By Catherine Boyle
“I wish my church had something like mental health ministry.”
“It would be so great if my pastor could get your mental health resources.”
“I’m a volunteer and I’d like to start a mental health ministry. Can you help?”
These are the kinds of comments we receive from people who reach out to Key Ministry, often individuals who are faithful volunteers and members of their church. These individuals are alike in that they have often been personally impacted by their own mental illness or that of a loved one, and they know from experience how important it is for their church to help people navigate the suffering and challenges of mental illness. Too often they also have the experience of not being heard or believed. This is why Key Ministry is hosting our first Mental Health and the Church conference, September 26 – 27, 2024, in Cleveland, OH.
Over the past 20+ years, we have been honored to help influence the disability ministry movement. In the past two decades, the Church as a whole has reached the point where disability ministry is now not only to individuals with disabilities, as objects of ministry, but is now much more often ministry with individuals with disabilities and their families. We are humbled that God has allowed our Disability and the Church conference to play a role in this ministry growth and the mindset shift that has taken place in so many congregations.
We very much desire that the same thing take place in the mental health space.
Pastor Brad Hoefs and Fresh Hope have been longtime Key Ministry friends and colleagues. We are delighted that Brad will be one of the main stage speakers at Mental Health and the Church, speaking from a pastor’s perspective on why churches need to offer peer-led mental health support.
Fresh Hope is a great example of the incredible value of peers in mental health ministry; Key Ministry has discussed the vital role of peer leaders in various forums, including a recent mental health-focused monthly video roundtable discussion. In addition to Brad’s message, there will be messages from many other peer leaders, people who have ‘been there’ and have taken the challenges in their lives and translated those experiences into wisdom and blessings for others. Our speaker lineup includes well-known individuals likeKay Warren, Kelly Rosati, Dr. Mark Mayfield, Rachel Medefind, Dr. Chris Hulshof, Dr. Phillip Monroe. But like our Disability and the Church conference, this event will also feature other individuals you should know, people with excellent ideas and approaches that can equip and sharpen your mental health ministry.
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” There is much wisdom gained through the challenges and suffering that is common to mental illness. The Mental Health and the Church conference is the first of what we hope will be many opportunities to harness the hard-won wisdom among the speakers at MHATC2024. Each of these presenters will “comfort with the comfort they have received,” to equip you and your church to effectively come alongside individuals and families needing extra support in their relationship with Christ due to mental health challenges. We hope to see you there! For questions about the event, contact catherine@keyministry.org.
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