When the Church Faces Mental Illness
What Steps Should We Take?
A few years ago, our church had a difficult situation involving a man with mental illness. The circumstances were difficult to navigate. Like most churches, we want our doors to be open to anyone, no matter their background or baggage. From our perspective, mental illness or awkward behaviour shouldn’t limit a person’s access to the church.
As this particular man entered, his appearance showed signs that he had fallen on hard times. Our hearts went out to him, and we welcomed him in. His stories and comments revealed his mental state; seemingly harmless at first.
When Harmless Turns Concerning
After the gathering, he became very hands-on, especially with some of the women greeting him. And then later, with children who were playing in the foyer. None of his actions would have seemed inappropriate if he were their father or grandfather. But from a stranger, it was concerning.
I spoke with him gently but firmly. I told him that we were glad he was here, but that he needed to keep his hands to himself. He wasn’t happy, but he seemed to accept it. Sadly, his behaviour escalated in the weeks that followed. Then he showed up at the doorstep of my home, late one night.
Seeking Wisdom and Protection
Nicole and I began to feel unsafe, especially for our kids. We contacted the police for advice and learned that this man had a history of inappropriate behaviour in churches. The officer empathized with our struggle:
“I understand that as a church you want to reach out to the community and bring positive change into their lives. But other churches have been down this same road with this guy. You will eventually have to ban him. It’s sad, but there’s not really much else you can do.”
At our Good Friday service, his behaviour escalated to verbal harassment of teens and even violent threats. Sadly, we had to ask him to leave. He became angry, cursed, and even took a swing at me before storming out.
He eventually left and walked down to the bus stop. In a few moments, he was gone.
Wrestling with Hard Questions
That night, my heart was full of questions:
- What would Jesus do?
- Was the man demon-possessed?
- Should we have tried to cast something out?
- Where was his family?
- Could we have handled it differently?
The reality is, church leaders must walk a fine line. We’re called to protect the vulnerable in our flock while also seeking the lost sheep (John 10:11–15). When mental illness is involved, the tension becomes even more difficult.
Trusting Christ in the Tension
As followers of Jesus, we long to become more like Him each day (Romans 8:29). And yet, we’re not Jesus. When mental illness enters the church, leaders need both courage and compassion. We have to try our best to receive spiritual guidance, often in the moment and on the fly.
That being said, protecting the congregation and caring for the broken aren’t mutually exclusive. , They require wisdom, prayer, and sometimes very difficult decisions. If you’ve ever faced a similar situation, comment below!
Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts
- Have you ever encountered a situation involving mental illness in your church? How did your leadership team handle it?
- How can churches balance compassion for the hurting with protecting the vulnerable in their congregation?
- What role does prayer play when making difficult leadership decisions in these kinds of situations?
