Mental Health Concerns and the Heart of God

Suicide, Mental Health at Forefront of Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting
Pastor Frank Page Shares Impact of Suicide on Christian Families
Christian Post.com
By Melissa Barnhart
CP Reporter
June 13, 2013

HOUSTON – Southern Baptist church leaders voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to approve a resolution on "Mental Health Concerns and the Heart of God" that affirms the denomination's support for people suffering from mental illness, as well as families that are impacted by the loss of loved ones to suicide.

Using the example set forth by Jesus Christ and the care he provided to the most marginalized members of society, the resolution lifts the stigma of a myriad of mental health concerns, and affirms unconditional compassion for people who are coping with clinical depression and schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, and dementia and Alzheimer's disease, among others.

Outspoken church leaders have been instrumental in prompting the SBC to take a leadership role by ambitiously addressing mental health concerns so that Christian households no longer have to suffer in silence.

Just before Wednesday's vote, Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., whose youngest son, Matthew, committed suicide in April following a lengthy battle with mental illness, tweeted a message of support for the resolution to the SBC: "TODAY we ask #SBC13 to approve a resolution on raising awareness and lowering the stigma of mental illness. Pray it passes."

Pastor Frank Page shares his struggle following the death of his daughter, Melissa Page, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, spoke with The Christian Post on Wednesday about the impact suicide has had on his family, which he addresses in his book, Melissa: A Father's Lesson From a Daughter's Suicide.

"Grief comes like waves on the seashore," Page described. "They may decrease in intensity and frequency over time, but they always come. Life with that kind of loss is extremely difficult. One thing I like to tell extended family and church members is that in the first several months, people who have undergone a suicide in their family are in shock, they might not even remember that you were there."

He continued, "I remember my daughter committed suicide the day after Thanksgiving, and so people ask me, 'Well, how was your first Christmas?' I don't remember it. But I do remember the second Christmas – that was really hard. So I encourage church members and Christians to be there long term."
read more here