A guide for those looking to combine traditional ministry with modern support for children, teens, and adults with common mental health conditions and their families.

The church across North America has struggled to minister effectively with people struggling with mental health issues. One reason for the lack of ministry is the absence of a widely accepted model for mental health outreach and inclusion.

In Mental Health and the Church, Dr. Stephen Grcevich presents a simple and flexible model for mental health inclusion ministry for implementation by churches of all sizes, denominations, and organizational styles. The model is based upon recognition of seven barriers to church attendance and assimilation resulting from mental illness:

 

• stigma,
• anxiety,
• self-control,
• differences in social communication and sensory processing,
• social isolation,
• and past experiences of church.

 

Seven broad inclusion strategies are presented for helping persons of all ages with common mental health conditions and their families to fully participate in all of the ministries offered by the local church.

 

Mental Health and the Church is a useful resource for parents, grandparents, and spouses interested in promoting the spiritual growth of loved ones with mental illness.