Event for church leaders presented by Hope Made Strong, Spiritual First Aid, and Rosemead School of Psychology’s Mental Health in the Church Initiative
On World Mental Health Day, Hope Made Strong, Spiritual First Aid, and Biola’s Rosemead School of Psychology/Mental Health in the Church Initiative will once again join forces to present the 5th annual Church Mental Health Summit. This free online summit for church leaders and volunteers is a one-day, on-demand event that will take place on Thursday, October 10th from 6:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. EST.
Featured speakers include such prominent industry leaders in faith and mental health as Dr. Curt Thompson, Rev. Eugene Cho, Latasha Morrison, and Dr. Caroline Leaf. These speakers, along with more than 40 other experts, will provide valuable insights, practical strategies, and actionable resources.
The 2024 Church Mental Health Summit’s theme of Lament to Hope will encourage ministry leaders, who often comfort those in the depths of sorrow and grief. It will also practically equip leaders and volunteers who want the Church to be known as a safe place for struggling people to find support and compassion. By attending the Church Mental Health Summit, participants will engage with biblically-based resources, learn research-developed strategies to support mental health, and meet other like-minded leaders.
Laura Howe, founder of Hope Made Strong, notes: “I am incredibly honored to host the Church Mental Health Summit along with our partners Spiritual First Aid and Rosemead School of Psychology. Over the past 5 years, we have seen the hunger for biblically-based mental health training grow. What started as a small online conference with 2,000 registrants is now projected to include 15,000 individuals across 125 countries. The movement for holistic care is growing, and ministry leaders worldwide are seeking training and resources to support the mental health needs of their congregations and communities.”
Jamie Aten, Co-Founder of Spiritual First Aid, says, “Our organizations chose the theme Lament to Hope for this year’s Church Mental Health Summit to bring attention to the profound emotional and spiritual challenges that many are currently facing. With the ongoing global mental health crisis and loneliness epidemic, the need for compassionate care is greater than ever. People are facing rising anxiety and depression rates, stress from political strife and divisions, widespread opioid addiction, pervasive trauma, and increasing burnout to name a few. Our research shows that amidst such hardships, people increasingly turn to the church for help, including mental health support. This summit aims to equip church leaders with the tools and understanding needed to more effectively support mental health within their congregations and communities.”
“I don’t know of a better resource for local ministry leaders to learn how to contextualize congregational care and serve the mental health needs in their community than the Church Mental Health Summit,” adds Chris Adams, Executive Director of Rosemead’s Mental Health and the Church Initiative. “I think it’s providing the best global resources in terms of gathering mental health thought leaders, expert practitioners, and clinical experts who also love the Church, understand that the hope of the world is the Church, and seek to extend that hope to this critical area of life.”
During the Church Mental Health Summit, participants will receive innovative, best-practice tools to support both their own mental health and the mental health of people in their congregations and communities. Industry leaders from diverse regions, perspectives, and experiences will share practical resources to equip missions and local leaders. The on-demand virtual Summit will consist of 30+ presentations in four tracks: Missions and Culture, Community Health, Church Health, and Leadership Health. This year, there will also be several live 45-minute workshops.
Some of the speakers involved include:
- Rev. Eugene Cho, Pastor, Speaker, Author, and Humanitarian
- Carey Nieuwhof, Pastor, Author, and Podcaster
- Aundi Kolber MA, LPC, Therapist and Author
- Makoto Fujimura, Artist, Advocate, Author, and Speaker
- Dr Caroline Leaf, Clinical Neuroscientist, Podcaster, and Author
- Latasha Morrison, Diversity Expert, Author, and Unity Champion
- Dr. Terence Lester, Writer, Storyteller, and Public scholar
- Curt Thompson MD, Psychiatrist, Speaker, and Author
- Laura Howe, Founder, Hope Made Strong and the Church Mental Health Summit
- Jamie Aten, Ph.D., Founder, Humanitarian Disaster Institute and Co-Founder, Spiritual First Aid
- Rev. Chris Adams, Ph.D., Executive Director, Flourishing in MInistry
To register, learn more about the summit, and view the full list of speakers,
visit www.churchmentalhealthsummit.com.
About the presenting organizations:
Hope Made Strong is passionate about creating biblically-rooted, culturally relevant, and highly practical resources for ministry leaders who serve their community through care ministries. Through online courses, custom consulting, events, and The Care Ministry Podcast, Hope Made Strong equips church staff members to care for their communities without burning out. For more info, visit www.hopemadesrong.org
Spiritual First Aid is the course transforming everyday people on the frontlines of the mental health crisis into spiritual first responders and mental health champions. This biblically-informed, evidence-informed, and trauma-informed course teaches frontline peer-to-peer spiritual and emotional care. Through a proven step-by-step support framework backed by research and flexible learning formats, helpers gain the know-how and skills needed to care well for others struggling with everything from mild stress to mass trauma. For more info, visit www.spiritualfirstaid.org.
Rosemead School of Psychology is a top psychology school for Christians who want to integrate their faith with their field. Students learn from respected professors committed to integrating psychology and theology, bringing together the scientific, research-driven study of human behavior with biblical perspectives on human flourishing. In the process, they will be equipped with knowledge and skills for professional roles in clinical psychology, therapy, counseling, teaching, and research. For more info, visit www.biola.edu/rosemead.
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Contact:
Laura Howe
Spiritual First Aid
1- 519-788-5005
[email protected]
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Religion News Service or Religion News Foundation.
