Mental Illness and the Role of the Church

September is suicide awareness month in Canada and the US. As September comes to a close, let's take a moment to think deeply about how local churches and the global Church together can work to make everyone, including those who have a mental illness, be fully included in the loving body of Christ. 

Churches are called to be places of safety, compassion, and hope, but sometimes we feel uncertain about how to respond when a member of our community is struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, or thoughts of suicide.

Understanding Mental Illness

First and foremost, it is essential to recognize that mental illness is not a person’s fault. Just as heart disease or cancer are not caused by personal weakness, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other conditions are not evidence of a lack of willpower or faith. They are complex health conditions shaped by biology, environment, trauma, and stress, and they often require professional treatment and support.

For too long, some Christians have implied that if a person just prayed harder, trusted God more, or lived more faithfully, they would not struggle with mental illness. This is deeply and sometimes irreparably harmful. The witness of Scripture and Christian history reminds us that faithful people have always known suffering of the mind and spirit. Experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts does not mean someone is “less faithful,” that they are not "trusting" God enough, that they are receiving retribution from God, or that God has abandoned them. And the greatest testimony to this is in scripture itself. As Paul writes in Romans 8, nothing—not even our deepest despair—can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Churches must work to replace shame with compassion and to speak clearly: Mental illness is not a sin, not a weakness, and not a measure of faith.

Mental Illness in Scripture and Christian History

This is a topic that someone could write a dissertation on! So often, we think of the "heroes" of our faith as being people who didn't experience mental illness. And  the Bible itself does not use modern medical language for mental illness, but it does show us people of deep faith who experienced anguish, despair, and overwhelming distress. Elijah, after his confrontation with the prophets of Baal, told God he wanted to die (1 Kings 19). The psalmists cried out about sleepless nights, flooding tears, and despair so deep it felt like abandonment (Psalm 42, 88). Jeremiah, often called the “weeping prophet,” expressed profound sorrow and loneliness. Even Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus and agonized in Gethsemane, to the point of sweating blood. 

Throughout Christian history, faithful believers have also struggled with what we would today recognize as mental illness. Charles Spurgeon, one of the most famous preachers of the 19th century, wrote openly about his lifelong battles with depression. Martin Luther described seasons of overwhelming despair. More recently, Mother Teresa’s journals revealed her long struggle with what she called “the dark night of the soul.” These examples remind us that mental illness is not a sign of weak faith but part of the human condition, one that God’s people have faced across generations.

What Churches Can and Cannot Do

It’s important to start with humility: churches cannot “fix” mental illness on their own. Mental health conditions often require the care of trained professionals such as therapists, psychiatrists, counselors, and physicians. Just as we would never expect a pastor or elder to perform open-heart surgery, we cannot expect them to provide the full scope of treatment for mental illness.

That said, churches do have a vital role to play. They can walk alongside individuals and families, reduce stigma, and create supportive environments that remind people they are not alone. Churches can also act as bridges, helping people connect with necessary professional care while ensuring that spiritual, social, and practical support is not overlooked.

How Churches Can Support Individuals With Mental Illness

• Acknowledge and reduce stigma. Preach, teach, and talk openly about mental health. Share testimonies when appropriate. Naming mental illness as part of our shared human brokenness creates space for honesty.
• Offer a ministry of presence. Mental illness often tells people that they are alone. Churches have the immense power to support individuals by ensuring that they are not alone. Sometimes the most powerful support is simply being there: listening without judgment, praying alongside someone, and acknowledging their pain without trying to offer quick fixes.
• Provide tangible support. Offer meals, transportation to appointments, childcare, or help with daily tasks for those whose illness makes these responsibilities difficult. Many churches can also financially support individuals in getting necessary medical treatment, such as by having a therapy financial support fund.
• Cultivate safe relationships. Encourage small groups, prayer partners, or pastoral visits that build trust. Isolation is one of the greatest risks, particularly for those experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts.
• Educate leaders. Train pastors, elders, deacons, and youth leaders in mental health first aid, suicide prevention awareness (e.g., QPR or SafeTALK), and how to respond compassionately and appropriately. Ensure that leaders also know how to reach out to fully trained medical professionals to provide necessary and life-saving medical treatment.
• Partner with professionals. Develop relationships with local counselors, hospitals, crisis hotlines, and support groups so the church can confidently refer members to specialized help.
• Hold hope. In times when individuals cannot see hope for themselves, the church community can “hold hope” for them by being a living presence  of God’s love, and walking patiently with them through dark seasons.

In Times of Crisis

If someone in your church is talking about or showing signs of suicide, take it seriously. Listen with compassion, stay with them if they are in immediate danger, and connect them right away with professional help (in the U.S. and Canada, you can dial 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; access the Canadian service online here and the US service online here). Churches should never feel they have to handle suicidal crises alone. These are situations where trained professionals are essential.

The Invitation

Mental illness touches every congregation. By reducing stigma, building supportive communities, and partnering with mental health professionals, churches can embody Christ’s compassion and create safe spaces for healing and hope. And by remembering that God’s people throughout history have also walked through depression, anxiety, despair, and trauma, we can better reassure one another that these struggles are not foreign to faith but part of the human story.

How has your congregation supported people with mental illness? What practices have helped your church walk alongside those who struggle with depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts?