Christians want churches to provide counseling, pastors don’t want to. Here’s a great collaborative solution …

Before the pandemic, America was already staggering from the effects of a mental health crisis. The pandemic acted as an accelerant to that crisis, morphing it into a mental health disaster.

Among the millions struggling with mental health issues and suffering from diagnosable mental illness were millions of Christians. And research has shown for years that for MANY people, the first place they turn to when in need of help or support for mental health issues or mental illness is the church.

It’s no wonder, then, that Relevant Magazine has a story out today reporting a study conducted by Barna Group revealing that 52 percent of Christians believe the church should provide counseling. HOWEVER, only 31 percent of pastors agree with that statement (you can find the article here).

BOTH have a point.

It’s a good thing that people would want to turn to the church for help in changing their lives. However, pastors are correct in not seeing themselves as the right people to provide professional, clinical counseling for two reasons, 1) That’s not their calling, and they need to remain focused on their calling, and 2) They aren’t qualified to provide clinical counseling; they haven’t been educated and trained to do that kind of work.

So how can the church collaborate with those Christians in need who first turn to the church for help?

For decades, pastors have been encouraged to develop relationships with mental health professionals in their communities so they can be prepared to refer people to appropriate mental health professionals.

BUT there is more the church can do!

Because of ignorance, and a long-lasting and still strong stigma regarding mental health and mental illness in the church, the church has failed to handle this issue of serving people well with mental health issues. But there is more the church can do than just refer people to outside professionals. In fact, there’s something specific the church can do to invest in better being able to initially respond to people who turn to them for help and guidance regarding mental health issues; it’s something I’ve been sharing about for a few years now, and it’s a great solution to Christians wanting churches to provide counseling, and pastors not wanting to do it.

What is that collaborative solution?

It’s FREE — yes, please note that, F R E E — training and certification through the American Association of Christian Counselors’ “Mental Health Coach First Responder” training program offered through its Light University division. Free scholarships are being offered to people to become certified as a Mental Health Coach First Responder so when someone in or outside the church seeks help or support from the church, there is someone IN the church who is trained and equipped to respond to that need. More than 25,000 churches and 50,000 persons are already engaged in this training. Explore the details about this opportunity here.

This is a terrific collaborative solution for people in need and for pastors who are not equipped to counsel.

Unfortunately, so many churches are doing nothing to make themselves helpful and available to those people who turn first to the church for help with mental health issues. Why not have someone take this training — which is FREE — so you can have a trained and certified “first responder” in YOUR congregation when someone turns to your church for help?

If not this training, then what? How will you/your church respond to people in need of help/support for mental health issues? I guarantee you that this is an issue you will face, if you aren’t already. Instead of trying to avoid it (you can’t), or do nothing of value in support, why not prepare so you can better minister to people in need?

Scotty