The only safe option when church and mental health collide

Communion and alcoholism.

Church meals and eating disorders.

Prayers and anxiety.

Singing and anxiety.

Blessings and depression.

Baptisms and infertility.

The more you think about it, the more you realise that church events and activities intersect with potential mental health issues. 

When I was in ministry, I didn’t give it too much thought.

It’s not that I didn’t care about the mental health issues of others, I just didn’t connect the dots between the tasks the church ask people to do and the obstacles these may erect.

So, how should the church navigate these dangerous waters?

Put simply, we need to give people the chance to opt out.

Up front, we should acknowledge that some things and church does can be problematic. And we allow people to not attend. 

In fact, alongside a conversation, we should encourage absenteeism.

This is how we communicate that the church is a safe place.

More so, this is how the church communicates that - no matter what issues you come to church with - the church is a place you can belong.

But this only happens if the invitation to NOT be involved is communicated.