministry’s mental health expertise in ways that complements the work of ministry leaders, including
a. AACC conference, where Dr. G was a presenter
4. We’re regularly learning of new resources to equip your ministry team. Just in the past few weeks, we’ve received a flurry of requests and information about upcoming books on a variety of mental health topics, and new mental health related events. Here’s a little preview of what we’ll be discussing in various forums between now and Disability and The Church 2024:
a. Eating Disorder Day of Prayer—Facebook Live Interview with Beth Ask, Founder, on Monday February 19, 2024, 11:30am EST in the Mental Health Ministry Leaders’ Facebook group. Click the link to get notifications.
b. Beyond the Clinical Hour, a new book scheduled for release March 19, 2024, by James Sells, PhD, Amy Trout, PsyD, and Heather Sells, MA. One reviewer describes the book as a much needed instrument to create a "paradigm shift for understanding the essential role of the counselor and the church working together.”
c. Another new book—How to Build a Thriving Marriage as You Care for Children with Disabilities, scheduled for release May 14, 2024. Todd and Kristin Evans take a deep dive into the challenges to parents’ mental health when their children have disabilities.
d. Key to Hope. The collaboration between Key Ministry and Fresh Hope for Mental Health, supporting the mental health needs of caregiving parents, will be available in both English and Spanish in the first half of this year.
No matter where you and your church are in mental health ministry development, any or all of these resources can be helpful to inform and equip your work. And the best part? The above list is not everything that we have underway around mental health ministry.
I’m not sure we’ve seen the amazing catch yet, that clearly defined instant of the momentum shift. To use another metaphor—this one about ocean waves—we’re not yet at the crest of the wave, but the wave has started to form. I sensed this shift was happening several years ago—and then COVID interrupted everything. A recognized byproduct of COVID, the lockdowns, etc was that our collective mental health grew worse. This time, let’s catch that wave of mental health support that’s growing among churches and ministry leaders. Mental health supports are not so different from supports we use for physical needs in the church.
The secular world believes the Church has lost its relevance. But when ministry leaders and communities who follow Christ display care, support and a place for individuals with mental health challenges, even unbelievers will see that mental health support, in the context of a relationship with Christ, is as natural as a hand in a glove, poised for a perfect catch.
Get involved: join our Mental Health Ministry Leaders Facebook group. Similar to our SNAD Leaders Facebook group, this group has an emphasis on mental health ministry.
