What My Pastor Said That No One Else Would.

I’ll never forget what she said.

A number of years ago, I was sitting in a Sunday service when our associate pastor (Ashley) said something I'll never forget. She would often say things that stuck with me.

This specific thing has stuck with me as it was the first time I heard a pastor say this. She was talking about faith and mental health from the pulpit and made this statement,

"Sometimes you can't just pray away depression." 🎯🙏

It didn't deny faith or the power of prayer (as my dad would often say, “Prayer changes things!”), but it made space for something else in addition to faith. Faith and mental health didn't have to live in separate rooms.

The second after she said it, silence ensued for a slight moment before I spoke the loudest "Amen!" I've ever said in church. 🗣 I didn't even realize I had done it until after it came out of my mouth.

Looking back, that moment didn't just surprise me - it exposed how rare it was. In many churches, mosques, and synagogues, the silence around mental health has been deafening for a long time.

For years, some people of faith wrapped depression in spiritual language and hoped it would disappear. They’ve offered prayer when people needed both prayer AND therapy.

They’ve confused suffering, suicidal thoughts, and mental illness with sin. 😕

That kind of silence doesn't just leave people feeling misunderstood - it leaves them alone. It teaches them to hide what hurts. That only enhances the stigma and prevents people of faith from getting the help they need. And for too long, I watched people quietly carry pain into places of faith that should've been the safest to speak.

But something is shifting. It’s actually been shifting for a while.

It's happening slowly, unevenly, and not without resistance, but the ground is moving.

More faith leaders are speaking openly about depression. More congregations are hosting workshops, inviting clinicians, and running support groups. Emotionally healthy spirituality with its books and podcasts have been so helpful integrating mental health with faith.

More people are saying what Ashley said that day. 🙌🙌

Let's look at what's driving the shift, and where it's showing up most clearly.

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Christianity

- A decade ago, 65% of pastors said they rarely or never spoke about mental illness from the pulpit. That number dropped to 33% by 2023.
- 26% of Protestant pastors report having personally struggled with depression.
- 68% now say they regularly refer people to mental health professionals - up from 58% in 2014.
- After the suicide of his son, Pastor Rick Warren launched the Hope for Mental Health ministry, which now provides national training and resources for churches seeking to support those with mental illness.

This shift isn't happening everywhere, but it's spreading. When churches stop pretending intellectual faith alone is always enough, people finally stop pretending they're fine.

And that’s part of how mental health stigma is crushed.

Judaism

- The Blue Dove Foundation, a Jewish mental health nonprofit, has seen a 300% increase in programming requests from synagogues and schools since 2020.
- Some Jewish communities & resources are addressing the stigma of mental health.
- Some congregations now host mental health-themed Shabbat services and offering community mental health groups and support.

Judaism has always embraced questions and reflection, and more communities are realizing that includes reflection on emotional pain, too.

Islam

- 39% of American Muslims report experiencing a mental health challenge. But only 13% seek help from a professional.
- 47% of mosques now offer some form of mental health education, a number that's steadily increased since 2018.
- Organizations like the American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP) and the Muslim Wellness Foundation are working to raise mental health literacy and reduce stigma within the Muslim community.

The silence is breaking.

One conversation, one word from the pulpit, one support group at a time.

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Why This Shift Matters

Because it makes space for healing.
Because it stops telling people their suffering is a sign of spiritual failure.
Because it reminds us that prayer and Prozac are not enemies.

Faith and mental health don't have to live in separate rooms.
And when spiritual leaders speak honestly about depression, they make it safer for the rest of us to do the same. 💪

What You Can Do Now

1. Ask Your Faith Community 
 When was the last time your place of worship talked about mental health? Ask leadership why or why not.

2. Share Resources 
 Pass along organizations like Blue Dove, Muslim Wellness Center, or Hope for Mental Health. Normalize seeking help.

3. Speak Up 
 If you've felt torn between your mental health and your faith, your story could be someone else's lifeline.

Ashley's words still echo in my mind. Thank you, Ashley!! 💖💖

Her words reminded me that faith doesn't erase suffering. It helps make room for it. Sometimes it takes someone with power that uses it for good to say something to decrease stigma.

I used to believe places of faith would never catch up in the fight against mental health stigma. But that moment in church changed something for me. It provided hope.

Thankful there have been many moments since that amen! Maybe you’ve heard some of those Ashley-Esque words, too. Let me know if you have. I read and respond to every email.

Before I forget, Happy Independence Day! 🎉

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And until next Friday morning, come back…be here.

Keith