As I’ve written about mental illness and the church over the last couple of years, I’ve addressed the church in general. But today, I especially want to address my fellow evangelicals.
A recent LifeWay Research survey produced some interesting statistics related to mental illness, among them two stats that reveal a shocking contrast. Among the evangelical, fundamentalist or born-again Christians surveyed, 64 percent believe churches should do more to prevent suicide.
At the same time, 48 percent believe serious mental illness can be cured by prayer alone.
Now, here’s what I find shocking: That second statistic reveals an attitude that actually accomplishes the opposite of what 64 percent claimed they want the church to do.
Here’s a tip: If you believe churches should do more to help prevent suicide, here’s one tangible and quick way to help right now—stop telling people they can cure their mental illness with only prayer.
Granted, just because people say mental illness can be overcome with Bible study and prayer does not mean those same people would discourage medical treatment and therapy for someone with mental illness.
But, in far too many churches, such beliefs are widely held and regularly taught.
And in others, although seeking treatment is not condemned in a wholesale manner, prayer and Bible study are prescribed as the first step to try to avoid treatment—and this, for many people, has the same effect as discouraging treatment. It certainly has the effect of delaying treatment, and delay increases the likelihood that mental illness will become severe, cause serious disruption to functioning and potentially cost a person his or her life.
