Overview

The Church has always stood as a place of hope. In times of crisis, people turn to the Church for prayer, guidance, comfort, and answers. When families are broken, when grief is overwhelming, when addiction takes hold, when abuse is revealed, when marriages are collapsing, and when individuals are fighting silent battles in their minds, many people go first to their pastor, bishop, spiritual leader, or church community. This reality places a great responsibility upon the Church. Spiritual leaders are often the first responders to human pain. Before a person calls a therapist, they may call their pastor. Before a family contacts a mental health agency, they may request prayer from church leadership. Before someone admits they are suicidal, depressed, anxious, traumatized, or mentally unstable, they may first reveal their pain in a counseling room, at an altar, in a prayer line, or during a private conversation with a spiritual leader. Because of this, ministry leadership must be taken seriously. This book, The Church as a Spiritual Hospital, presents a necessary and courageous argument. It calls the Church, the academy, and government systems to recognize that those who serve in fivefold ministry and bishopric authority must be properly trained to handle the complex emotional, spiritual, psychological, and mental health needs of the people they lead. Prof. Dornett McIntosh, PhD writes with the voice of an educator, counselor, pastor, apostolic leader, and concerned servant of God. The message of this book is not an attack on ministry. It is a call to strengthen ministry. It does not seek to remove prayer, Scripture, deliverance, or spiritual authority from the Church. Rather, it argues that these sacred tools must be joined with wisdom, education, counseling knowledge, ethical practice, and mental health awareness. The Church cannot afford to mishandle wounded people. Too many individuals have entered the house of God carrying deep trauma, only to be misunderstood. Too many victims of abuse have been silenced. Too many people suffering from depression have been told they simply lacked faith. Too many individuals experiencing severe mental illness have been mislabeled instead of referred for proper care. Too many leaders have had good intentions but insufficient training.

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