In a recent survey conducted by Barna Research Group, one response stood out to me.
The question posed was, “What do you like least about your church?”
The answer was, “The church does not support me emotionally or my mental health.”
We believe God wants you to be spiritually and emotionally healthy and overflowing with peace, rest, and joy. Further, the Father wants you to live with a peaceful, restful, and joyful mindset in a world that is filled with pain, suffering, and sacrifice.
Take a look at these Biblical examples. Paul sang while he was chained in a prison cell. James said consider it pure joy…when you face trials of many kinds. The Philippians were told to rejoice in the Lord always.
YOUR MISSION
Strive to bring your emotional program in sync with your spiritual one. And, see the promises of Jesus that you can walk daily in peace, rest, and joy.
Amen
References: Acts 16:25, James 1:2, Phil. 4:4, Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast (CNLP 623, 1/9/2024)
Comments
One response to “Spiritual and Emotional Program”
I think the church as it exists can’t meet the emotional needs of its members because they are focused on this program and that program just to make sure people don’t have time to mess up. The church and the government seem no different to me. They both take taxes (tithes) and offer one size fits all programs that most people don’t feel will help them. Some do. But I believe that the people, in their gifts, serving and listening and praying etc can do more than the corporate environment that is focused on just saving people. It’s backwards. We applaud Jesus for hanging out with sinners but chide those today who do the same. And even try and fix them and pull them away from such dirtiness. Until we can all get down and dirty in the foxholes with each other and love in spite of what we encounter we will not fully embrace the Father’s heart of love. Then and only then will we truly be the establishment that empathizes with the broken and journeys with them regardless of what reputation gets attached to us.