Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Project Portfolio

Degree Name

Doctor of Leadership in Global Perspectives (DLd)

Department

Seminary

First Advisor

Kristin Hamilton, DLd

Second Advisor

Christine Roush, DMin

Abstract

Struggles with mental health have had a history of being ignored, condemned, or relegated to a lack of faith by the Church. Rather than finding a place of hope, those who struggle have often found a place of condemnation. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise globally in mental health struggles. Pastors faced a unique challenge ministering during this season and there has been a great toll on the mental health of pastors. Considering the historic stance of the church on mental health, rise in mental health struggles in pastors post- COVID, and having been through my own journey of depression, I felt a desire to seek out a way to address this concern.

Through the Discover/Design/Deliver process, I narrowed my focus to address pastors struggling with depression and burnout. As an associate pastor within the Western District of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel (ICFG), I decided to focus on providing a means of addressing this issue within my district. As a result, I settled on my NPO statement: Within the Foursquare Western District there is a rise in depression and burnout among pastors in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

My goal in approaching this project was to address this growing concern. The purpose of this resource is to help end stigma and normalize conversation about mental health through education, empowerment, and affirmation. The non-profit organization, RAFT: Rise Above the Flood of Tears, is the vessel I am creating to address this need. The information is available via the website www.raft.care and includes scripture, resources, recommended reading, and templates to help create systems for the care of pastors. Additionally, all information is available in a self-published book on Amazon.

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