Category: pastoral-care

Depression, sin and trust issues

I just wanted to pick up on something I’ve seen suggested a few times namely that depression is intrinsically sinful because it involves a lack or loss of trust in the Lord.   I’ve seen this suggested in the context of medication -that you should be depending on God to heal you but I’ve also seen… Continue reading Depression, sin and trust issues

Cult tactics

How do False Teachers get a foot-hold and gain influence in the lives of others? Here are some ways. They will target people who are already passionate about faith. They particularly look for people who are either: Disillusioned because they feel that the church has failed them by not being loving.  Alternatively, if someone feels… Continue reading Cult tactics

Should a Christian take anti-depressants?

One question I’ve seen raised so many times is about whether or not Christians should take anti-depressants.  It’s fascinating because I rarely here the question asked about taking Ibuprofen, or going to the hospital to get your leg put in plaster if you break it. Yet, there seems to be some uncertainty about medication for… Continue reading Should a Christian take anti-depressants?

Cake, pronouns and the main thing

In this week’s podcast Was Boris Johnson ambushed with a birthday cake and was it pre-meditated? US pastors Tom Buck, Owen Strachan and Thabiti Anyabwile get into a spat over the use of a pronoun! We’ll be talking about how not to get distracted or lost in the detail but to listen out for and… Continue reading Cake, pronouns and the main thing

Pastors and PTSD

From time to time I write specifically about the impact of mental health issues on pastors and church leaders. I’ve recently returned to the subject again writing about depression here and here.  I wanted to follow up these articles by writing a little about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is described on the MIND… Continue reading Pastors and PTSD

Towards a theology of depression

 Last year I contributed to a short book called “The Pastor with a thorn in his side.” It’s a book which tells the stories of 7 pastors who have faced depression during their ministry. Steve Kneale edited the book and as well as telling his own story provides an introduction and a conclusion. In those… Continue reading Towards a theology of depression

Your pastor has considered giving up

That’s perhaps not the headline you wanted to read is it? However, this is the challenging reality. At some point your pastor/vicar/elders have thought  “I could just walk out the building after the service finishes, in fact, I could do it right now. I could shut the Bible, walk out and never come back here.”… Continue reading Your pastor has considered giving up

The pandemic – faith and emotional health

Earlier this week, I shared the results of a survey that I had done among my twitter followers picking up on the impact of the pandemic. The survey showed that whilst quite a few people are able to talk positively about the impact on their spiritual health in terms of relationship to church family and… Continue reading The pandemic – faith and emotional health

The other effects of the pandemic

We know the horrendous cost of the pandemic through death, bereavement and serious sickness. However, there have been other consequences too. I recently ran a twitter poll in order to get us thinking about some of these things. First, I asked about how the pandemic has affected your relationship with God. I’m assuming that the… Continue reading The other effects of the pandemic