Faith
Supporting Each Other Through Life’s Trials
Faith Facts
- One in four Americans faces mental health challenges, impacting church communities.
- David J. Pope offers practical Christian guidance in “How Can I Help You?: Basic Helping Skills for Christians.”
- Pope’s book emphasizes empathy, understanding, and destigmatizing mental health within the body of Christ.
As believers, we are called to bear one another’s burdens, including those related to mental and emotional health. Too often, these realities are overlooked in our churches, despite the growing need for compassionate outreach.
Marie Stroughter, an elder’s wife, highlights that many in the fellowship—even leaders—struggle silently with mental health issues, reminding us of the importance of awareness and active support within the congregation.
Pope, drawing from four decades as a therapist and member of Prescott Church of Christ, shares personal experiences with addiction, disability, and recovery, inspiring readers with his faith-based approach.
His book organizes conditions like grief and depression, offering practical “dos and don’ts” rooted in Scripture and Christian wisdom, helping readers love their neighbors in meaningful ways.
Pope warns against stereotypes and encourages genuine empathy, validating the real pain of those suffering and challenging the church to be a refuge of hope, not judgment.
He reminds us to see mental health with the same compassion as any physical illness, as Christ taught us to care for the whole person and uplift the weary.
Let us keep one another in prayer and look for opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those burdened around us.