Mental health (hereafter, MH) has come into the spotlight in our post-covid world, and rightly so. One in six people experience a significant MH struggle each week. And while MH does exist on a spectrum, according to Helen Thorne and Steve Midgley (Director of Training and Resources and Executive Director, respectively, at Biblical Counselling UK), everyone is somewhere on that spectrum (p. 27). This reality is key to understanding the thesis of Mental Health and Your Church, which is that by acknowledging that we are all ‘much more alike than different’ (p. 27) and resisting ‘the idea that mental-health disorders place people into such a distinct category that Scripture no longer has a voice’ (p. 29), any believer can offer a helping hand to someone struggling with their MH. Such an argument does not mean that professionals are unhelpful or that medication has no place, as Thorne and Midgely are quick to point out, but it does mean that supporting, equipping and accepting our mentally ill brothers and sisters lies within the grasp of all of us. It is certainly within the purview of the church, for following the teachings of Jesus means that ‘those who struggle today don’t have an invitation to belong merely as second-class citizens; the church is still designed to be a first-class home for everyone who puts their trust in Jesus’ (p. 16).
This expansive view of the church is described in some detail in the opening chapter and continues to shine through on every page. Thorne and Midgley’s book is not a theoretical treatise but a handbook concerned with the messy, the practical and the long-term care of suffering Christians. Case-studies are introduced and addressed throughout, representative of church members many of us will most likely have met before. While illustrative, the studies are specific enough to engage interest and helpfully reminds the reader that MH in the church is not about resources or even knowledge but about people and relationships.
The book is split into three sections. Section 1 is titled ‘Understanding Mental Illness’ and addresses the pros and cons of diagnosis and labels; the complex, interlocking realities which can affect someone’s MH alongside a biblical view of personhood; medication, what is known and unknown; and lastly, an overview of various talking therapies. This section, the smallest in the book, serves as an admirable introduction to the many facets of MH theory and treatment. It is both conventional (it is a survey of the field, nothing new is presented) and refreshing (the authors scope out the terrain with compassion balanced by realism).
Section 2 asks (and answers!) the question upon which this book is constructed: ‘What can we do?’ The answer to this is prefaced by the authors’ characteristic loving pragmatism and reminds Christians that while ‘doing nothing is not an option’, ‘doing everything isn’t an option either’ (p. 67, emphasis original). What follows are five ‘calls’ which ‘focus on what is achievable for most churches’ (p. 69). These are (1) the call to raise awareness of MH in the church, bringing hope to those who feel alone; (2) the call to relate well and wisely to those with MH struggles and to equip them to relate to the Lord; (3) the call to help them remember God’s character and their identity in him; (4) the call to refine, understanding that realistic growth and change is not only an option but to be expected through the power of the Spirit; and (5) the call to practically resource and provide for the needs of those suffering, their carers and the wider church. This section is full of practical gems, and focuses on preserving the dignity and autonomy of those with mental-health struggles, even in severe cases. It goes beyond simple answers and provides helpful advice for loving those whose trauma means they are unable to open the Bible or pray. The expectations proffered in these pages are both reasonable and hopeful, and the options given for building trust and loving well can be applied and practised in a variety of church contexts. There is thus little to contest and much to embrace here. The authors’ professional experience in medicine, counselling and pastoral ministry further shines as they address common issues regarding confidentiality and the chronic nature of many MH conditions. While simplistic answers are resisted, complex issues, such as the link between spiritual warfare and MH, are still helpfully explored.
Section 3 is entitled ‘Caring in Practice’ and consists of several extended case studies which concentrate on anxiety, depression, addiction, psychosis and caregiving. Rather than being a repetition of the strategies outlined above, they are an opportunity to test the suggestions and imagine what they might look like in the local church. A recurring theme is that multi-faceted long-term support need not be overwhelming, if entered into wisely and consciously by all involved. Through the hypothetical stories of Chi, Andy, Siobhan, Ben and Kelly, the authors prove that their strategies are anything but theoretical.
As seems to be the current trend, Mental Health and Your Church lacks a conclusion, ending instead with a short afterword where the authors restate their thesis in order to explain why they wrote the book (pp. 187–88). I have a small gripe here, and it is that the chapter title, ‘Why We Wrote This Book’, seems more suited to chapter 1, which is rather unimaginatively titled ‘Life in the Local Church’ and in which they cover much of the same material. Nevertheless, in the afterword, Thorne and Midgley helpfully acknowledge the limitations of their work (mainly its brevity) and conclude with a reminder that they write as those who have received the comfort of Christ (2 Cor 1:3–4). A list of resources follows, one which could easily have included Together Through the Storm: A Practical Guide to Christian Care (Sydney: Matthias Media, 2016) by Sally Sims, a pastoral care book of a similar, albeit slightly different, ilk.
There is little to dislike about Mental Health and Your Church. It achieves exactly what it sets out to do; it provides a ‘resource that encourages ordinary church members to see how they can play a part in supporting and helping those struggling with their mental health’ (p. 187). The restrained realism of the authors’ language and perspective is welcome and refreshing in such a sensitive area. At the same time, they consistently hold out gospel hope with imagination and joy. Mountains and valleys are not planed into simplistic plateaus by minimising complexity, even in the case studies, as would have been tempting in such a short introduction. My only suggestion (perhaps for a second edition?) would be that, in the conclusion, the authors return to the glorious image of the church that they presented in their introduction: a body filled with individuals who, in learning ‘to reflect the compassion that Christ has for all of us’, are able to ‘truly play our biblical role in welcoming, nurturing, growing and labouring alongside those who struggle—for the glory of God and the good of those around’ (p. 17).
