There is a great deal of ignorance, confusion and fear in Christian circles surrounding the issues of mental illness. Christians in the past have been all too quick to blame
depression and other types of mental illness on weak faith, satanic influence or ignore it all together. This silence on the issue and our reluctance to talk about medication and
counseling outside the church, make life very difficult for some of our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ.
What is the church’s responsibility to the mentally ill? While there are controversial and ongoing conversations regarding the Biblical interpretation of mental illness, we cannot
reasonably deny that mental illness, as a human experience does exist, even in the Church today. The mentally ill make up part of the body of Christ, they are people who have been
baptized professing their faith and participating in fellowship, worship and ministry, even in leadership positions: ministers, teachers and pastors.
Churches that choose to ignore mental illness are making the decision to deny a valid part of the human experience for many today. The Church theology I grew up with left no room
for the experience of mental illness, not knowing how to reach a great number of our society. Such phrases as “the victorious Christian life” and “the spirit-filled life” led to
simplistic ideas, "mental illness was quickly fixable” by prayer, scripture memory and church attendance. Mental illness is the great challenge of the Church today, it challenges our
ideas of who God is and what is He like?
depression and other types of mental illness on weak faith, satanic influence or ignore it all together. This silence on the issue and our reluctance to talk about medication and
counseling outside the church, make life very difficult for some of our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ.
What is the church’s responsibility to the mentally ill? While there are controversial and ongoing conversations regarding the Biblical interpretation of mental illness, we cannot
reasonably deny that mental illness, as a human experience does exist, even in the Church today. The mentally ill make up part of the body of Christ, they are people who have been
baptized professing their faith and participating in fellowship, worship and ministry, even in leadership positions: ministers, teachers and pastors.
Churches that choose to ignore mental illness are making the decision to deny a valid part of the human experience for many today. The Church theology I grew up with left no room
for the experience of mental illness, not knowing how to reach a great number of our society. Such phrases as “the victorious Christian life” and “the spirit-filled life” led to
simplistic ideas, "mental illness was quickly fixable” by prayer, scripture memory and church attendance. Mental illness is the great challenge of the Church today, it challenges our
ideas of who God is and what is He like?
Facts about mental illness:
Adolescents and mental disorders:
Mental illness and our society:
Other Facts:
The sad truth is the statistics on mental illness and disease are no different for those who are apart of the Church. The Church of Jesus Christ must look at mental illness and
disease as God does, a bondage Jesus came to set us free from
Source: The National Institute of Mental Health
- • Mental Illnesses are diseases that can severely disturb a person’s ability to think, feel, and relate to other people and the
environment.
• Schizophrenia is a disease that often strikes young people between the ages of 16 and 25. In any given year, nearly two
million Americans age 18 and over have a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Some people with Schizophrenia experience
hallucinations. They cannot distinguish between what is real and what is not. The exact causes are not known,
• Depressive disorders—including Major Depression and Manic Depression Illness (Bipolar Disorder)—are very common and
range widely in severity. Within any given year, 6.3 percent of the population—about 15 million Americans—suffer from these
disorders.
• The number one reason for hospital admissions nationwide are psychiatric disorders. At any moment, patients with a
psychiatric disorder fill almost 21 percent of all hospital beds.
• Mental Illness is more common than Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease or Arthritis.
Adolescents and mental disorders:
- • A conservative estimate is that 12 percent or 7.5 million of the country’s 63 million youths under age 18 have Mental,
Behavioral or Developmental Disorders. Only about a fifth of the 7.5 million who need mental health treatment receive it.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common mental disorder which affects 3 to 5 percent of the nation’s
school-age children.
- • In 1990 Mental Illness cost the nation an estimated $150 billion, according to the United States Alcohol, Drug Abuse and
Mental Health Administration.
Mental illness and our society:
- * Mentally ill people are feared or stereotyped as irrational, aggressive and violent. In fact, they are more likely to be isolated,
passive and withdrawn. Often they are blamed for falling victim to an illness.
• They are denied the opportunity to rebuild their lives in the community because of discrimination in housing, employment
and insurance coverage.
Other Facts:
- • Serious Mental Illnesses (SMI) interfere with employment. An estimated 57 percent of adults with SMI were not employed in
1990 compared to 29 percent of the general population.
• Approximately one-third of the estimated 600,000 homeless people of the United States have a Severe Mental Illness.
• In 1998, 283,800 people with Mental Illnesses were incarcerated in American prisons and jails.
The sad truth is the statistics on mental illness and disease are no different for those who are apart of the Church. The Church of Jesus Christ must look at mental illness and
disease as God does, a bondage Jesus came to set us free from
Source: The National Institute of Mental Health
Mental illness and the Church:
| We help Christians that are struggling with depression, condemning thoughts, compulsive behaviors and other types of oppression |
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Beyond The Curse