More than 40 industry leaders in faith and mental health shared their expertise on loss and grief at the fifth annual Church Mental Health Summit, which was co-presented by Biola's Mental Health and the Church Initiative, an entity of the Rosemead School of Psychology. The virtual summit was held on World Mental Health Day on October 10 and featured a variety of speakers, including Dr. Chris Adams, director of the Biola Mental Health and the Church Initiative. 

Image shows the conference logo

Over 10,000 people attended the fifth annual summit from around the world, which was co-presented by Hope Made Strong and Spiritual First Aid, was a free, one-day, virtual event for church members, leaders or anyone who desired to support mental health in their community. The summit's theme “Lament to Hope” aimed to encourage ministry leaders who were acquainted with comforting those in deep suffering and sorrow. The summit helped equip leaders and volunteers who wanted their churches to be characterized as a place of refuge for people weighed down by the hardships of life to be met with compassion and support.

“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,” said Adams, who spoke on leadership health. “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 the hope to this critical area of life.”

Distinguished industry leaders and speakers around the world spoke on topics such as global missions, lament and hope, the mental health stigma in the church and strategies to help leaders prevent ministry burnout. In addition to access to gospel-centered resources and research-based strategies, participants had the opportunity to connect with and be encouraged by other like-minded leaders.

Biola values mental health and fosters an environment where students have access to a variety of resources, including the Mental Health and the Church Initiative. Biola also offers individual and group counseling at the Biola Counseling Center, pastoral care appointments with campus spiritual leaders part of Student Development and many other resources on student wellness and care on the Student Development website. In addition, the Mental Health and the Church Initiative offers resources to the community on their website including a free assessment.

Learn more about the Mental Health and the Church Initiative and the Rosemead School of Psychology.

Written by Sarah Dougher, media relations specialist. For more information, email media.relations@biola.edu.