Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture

A Biblical View of Mental Health (with Chris Adams)

9 snips

Mar 19, 2024

Exploring the intersection of biblical and secular approaches to mental health, challenges faced by pastors in maintaining well-being, the importance of holistic care for mental illness in faith communities, and the role of church support in enhancing pastor flourishing and mental health.

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

Introduction

00:00 • 6min

Navigating Mental Health in Faith Communities

05:50 • 11min

Navigating Mental Health Challenges in the Context of Christian Therapy

17:10 • 13min

Exploring Mindfulness, Church Support, and Pastor Flourishing

30:32 • 5min

Balancing Role Immersion and Self-Care for Pastors

35:35 • 1min

Enhancing Pastor Well-being with Flourishing Ministry Resources

36:55 • 2min

How does a Christian view of mental health compare and contrast with a secular perspective? Are we in a mental health crisis today? And how do we best love our family and friends who are suffering from mental illness. In this video and podcast, Sean and Scott talk with Rosemead Professor Chris Adams about these questions and more. Dr. Adams shares about the new Flourishing in Ministry resource that helps pastors and churches address mental health. See www.flourishinginministry.org.

Rev. Chris Adams, PhD, is a third-generation pastor's kid, ordained minister, clinical psychologist, and certified wellbeing and leadership coach. He has served in pastoral care and counseling roles in a large congregation and a large Christian university. He specializes in the wellbeing of ministerial students, clergy, and their families. Chris currently serves as Professor, Chaplain, and Executive Director of the Mental Health and the Church initiative at Rosemead Graduate School of Psychology, Biola University. Chris teaches pastoral care and counseling, Christian leadership formation, and psychology and Christianity integration courses for Rosemead and several seminaries. Chris is a consultant to numerous denominations and seminaries in the areas of clergy candidate formative evaluation, clergy health and flourishing, and pastoral leadership formation. He is the lead researcher for the Flourishing in Ministry project, and is currently participating as a consultant and researcher with the Duke Clergy Health Initiative. Chris is a frequent lecturer at seminaries, retreats, and conferences. He was awarded the Archibald D. Hart Counseling Pioneer Award for excellence in Research and Scholarship in Training and Educating the Next Generation of Leaders in Mental Health and Caring for Others in 2023.

Download a guide to the Flourishing in Ministry Wellbeing Model.

Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2024/a-biblical-view-of-mental-health.

==========

Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.

Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically.
Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video.

To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.