Dare to Care: How to Start and Manage a Mental Health Ministry in Your Church or Community

Learning Objectives
Participants will:

1. Assess how the Church can become a catalyst in addressing the mental health crisis
2. Discover how to erase the silence, shame, and stigma of mental health in the Church
3. Identify foundational tools for pastors and mental health coaches to create and maintain a thriving mental health ministry in the Church and local community

Course Lesson Titles and Summaries

MHCM 101: Mental Health Ministry: An Introduction

Tim Clinton, Ed.D.

Mental health has and will continue to be one of the biggest issues that the Church will face in the next 10 years. One in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness. That means there are people sitting in your pews who are struggling with life’s greatest issues and challenges. People with these and other concerns typically turn first to the church for help, yet most churches are not equipped to adequately minister to the depth and magnitude of these overwhelming problems. This course was created as a comprehensive resource to provide the church with practical tools to care for these hurting people in a biblically sound and emotionally healthy way. 

MHCM 102: Mental Health Inventory of Your Church

Ed Stetzer, Ph.D.

Do you know what your congregation believes about Mental Health? Do your members know where to go in crisis? As you look around any Church, you will see hurting people. Having mental health resources readily available for your congregants in times of crisis or need is an important part of pastoral care. This session will help you understand how to assess the mental health needs of your Church and community. 

MHMC 103: Collaborative Care: Understanding Scope and Practice Issues

Jared Pingleton, Psy.D.

We can’t do it all. We hear this saying a lot, but as ministry leaders we tend to ignore this and try to do as much as we can. However, God, in His great wisdom, gave us the Body whose parts function in different ways so that the needs of all might be met. In this session you will gain a better understanding of the scope and practice issues associated with a healthy mental health ministry. 

MHCM 104: Legal and Ethical Issues: Making Effective Referrals

David Jenkins, Psy.D.

It is important to know your role in the continuum of care. Mental health problems are serious issues that can turn life-threatening very fast. It is important to understand your responsibilities and limits in this area to be an effective leader in your Church. In this session, you will learn about the legal and ethical issues that can arise, and how and when to make an effective referral. 

MHCM 105: Leading an Effective Mental Health Support Group Ministry

Stephen Greggo, Psy.D.

Mental health support groups can take your small, but mighty army of mental health coaches to the next level. By including mental health support groups in your ministry model, you are utilizing God’s resources in the most effective and efficient way possible. These groups foster healing and community that simply can’t be found anywhere else. In this session you will learn the dynamics and skills necessary to lead effective mental health support groups in your church. 

MHCM 106: Sin, Mental Health and Pathology

Matt Stanford, Ph.D.

One of the most common misconceptions in the Church today is that mental illness results from weak faith, personal sin, or the demonic. These beliefs are often rooted in a misunderstanding or misconception of what mental illness is. In this session we will discuss the relationship between sin and disorder within mental health. 

MHCM 107: Spiritual Growth, Discipleship and Soul Care Ministry

Yulanda Tyre, Ph.D.

A thriving soul care ministry equips the Church to help those in the pews cope with, manage, or overcome life’s problems with scriptural support and a Biblically based pathway for healing. Soul care provides hope and reassurance to those struggling that God is present and active in our problems. In this session, you will learn how to help people discover and share the message that no matter what, God cares for them, and offers a divine path for healing. 

MHCM 108: Crisis, Suicide and Trauma Response

Jennifer Cisney Ellers, M.A.

First responders make the difference between life and death for trauma victims. But what is often not recognized is that when disaster strikes, spiritual caregivers are often among those first on the scene. For these caregivers their response should also help propel survivors toward positive transformation. This session focuses on critical responses that are key in the aftermath of natural disaster, community violence, personal injury, and crime. These basics include: the power of presence, safety, assessment and triage, how we help, putting the pieces together, telling the story, hope, and how the first 48 hours are critical to the recovery of trauma victims. 

MHCM 109: Multicultural Mental Health Ministry

Fernando Garzon, Psy.D. and Melvin Pride, Ph.D.

Part of fulfilling the great commission is building bridges within the Church to create authentic, genuine unity to foster holistic healing for every nation, tribe, and tongue. This session will discuss the importance of incorporating different cultural values and perspectives as you serve as a catalyst for righteousness, healing, and reconciliation. 

MHCM 110: The Brain, Medicine and Mental Health

Curt Thompson, Psy.D.

The use of medicine is not often questioned in the treatment of physical disorders, but often there is a stigma around the use of medication for mental disorders. In this session, you will learn the role of medication in the treatment of psychiatric disorders, as well as some of the questions that are commonly raised in the Church on this issue. 

MHCM 111: Boundaries, Selfcare and Burnout

Ron Hawkins, Ed.D., D.Min.

Stress, anxiety, and burnout are realities that caregivers face daily. As those serving in ministry, we must be aware that we can’t do it all. In this session, you will learn how to set boundaries, practice self-care and prevent burnout.  

MHCM 112: Leadership, Growth and Development

Matt Stanford, Ph.D.

While a majority of pastors and congregants believe that the church has a responsibility to provide resources and support for those living with serious mental illness, less than a quarter of churches offer any type of organized support for these individuals and their families. In this session you will learn a step by step process for starting and sustaining a successful mental health ministry at your church. 

MHCM 113: Foundations, Procedures and Promotional Strategies

Matt Stanford, Ph.D.

For the Church to transform the mental health care system, it is not necessary for every congregation to be involved at the same level, it is only necessary that each congregation become involved. In this session you will learn the best practices for leading and growing a mental health ministry within any Church.