On World Mental Health Day (October 10), Spiritual First Aid will join forces with Hope Made Strong and Biola’s Rosemead School of Psychology to present the Church Mental Health Summit. The free online summit for church leaders is a one-day event that will be available on-demand Monday, October 10th from 7:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. ET. Featured speakers include such prominent industry leaders in faith and mental health as Dr. Anita Phillips, John Townsend, Kay Warren, Danielle Strickland, Dr. Victor Counted, J.R. Briggs, and many more.

“It’s an honor and privilege to collaborate with Spiritual First Aid and Rosemead School of Psychology in presenting a gathering of world-class speakers, pastors, and those with lived experience to equip the local church around the globe to support mental health in their churches and communities,” said Laura Howe of Hope Made Strong. “On-demand sessions will address mental health issues—from leadership wellbeing to strategies for pastoral care—that matter most to church leaders. This free event gives access to top-tier training for everyone.”

With the increase in mental health issues and the fact that people are more comfortable going to their church for support rather than to medical professionals, there is a greater need for ministry leaders to be equipped to support mental health needs.

By attending the Church Mental Health Summit, participants will be equipped with practical tools, engage with Biblically-based resources, and learn research-developed strategies to support mental health.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Hope Made Strong and Rosemead School of Psychology for the Church Mental Health Summit,” said Jamie Aten, co-founder of Spiritual First Aid and Founder and Executive Director of Wheaton College’s Humanitarian Disaster Institute. “It’s a much-needed event, since recent studies show that approximately 70 percent of church attendees will experience a trauma at some point in their life and more than 30 percent of pastors are at high or medium risk of burnout. The more we understand our emotional and spiritual struggles, the more likely we can take action to overcome them.”

The summit’s presentations are organized into 4 tracks: Church Health, Community Health, Leadership Health, and Missions/Culture. Sessions are open to all participants for free on October 10th.

“We’re grateful to help present the Church Mental Health Summit,” said Chris Adams, Executive Director, Mental Health & the Church Initiative, Biola’s Rosemead School of Psychology. "It’s a great fit for us at Rosemead, where our relational ethos, degree program design, and integrative coursework challenge students to grow personally and professionally throughout their time here. The Rosemead Mental Health and the Church Initiative represents Rosemead's ongoing commitment to equip students to meet the needs of Christian leaders, congregations, and communities around the world."

Participants can join the 50+ presenters for uplifting messages of hope and practical resources that will educate and encourage them to better serve their churches and care for their communities. Speakers include:

  • Dr. Jamie Aten - Founder and Executive Director, Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College’s Humanitarian Disaster Institute and Co-Founder, Spiritual First Aid

  • Kent Annan - Director, Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership at Wheaton College's Humanitarian Disaster Institute and Co-Founder, Spiritual First Aid

  • Dr. Karl Benzio - Medical Director, American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC)

  • David Kim - Pastor, Author, and Speaker

  • Laura Howe - Founder, Hope Made Strong

  • Chris Adams - Executive Director, Mental Health & the Church Initiative, Biola’s Rosemead School of Psychology

  • Dr. Gregg Jantz - Founder, The Center A Place of HOPE

  • Dr. Edward Ng - Registered Psychologist and Founder, Eastgate Project

  • Thad Austin - Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Congregational Engagement, Duke University

  • Marty Sawyers - President and CEO, Full Strength Network

  • Brad Hoefs - Founder and Executive Director, Fresh Hope

  • Dr. Andrew Blackwood - CEO and Founder, The Healing Communications Centre

  • Dr. Josephine Kim - Founding Board Member, Mustard Seed Generation

  • Toni Collier - Founder, Broken Crayons Still Color

  • John Swinton - Professor in Practical Theology, University of Aberdeen

  • Joe Padilla - Co-Founder and CEO, Mental Health Grace Alliance

  • Mike Foster - President, The Primal Question Company

  • Kadi Cole - Author, Consultant, Speaker

  • Dr Kristi Gaultiere - Author, Therapist, Spiritual Director, and Co-Founder of Soul Sheperding

  • Dr. Dave Anderson - President and CEO, Gracism Global

Upon registering, summit-goers will receive access to a password-protected website with sessions that can be viewed on October 10th. For those who wish to view sessions after the event for staff training and volunteer onboarding, a $59 All-Access pass (until August 31st; cost is $79 after 8/31) is required. Purchasing an all-access pass gives lifetime access to all the summit videos.

Additional information and registration for the event are available HERE.
About the presenting sponsors:

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 https://hopemadestrong.org/.

Spiritual First Aid is a biblically-informed, evidence-informed and trauma-informed course which uses videos, practical lessons, role-plays, and 20+ tools to teach peer-to-peer emotional support and care. Participants can learn how to holistically respond to struggles such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, work problems, and relationship issues. equipped to walk alongside others through trauma caused by grief, abuse, violence, and disasters. For more info, visit http://www.spiritualfirstaid.org.

Upon registering, summit-goers will receive access to a password-protected website with sessions that can be viewed on October 10th. For those who wish to view sessions after the event for staff training and volunteer onboarding, a $59 All-Access pass (until August 31st; cost is $79 after 8/31) is required. Purchasing an all-access pass gives lifetime access to all the summit videos. Additional information and registration for the event are available at http://www.ChurchMentalHealthSummit.com.

This summer, support the work of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College, which provides resources like the Spiritual First Aid course for pastors, church leaders, and laypeople.