Transcript Mental Illiness and the Bible Meadows Conference

MENTAL ILLNESS AND THE BIBLE
Scott Branam, MA, LMHC, MBA
November 12, 2015
A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
1. Pray First
 2. Divine Healing is Real
 3. God Works all Things for Good
 4. Temptation is to be Avoided
 5. Be Loving and Compassionate
 6. Forgive
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EXAMPLES OF HUMAN DYSFUNCTION
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Abraham and Sarah
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Isaac and Rebekah
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Genesis gives us our first Single Parent,
Murder, Rape, Adultery, Drunkenness, etc.
STATISTICS
Only 1% of Ministers reported that medication
should never be a treatment option
 71% reported that medications and therapy in
conjunction with spiritual principles should be a
treatment option
 90% felt a moral and spiritual obligation to
provide resources
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GAPS REMAIN
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75% of Families with a mentally ill member
believe they receive good pastoral care

40% believe others in the church even care
MYTHS
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True Christian Homes are immune to Mental Illness
Drug use causes all Mental Illness
Mental Illness is Demon possession
Mental Illness is Divine judgement
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Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4)
Madness, blindness, and boils (Deut 28:27-29,34)
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If you accept one, you must accept all
David Feigned mental illness (I Sam. 21:12-15)
SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLES
Rape – Judges 19:25
 Depression – Lam. 3
 Trauma – Psalms 18
 Anxiety – Phil. 4
 Grief – II Sam. 18:33
 Suicide – Matt 4:24
 Loneliness – Psalms 69:1-8
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DEMONS
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Evil entered the world through Satan
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Satan attempts to convince humans he doesn’t exist
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Many, including some Christians do not believe he is real
Satan attempts to convince the world that evil doesn’t exist
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Many do not accept that evil is real
COMMON HELD BELIEFS
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Demonization is really all psychological
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All Mental Illness is caused by Demons
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Christians can’t be effected by Demons
POSSESSION
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Thoughts and many actions controlled by Demons
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Change in Moral Character
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Often Leads to destructive or self-harm behavior
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Hatred of God
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Opposed to the religious preoccupation we often see
OPPRESSION
Robs Joy
 Overly Legalistic
 Constant Fear of God’s Judgment
 Doubt
 Feeling of Darkness
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If Medication alleviates the problem it isn’t
Demonization
COMMON ISSUES
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Depression
Abortion
Suicide
Trauma
Marriage
Divorce/Remarriage
Addiction
Sexual
Anxiety
Grief
CONCLUSION
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We are getting better and more open, and
feeling more responsibility to minister to
individuals about issues we don’t understand,
and that in general scare us.