Tackle Mental Health Stigmas
Story by Amanda Blake
More than 200 Seventh-day Adventist churches across North America, including 34 in the Columbia Union Conference, hosted the short mental health series MindFit this past spring.
The Voice of Prophecy (VOP) produced the event to empower churches as practical and spiritual resources for their communities in battling a continent-wide mental health crisis.
“On a global scale, one in eight people struggle daily with mental illness—one in five
in North America. The implication is clear: It is nearly impossible to live on this Earth and not be affected by mental illness,” says Alex Rodriguez, associate speaker for VOP and host of the series.
MindFit, a four-part event, helps alleviate attendees’ fears around labels and discrimination, which often cause people to stay silent instead
of reaching out for help. Stigma is a learned behavior, which means that it can be unlearned, say event creators.
Rob Anderson, pastor of Ohio Conference’s Chillocothe and Portsmouth churches, shared how the event impacted one member who had held false notions about mental illness among Christians.
He said, “You could hear the tears in her voice” when she shared she no longer felt bad about herself. “She said, ‘My struggles are not caused by a lack of relationship with God. They’re not a reflection of my spiritual growth. It’s just life.’”
VOP will conduct a continent-wide MindFit campaign Sept. 19–21 and again Jan. 2–4, 2025. Visit mindfitevent.com/host to learn how to join this unique evangelistic event.
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