Question 8: As a Christian, why is sharing someone else's suffering important?

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An Interview with Dr. Matthew Stanford

In any given year, 1 in 5 people will struggle with a mental health issue. If we said 1 in 5 people will have a compromise in physical health, we would start a prayer chain. But mention that the compromise is a mental health issue, and most people scatter, label, judge, and disappear.

We tend to hide or deny what we cannot control or fix because most of the Western world clings to a dissected view of humanity; we partition our existence into labeled segments. We define one human life as sections of the whole . . . physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, and so on, which dismisses a whole person. Labels are terribly confining and damaging; candidly, it is a self-righteous choice to judge or label any part or the whole person altogether.

With mental health issues on the rise, Dr. Stanford offers wisdom, knowledge, guidance, and practical tools the church desperately needs in caring for one another.

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Dr. Stanford offers cutting edge information, tools, resources, and a variety of supports and services, which leave the church with no excuse in caring for those in need. Let’s break the awful stigma associated with mental health. God created us to be in relationship with Him and one another regardless of one’s abilities or challenges.

Most of us want to care but don’t know how; this interview focuses on “how” to connect with others in a way that brings healing. From here, how can you be an agent of change today? What are a few ways you can begin to connect with others? If you are suffering, what do you need from those around you? What makes you feel welcomed and supported?

Let’s remember, Christ called us to unity, peace, love, kindness, and humility—to be present with others. Why not identify one or two key points that challenged you to think out of the box, and let’s connect on these in the days ahead.

Join the conversation on our blog at www.reframingministries.com.

About Dr. Matthew Stanford

Matthew S. Stanford, Ph.D. is CEO of the Hope and Healing Center and Institute (HHCI) in Houston, Texas, and adjunct professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine and the Department of Psychology at the University of Houston. National publications such as the New York Times, USA Today, and U.S. News & World Report, as well as Web sites such as Fox, MSNBC, and Yahoo!, have featured Dr. Stanford’s research on the interplay between psychology and issues of faith.

Dr. Stanford is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science. As director of HHCI, he writes, conducts training seminars, and serves individuals living with mental illness and their families. He is the author of two books, Grace for the Afflicted: A Clinical and Biblical Perspective on Mental Illness and The Biology of Sin: Grace, Hope, and Healing for Those Who Feel Trapped.

In addition, Dr. Stanford serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Family and Community Ministries and Behavioral Sciences and the Law. He is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Mental Health Advisory Group and the American Bible Society’s Trauma Healing Institute Advisory Council.

Matt and his wife, Julie, are the parents of four children and reside in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Matthew Stanford Resources

You can find resources and information at the Hope and Healing Center and Institute.

717 Sage Road
Houston, TX 77056
713-871-1004
www.hopeandhealingcenter.org

Insight for Living Ministries Resources

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