Written by BCC Counselor Theron St John “My teenager attempted to take his life.” I still remember hearing those words from a parent whose teenager I had previously counseled. This young person had been through family challenges and regularly experienced anxiety and depression. It had been a while since I had last seen him for counseling, so the news astounded … Read More
Mental Health, Theology, and Why the Heart Matters
This article is part of our new series on Biblical Response to Mental Health month. In this series, our counselors hope to call churches and Christians to re-engage with the discussion and care for mental health struggles through a biblical lense. A 50-year-old successful businessman named “Joe” is spiraling out of control, and everyone around him seems to know it … Read More
Why Christians Don’t Talk About Mental Health Struggles
This is the first article in our new series on Mental Health. In this series, our counselors hope to call churches and Christians to re-engage with the discussion and care for mental health struggles. There has perhaps never been a more confusing time for Christians and church leaders to address the topic of mental health. Corporate America and the media … Read More
How the Gospel Shapes Mental Health Conversations
This article is part of our new series on Mental Health. In this series, our counselors hope to call churches and Christians to re-engage with the discussion and care for mental health struggles. Whenever our counselors speak or write about mental health in a Christian context, we expect to disappoint some people. We’ve even come to find out that some … Read More
Is Suicide a Brain Issue or a Heart Issue?
What I am writing about will be hard for some to read. Suicide is never an easy topic, especially if someone close to you has died this way. But I am convinced we need more and better conversations about suicide prevention, not fewer. That requires all of us — and especially those of Christian faith — to think carefully about … Read More
Small Steps to Care Like Christ
One of our training partner churches shared a story that inspired me. They are a small church that has been focusing on biblical counseling for a few years now. The person I spoke with said, “Our church has come to be known as the church that cares in our community.” I couldn’t think of a better reputation for a church … Read More
Helping Churches Care for People: What We’ve Learned
About 10 years ago, the Biblical Counseling Center asked a far-reaching question: “What would it take for churches of all sizes to start sustainable and effective biblical counseling ministries?” That simple question sparked the creation of what we now call our LAUNCH Partnerships—a structured, step-by-step process to help churches envision, equip, and execute a plan for biblical counseling and care within their congregation. … Read More
Can Small Churches Really Make a Difference Through Biblical Counseling?
We recently got back from a major conference with thousands of church leaders. It was inspiring—but also heavy. Story after story came up of pastors burned out, churches rocked by tragedy, and leaders overwhelmed by brokenness in their congregations. We heard about suicide, pastoral failures, community violence, addiction, and rising mental health struggles—especially in small churches, where resources are often … Read More
Rethinking Nostalgic Postpartum Advice
Editor’s Note: This article is written by Christine Chappell as a guest post for our series on finding hope in the midst of depression. In this series, our counselors are helping people understand the reality of depression and how God sustains and helps those who are depressed. View the Series Page here. When my nine-year-old daughter learned I was working on a mini-book … Read More
