Executive Editor’s Note: Although it is usually “Trumpet policy” not to print anonymous letters, I have made an exception in this case to protect the privacy of this pastor, who is sharing his heart and because what he has to say is important.
I am going to begin by telling you some things about myself. It may sound like bragging for a moment, but I’ll soon get to the point.
I am the pastor of a BMA church. It is a good church full of godly people. I have been in ministry for well over a decade, and my church cares for me well financially. I have advanced degrees from solid institutions and have served on the boards of many organizations. More importantly than all of this, I have a wonderful wife and family and a close group of friends. I have seen much “success” in ministry and truly believe God has done mighty things in churches where I have served. By most measures, I have been greatly blessed. It sounds good. In fact, it is good, but I say all of this to give you some context for my next statements. Here goes:
In the midst of this blessed life, I have struggled constantly with extreme depression throughout my entire life in ministry. Why would I share this? I share it for the pastor who thinks he is unable to serve well because of a similar struggle. I share it because many church members have found little understanding when dealing with this type of thorn in the flesh. I share it because I have arrived at the conviction at this point in my life that this struggle does not make me weird — it makes me human. Brokenness is the reality of a world poisoned by sin. Depression, anxiety or any other internal struggle is just another form of brokenness.
I don’t want you to feel sorry for some pastor out there struggling. Instead, I want to see the church of the Lord Jesus Christ take our duty seriously to undertake soul care. Preaching, prayer, the church ordinances, discipleship, outreach and evangelism are readily accepted as part of the responsibility of the church. I want to say that soul care is just as important as any of these things.
We, as pastors and churches, must get proactive about helping people deal with all issues of life. I know we care in our hearts, but we must care with biblically based support and guidance. We must do more than just refer people to a few professionals in our community and hope they can help them figure it out. We must stop living in fear of helping people with these problems because we have been told we are unqualified. Yes, sometimes people need medical help, but that does not end the responsibility of the church.
Pastor, you cannot do all of this on your own. The burden is too great. Ministry to the whole person is the duty of the whole church. What would it look like to have a ministry for soul care in your church? What would it look like if you took a large piece of a prayer meeting to pray for those struggling through unseen issues of the mind or soul? What would it look like to preach messages directly at these issues when the text of Scripture was appropriate? I don’t have all the answers, but I know the One who does. I also know that the front lines of Christ overcoming the world in every area of life is the local church.
You may want to dismiss this heartfelt plea, and I wouldn’t blame you. This is the messiest piece of ministry, and it often ends badly. You may want to dismiss me and disqualify me for having such a struggle. If so, you would also disqualify other servants of God you probably admire. Even Charles Spurgeon was a man who struggled with crippling depression his entire adult life. Instead of being dismissive, let this truth weigh upon you. Let it break your heart. Let it motivate you to prayer and perhaps to make a first step to meet this desperate need in your church and mine.
I will finish this article by telling you some encouraging news. I have seen, through the years of my personal struggle and in my ministry to others, that the greatest help I have found has come from God by way of the ordinary means of grace. Prayer, studying God’s Word, fellowship and especially corporate worship have sustained me on the darkest of days. When I neglect these things, the darkness is more pronounced. When I embrace them, I find the glory in this silent suffering. Christ is enough, so let us point all people to Him and walk with them through the darkness of this world, sharing the lamp of God’s Word and the light of the Lord Jesus Christ.
