Category: Episodes

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity.” (Psalm 133:1)

While 90% of Americans recognize that America has a mental health crisis, a powerful solution can effectively help many when churches and counselors creatively work together. Lighthouse Counseling Network was launched with just before the pandemic in 2020 by a handful of churches based in New Jersey. 

Listen in on this conversation with Pastor Dave Park of Mosaic Christian Fellowship and Dr. John Huh, Director of Lighthouse to follow their adventure of faith as a pressing need and a dream came together. 

We pray that you’ll be informed and inspired that this kind of a network of possible and doable in your locality, and more faithful communities can become part of resolving the mental health crisis.

Lighthouse Counseling Network https://www.lighthousecounseling.co/

Pastors Sam Yoon and Steve Choi have honest conversations about pastoring well through thick and thin, ups and downs, learning how to ask for help, being human and healthy. 

Just past the halfway mark, Pastor Steve shares many golden words of wisdom and lessons learned from pastoring since 1994 as an Asian American of Korean heritage, all the more important and valuable in this day and age when we’re seeing burnouts and scandals left and right.

Diana Sun and Sam Lee of Standing Stone Ministry elaborate on how they’re a part of a most wonderful ministry that shepherd shepherds, caring and supporting pastors, ministry leaders, and their spouses, to stay healthy, to prevent burnout, and to not carry their burdens alone. 

Learn how it’s become even more stressful for pastors and families during and after the coronavirus pandemic; and how Standing Stone Ministry is helping pastors get through these challenging times. Plus, it’s all FREE to pastors because of generous donors that make it possible.

Pastors, don’t wait until you’re in crisis before you reach out. If you’re not thriving in ministry, your best decision is to talk with Standing Stone Ministry—you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Standing Stone Ministry also has field shepherds with years of pastoral experiences to provide mentoring and guidance for church leadership topics like church board management and Asian American church contexts.

Share this episode with other pastors so they know they can have access to this free resource to strengthen themselves and their churches. This is a perfect way to bless your pastors during Clergy Appreciation Month.

SHOW NOTES

Standing Stone Ministry standingstoneministry.org – shepherding shepherds and guiding ministry leaders into healthy ministry

Co-hosts Pastor Sam Yoon and DJ Chuang will have conversations about pastors, church leaders, and mental health throughout the month of October, on this occasion of National Clergy Appreciation Month. We discuss how pastors can have healthier lives amidst a very stressful and demanding vocation, and where their help can come from.

SHOW NOTES

Pastor Sam Yoon https://www.samuelyoon.com/

Sam Yoon’s book, “Your First Year As a Campus Pastor: A Practical Leadership Guide to Build a Healthy Team and Culture“

List of Pastoral Care Ministries and Resources
https://mentalhealth.bible/care/

Caring for Pastors and their Families https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/church/

#CW #TW Trigger Warning: Attempted Suicide

Next Gen Pastor Phyllis Myung speaks personally from her lived experiences of surviving suicide attempts and what it was like to be at that moment of despair, being overwhelmed with pain. 

By the grace of God, working hard to find her way to living healthy now, she shares what can save the life of someone who might have suicidal ideation and normal struggles with the stresses of everyday life – whether that’s school, work, marriage, or family. Thank you Phyllis, for sharing words of life.

Show Notes

• Are you in a crisis? Please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Or, contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

• QPR Institute https://qprinstitute.com – 3 steps anyone can learn to help prevent suicide.

• The Best Way To Save People From Suicide – “What if this is what we should be doing? What if it’s that simple?” https://highline.huffingtonpost.com/articles/en/how-to-help-someone-who-is-suicidal/

• Caring Letters Prevent Suicide https://sparq.stanford.edu/solutions/caring-letters-prevent-suicide

#cw #tw trigger warning: depression, suicide, suicidal ideation.

DJ Chuang and his Son Jeremiah Chuang (Chinese American) talk about depression and suicidal ideation, based on their lived experiences and how they’ve been impacted by suicide loss, and suicide prevention warning signs.

SHOW NOTES

• DJ’s personal crisis in 2017 djchuang.com/my2017

• Are you in a crisis? Please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Or, contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

• September is National Suicide Prevention Month.

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention https://afsp.org

#RealConvo Guides from AFSP

• How to Start (and Continue!) a Conversation About Mental Health
• If Someone Tells You They’re Thinking About Suicide

Having a mental health ministry in any church can be very challenging. It’s all the more challenging in ethnic Asian American churches because of our cultural contexts. 

We take a closer look at the practical details for how to start a mental health ministry in an ethic Asian church, based on the experiences at Chinese Christian Church of Thousand Oaks, in California. You’ll hear about the divine provisions that made it possible for mental health to be addressed in their church; and then again, isn’t all that we have a gift and provision of God anyways? Our hope is that your church will be encouraged to address mental health too, because this is such an urgent need for many.

Pastor Curtis Lowe and wife Carol started the Enlighten Mental Health Ministry in 2018 to enlighten, encourage, and educate people facing the realities of mental illness to lighten our burden. 

And, you’re invited to come in-person or join online for the free Enlighten Seminar on October 1, 2022 – get seminar info and register at enlightenmentalhealth.org/2022-seminar

Show Notes

Personal mental health experiences of Pastor Curtis Lowe and Carol (Sept 2019)
erasingshame.com/mental-health-ministry-in-a-chinese-church