I just returned from speaking at the Fort Wayne seminary.  The topic, of course, was clinical depression.  It was really a two part visit.  The first part was speaking to a deaconess practicum class, and the second part was doing a “fireside” chat in the Commons with about fifty students and (if they had one) their wives.

I always feel like it is returning to the mother ship when I go home.  No matter how much I like (or dislike) what is going on at the place, it is home in many respects for me.  I feel the same way about Seward.  I don’t really have many ties to Seward anymore, but it is still my school.

The visit itself was good.  I got to catch up with some friends, etc. More importantly, I was able to speak to about fifty members of the student body (and their wives) about depression.  It was basically the same schtick I have done elsewhere (if you want to order the talk, CLICK HERE).

What do you say to a group of men who are studying to be pastors about mental illness and depression?  There’s a lot to say but I tried to keep it to a description of depression, why pastors are at risk, and ways to address it (either preventatively or in the midst of it).  I don’t know if they liked it.  Can you “like” a talk about clinical depression?  But I believe it was and is important for them to hear, and pray that there are more opportunities to do the same.

What would you tell a soon-to-be-pastor about clinical depression?  Why?

Recently there was an article in USA Today about a pastor in the Carolinas who committed suicide. Here’s the article. I would urge you to go and read the entire article, but here is an except:

Those who counsel pastors say Christian culture, especially Southern evangelicalism, creates the perfect environment for depression. Pastors suffer in silence, unwilling or unable to seek help or even talk about it. Sometimes they leave the ministry. Occasionally the result is the unthinkable.

Experts say clergy suicide is a rare outcome to a common problem.

But Baptists in the Carolinas are soul searching after a spate of suicides and suicide attempts by pastors. In addition to the September suicide of David Treadway, two others in North Carolina attempted suicide, and three in South Carolina succeeded, all in the last four years.

Being a pastor — a high-profile, high-stress job with nearly impossible expectations for success — can send one down the road to depression, according to pastoral counselors.

For the most part the article is really quite good in nailing the problem. One sentence in particular really grabbed me:

Society still places a stigma on mental illness, but Christians make it worse, he said, by “over-spiritualizing” depression and other disorders — dismissing them as a lack of faith or a sign of weakness.

Isn’t that the truth! Christians are horrible at addressing mental illness, because we equate the mind with the soul, and presume that if someone has a mental illness that it is at the root a spiritual problem. Now I will be the first to grant that mental illness always has a spiritual component, but arguing that clinical depression or other mental illnesses are simply spiritual is irresponsible, and borders on a denial of the First Article.

God created us, body and soul. Because of sin, we feel the effects of the Fall throughout our entire existence, body and soul. It is entirely right to say that sickness and disease are the results of sin, but it is also true that God has given us many tools to heal, body and soul. The chief of these is the healing Word of God. But there are also many other methods of healing that God has provided, including medication, doctors, therapy, etc. Can these be misused or abused? You bet! At the same time, I would suggest that the “spiritual card” can also be horribly abused. If I tell someone who is mentally ill that they need to pray more, or spend more time in the Word, or come to Church, and that this will simply heal them apart from these other tools, I am saying that God only works through the Word and not at all through any other means. I’m not sure what to call that. But it isn’t right.

We pray for the families and congregation of this pastor, and hope that God will use this as an opportunity to bring healing and help to so many who are in need.

Be at peace,
DMR

I’ve had a lot of conversations this week with the release of the book. They have been online, telephone, email, wherever. The contacts have been from pastors, teachers, spouses, friends from college, and pretty much across the board. I’ll comment on some of those at another time.

One theme that resonates through so many of the conversations is that pastors don’t want to reveal that they are depressed. This is also true generally, and especially in other service fields. But it seems particularly true with pastors. They mask their illness.

I know I did. I worked my tail off to put on a happy face, a “game face” with my congregation and family. It took incredible amounts of energy, and really made things worse.

But if possible what is even sadder than our self-inflicted super-pastor mindset, is that we are afraid of reprisals. I am afraid that I might lose my job, be kicked out of my congregation, that my district president won’t support me. So the very people who can and should and generally would try to help, are the ones who are kept in the dark.

Why? Why do we hide? And what will happen if we reveal to our families (Who probably already know), our congregation, and our brother pastors what is going on?

-DMR
aka Todd Peperkorn

I just got word that the book is going to be published!  An editor is being assigned, the publisher has taken my financial information so that I can get paid, and we are working on a timeline.

This is very exciting, and I am really looking forward to sharing more about this with you, my gentle readers, as soon as the opportunity presents itself.  There are still hoops, blah blah, but this baby is a go!

Deo Gracias,

-DMR

I just got word that the book is going to be published!  An editor is being assigned, the publisher has taken my financial information so that I can get paid, and we are working on a timeline.

This is very exciting, and I am really looking forward to sharing more about this with you, my gentle readers, as soon as the opportunity presents itself.  There are still hoops, blah blah, but this baby is a go!

Deo Gracias,

-DMR

I ran across this blog recently.

Know Thyself: A Pastor’s Journey Through Depression

It looks very promising.  I hope you take a look at it.  More pastors speaking about this topic can only be good for the whole ministry.

-DMR

This is why I so want to get my book published. Thanks for pointing this article out.

Church Pastors Dismiss Mental Illness | LiveScience:

Church Pastors Dismiss Mental Illness

By LiveScience Staff

In a study of Christian church members who approached their church for help with a personal or fa

The problem was solely spiritual in nature, they were told.

Here’s the thing: Other studies have found that clergy, and not psychologists or other mental health experts, are the most common source of help sought in times of psychological distress.

‘The results are troubling because it suggests individuals in the local church are either deny…”

Technorati Tags:
depression

This is why I so want to get my book published. Thanks for pointing this article out.

Church Pastors Dismiss Mental Illness | LiveScience:

Church Pastors Dismiss Mental Illness

By LiveScience Staff

In a study of Christian church members who approached their church for help with a personal or fa

The problem was solely spiritual in nature, they were told.

Here’s the thing: Other studies have found that clergy, and not psychologists or other mental health experts, are the most common source of help sought in times of psychological distress.

‘The results are troubling because it suggests individuals in the local church are either deny…”

Technorati Tags:
depression

Paul Gregory Alms over at Incarnatus Est pointed out a study done over a Yahoo! Jobs. Apparently America’s pastors are among the happiest workers.

Now what I find interesting is trying to juxtapose that with the fact that 20-30% of America’s clergy suffer from some sort of clinical depression. I don’t have any real brilliant insights, but I would be interested in yours. What’s your take?

-DMR

++++++++++++++++++++++

Clergy rated Americas happiest workers: “I bet you thought that headline was an Onion article. Its not.

After all we hear about burnout, stress and unhappiness this comes along. Turns out the ministry is a pretty good gig. While there is a reality in all those things, there must a be a big middle ground of contented folks.

Where Do America’s Happiest People Work?

I guess we are happier than we think.

Career isn’t the only factor”

Paul Gregory Alms over at Incarnatus Est pointed out a study done over a Yahoo! Jobs. Apparently America’s pastors are among the happiest workers.

Now what I find interesting is trying to juxtapose that with the fact that 20-30% of America’s clergy suffer from some sort of clinical depression. I don’t have any real brilliant insights, but I would be interested in yours. What’s your take?

-DMR

++++++++++++++++++++++

Clergy rated Americas happiest workers: “I bet you thought that headline was an Onion article. Its not.

After all we hear about burnout, stress and unhappiness this comes along. Turns out the ministry is a pretty good gig. While there is a reality in all those things, there must a be a big middle ground of contented folks.

Where Do America’s Happiest People Work?

I guess we are happier than we think.

Career isn’t the only factor”