One of Key Ministry’s core values is collaboration. The momentum in disability ministry has come about in large part because of the collaboration across traditional lines of ministry. To help accelerate momentum in mental health ministry, we’re seeking collaborators for Mental Health and the Church 2024, as conference sponsors, exhibitors and advertisers.
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A young man named Justin was diagnosed on the high end of the autism spectrum in elementary school. Justin’s dad was a high school athletic director, and also served as an elder in the church where Justin regularly attended during his childhood and teen years. Justin’s mom held jobs outside the home, but her primary focus was always on Justin and his siblings.
As Justin grew into adulthood, the challenges that often accompany autism bloomed into major depression and severe social anxiety. To combat the anxiety, Justin turned first to alcohol, and later to illegal drugs.
Though he was an excellent student, Justin struggled to find his place in social settings. The alcohol and drugs helped take the edge off of Justin’s nerves, and removed his normally heightened level of fear in the face of new experiences. In fact, the substances practically erased his fears altogether. Soon he was routinely engaging in high-risk activities.
A few brushes with the legal system in his high school years led Justin’s parents to seek therapy for their son and the whole family. More than one therapist told Justin’s parents—each time after several months of therapy—that unless Justin chose to participate, additional therapy would not be helpful.
Justin’s parents knew this was true. Justin also hated the medications he was prescribed due to the side effects, eventually refusing to take them. Restrictions on his behavior threw Justin into a dark hole of depression and anxiety. For weeks on end, Justin would hide in his room, barely communicating with anyone.
The family was relieved when Justin started attending the local college and loved it. College was a second chance for Justin, a time to redefine himself. His grades were even better than high school; he made some new friends; he thrived.
Until he didn’t.
Once he had turned 18, Justin refused to attend church any longer. In college, Justin began spending time with people his family didn’t know, and staying out all night without any communication to his parents.
Justin’s parents didn’t know whether it was the autism, depression, substance abuse or the new friend group that prevented Justin from seeing the potential consequences of his actions. Though their son was thriving in some areas, when it came to risk-taking, his parents were very worried. After yet another argument about his social schedule, Justin stormed out, a hastily packed overnight bag in hand.
He didn’t come home. One day turned into two, turned into three. When Justin had been gone for four days, his parents began contacting his old friends. No one they reached out to had seen Justin for months; he no longer responded to their messages.
A missing person’s report was filed with law enforcement. Two weeks went by. One day, they awoke to the sound of the doorbell. Standing there was a police officer.
Listening to the police officer’s words, Justin’s mom visibly trembled, her body weak with fear. The officer explained that Justin’s car had been discovered at a parking lot near the Newark, NJ airport.
Weeks turned into months of searching with the help of private investigators, tracking Justin’s last known movements via social media and the limited access his parents had to their son’s bank accounts and credit cards. Justin’s bank card had been used to purchase a plane ticket, make several purchases in the UK, and then in central Spain, but within the first month of Justin’s disappearance, it was not used again. Over the next year, Justin’s parents took several trips to Spain, working with the American embassy and local investigators. After spending more time and money than they could afford, they returned home with no more information than they had right after Justin departed.
This story is based on actual events, modified to protect the identities of the people involved.
Why do I tell you this story? Because in your neighborhood, maybe in your family—and even in your church, there are stories like this, with the common root of mental health challenges. Too often, individuals and families hide these kind of challenges from the care and support that could make a positive difference in their lives, even in church.
At Key Ministry, we believe the time has come for a national conference similar to our Disability and the Church conference, this time focused exclusively on mental health.
Mental health statistics among children and teens are staggering; 20% of children under age 18 have a diagnosable mental health condition, and this number has increased dramatically since the pandemic. As a group, mental health professionals are overwhelmed by the demand for therapies and treatments.
Whether children or adults, individuals with mental health challenges often find themselves with spiritual questions related to their mental health needs. Too often, these unanswered questions lead to a spiritual crisis that too few ministry leaders know how to navigate or support.
We would love for you or your organization to partner with us in this conference, to help churches minister effectively with children, teens and families impacted by mental illness and trauma. We have a variety of opportunities, as a conference sponsor, exhibitor or advertiser.
Part of the success of the Disability and the Church conference has been because of the support from our title sponsor, the Tim Tebow Foundation. We’re seeking sponsors who would be interested in partnering with us to make the Mental Health and the Church conference an annual event.
Other sponsorship opportunities are available as well, with valuable recognition and benefits for your organization. We also have a limited number of exhibitor spaces to showcase your products or to network with others. Advertising space in the conference program is also available. You can read more about all the sponsorship opportunities, request an exhibitor table or purchase advertising space in the conference program by clicking here.
The networking and collaboration that takes place at our conferences has become an invaluable aspect that has helped propel the disability ministry movement forward; we are excited about how the networking and collaboration that flows from Mental Health and the Church 2024 will lead and shape this movement in the years to come. Reach out to me if you have any questions about sponsorship, exhibitor and advertising options for this conference.
As for Justin and his family, many years have passed, and little more is known about what happened to him. We encourage you to come to Mental Health and the Church so that stories like Justin’s can be rewritten, so that all people—no matter their physical health or mental health challenge—can know that they are loved and needed in the body of Christ.
