When Hurting People Come to Church: How People of Faith Can Help Solve the Mental Health Crisis

In a world that often makes a hard distinction between the empirical data of psychology and the theology of the church, this book says that these two worlds can coexist and be used for the glory of God. I am grateful to call Shaunti and Jim and The Church Cares partners in ministry as we journey with people in their pain and make much of the name of Jesus.

Finally, a book that will empower the church to stand in the trenches for mental health! And why not? Why not highlight the church as a supportive, faith-based community that fosters healing, reduces stigma, and encourages open conversations about mental health? That is precisely what Shaunti Feldhahn and Dr. James Sells have highlighted with the timely book When Hurting People Come to Church. This book is a road map with invaluable insights on positioning and equipping the church for best practices in mental health ministry and building a CARE ministry. This framework will make a profound difference and ultimately transform how the church addresses mental health. By integrating spiritual guidance with coordinated attention, restoration, and encouragement, the church can serve as a catalyst for change, ensuring holistic care by addressing emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs.

When Hurting People Come to Church serves as an indispensable resource for pastors, lay counselors, and clinical professionals seeking to integrate compassionate, faith-centered care into their ministries at a time when mental health challenges are on the rise in our congregations. Shaunti Feldhahn and James Sells have created a valuable resource for church leaders, who will be empowered to provide holistic support to those in need. This book includes practical tools, biblical wisdom, and a clear framework for building a mental health ministry. I fully endorse this book as a must-read for anyone committed to the emotional and spiritual well-being of their community, whether you are just beginning or looking to strengthen an existing ministry.

Training laypeople to care for the hurting is a vision right out of Jesus’ playbook. Feldhahn and Sells root their plan in solid research and timeless wisdom. Our fifty-plus years of experience in both evangelical and Catholic churches confirm that this kind of care is desperately needed in our current mental health crisis.

When Hurting People Come to Church by Shaunti Feldhahn and James Sells is an excellent, clearly written, biblically based, comprehensive, and helpful book with many practical guidelines. It is a must-read for all churches and Christians wanting to be effective helpers and contributors in dealing with the current mental health crisis. Highly recommended!

In a time when mental health needs are frequently described as at a crisis state, Feldhahn and Sells offer a passionate, hopeful, and practical primer on how churches can be a major resource for meeting these needs. Community psychology has long championed the importance of cultivating natural helping networks to meet the large-scale psychological needs of our world. This text presents a compelling vision for how one of the world’s largest such networks may achieve just that.

Shaunti and Jim have penned a book that I sure wish had been around twenty-four years ago. I was recovering from a strong bout of burnout and a diagnosis of clinical depression and learning all I could as a pastor about the intersection of faith and mental health, theology and psychology. The church I pastored was gracious and open to my learning, but the church as a whole back then was not very open to this intersection. Feldhahn and Sells have published the most practical mental health/care ministry aid for pastors that I have come across. As a denominational leader, I can say that it will give a very sound structure to the pastoral care strategy of any church, regardless of size or denomination.

Pastors often feel overwhelmed and ill-equipped to deal with the increasing occurrences of mental health concerns among their church members. Sometimes the absolute best intentions of ministers can add to the suffering of their parishioners. This timely book is a welcome training tool to assist caring shepherds in turning their congregations into welcoming spaces of healing. Theologically insightful, deeply rooted in the gospel, and written with great care and expertise, When Hurting People Come to Church will not only help to turn the tide in addressing mental health concerns in the church but will become a standard in faithful ministerial training. This is an essential book that every pastor and church worker who is seeking to care for their members should read.

In a time when mental health struggles are on the rise, When Hurting People Come to Church serves as a vital resource for the local church, guiding it to fulfill its biblical mandate to care for the whole person—body, soul, and mind. The book serves as the quintessential GPS, guiding the church to serve as a central hub of care, compassion, and healing for those in need in very practical ways. The strength of this book lies in its authors’ balanced approach. It does not dismiss the role of mental health professionals but instead positions the church as a place where people can first experience Christ-centered CARE (Coordinated Attention, Restoration, and Encouragement). Through biblical wisdom, real-life stories, and practical guidance, When Hurting People Come to Church inspires pastors, ministry leaders, and church members alike to embrace their role in the crucial mental health journey of care. If the church is truly called to be the hands and feet of Christ, it cannot afford to ignore the mental and emotional struggles of its people and the community at large. This book is a must-read for anyone who desires to see the church become not just a place of worship but a sanctuary of healing, restoration, and hope.

What Shaunti Feldhahn and James Sells offer in When Hurting People Come to Church is a much-needed road map for a church to truly meet the mental health needs of its members. They offer actionable guiding principles that consider the needs of diverse churches as well as the ethical and practical considerations of working with people in distress. As a mental health professional and practice director who works with both Catholic and Protestant churches, I appreciate the thorough research (they polled 2,000 pastors, church leaders, and clinicians!), the survey data (which highlights the needs of pastors and ministry leaders), and the case studies of churches that have successfully implemented a mental health ministry. This timely book also provides an overview of basic skills related to being present, being an active listener, learning emotional regulation, fostering relational growth, responding to trauma and grief, and helping those dealing with addictions. I believe any church will find value in the array of flexible strategies that Feldhahn and Sells identify for bringing together different kinds of helpers in an integrated and intentional way so they can provide the best care for the most people. As we seek to extend Christ’s healing ministry to all those in need, we cannot ignore our mental and emotional wounds. The apostle Paul calls us to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2, niv), and this insightful and readable book provides a practical, systematic way for churches to respond to this important call.

A vast number of people today are experiencing extreme distress and disturbance in their souls. These people are looking for help and struggling to find it. Feldhahn and Sells use research and biblical scholarship to highlight the problem and propose solutions. The central thesis: the church should be leading the charge in providing care for hurting people. The current mental health crisis should not scare Christians but inspire us to action. When Hurting People Come to Church provides insights to help churches of any size or kind consider how they can make the most of this opportunity.