was the nucleus for were lunatics, and those that had some of the more the palsy; and he healed them.� successful social ser- (Matthew 12: 14-18 KJV). vice
agencies
America.
in There is a stigma connected with
The Salva- mental health and some believe it is
tion Army for exam- a sign of demonic possession, but ple provides a myriad Jesus differentiated those with disof social services yet eases, demon possessed and the the core of the pro- lunatic. Based on that scriptural refgram
remains
the erence alone we know mental ill-
Church.
ness was present when Jesus
My name is Dr. Rene Minter, I am a licensed clinical social worker and a minister concurrently. I am a Christian who provides mental health services as well as social work services to the Christian Community which sometimes takes place inside the church. If I were to be asked
which do, I identify with more or to choose I absolutely could not. I am as much a devoted to ministry as I am to mental health. I believe the church is the not only for the sin sick but historically it has been the first-place people went for social problems and assistance. Today, it is not uncommon to find the church
walked the face of the earth. A lu-
Providing Care to the Mentally Ill from a Biblical Perspective.
The
word ministry means to provide care for. If we were to examine the miracles performed by Jesus it was always
people
who
were
natic today would be someone with extreme mental illness perhaps schizophrenia, although treatable is on the far end of the mental health axis.
in
need. Many of us know the story of The Church Addressing The Needs of feeding of the multitude, restoring
the Total Person
sight to the blind, the lame to walk The church today is a microcosm of but there is evidence that there society which experiences the same were the mentally ill also healed by issues that are present in the rest of Jesus.�
the society. The same depression,
While Jesus was in Syria, people anxiety, substance abuse, domestic were brought to him with “diseases, violence, poverty can be found in torments, those who were pos- the church as well. These issues are
sessed with devils and those which
real and there should be no stigma 14
