EP. 211 Mental Health and the Church Mini-Series: Saint, Sufferer, Sinner: A Holistic Approach to Mental Health in the Church W/Mike Emlet

About this episode

Michael and Mike Emlet discuss a holistic approach to mental health in the church, emphasizing the importance of recognizing individuals as embodied souls and the need for both spiritual and professional care.

Michael welcomes CCEF faculty member and counselor Mike Emlet, who has served at CCEF since 2001 and previously trained and worked in family medicine before attending Westminster Seminary. Emlet and the Michael discuss how mental health concerns have grown in prominence in the church, influenced by factors like the pandemic and social media, and why a biblical approach must be holistic, recognizing humans as embodied souls affected by the fall in both body and heart. They warn against extremes of over-spiritualizing mental illness or reducing it to biology, and they challenge the church’s tendency to abdicate care to outside experts while affirming the need for professional help in severe cases. Emlet commends a hopeful yet humble posture, careful listening beyond diagnostic labels, and using the “saint, sufferer, sinner” framework to move toward and care for people. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 01:00 Meet Mike Emlet 02:55 Mental Health Landscape 05:46 Embodied Souls Balance 08:42 Church Role in Care 10:46 Hopeful Humble Posture 12:57 Saint Sufferer Sinner 14:34 Why He Wrote It 16:44 Meeting Suffering First 19:41 Listen and Move Toward 21:22 Closing Thanks Episode Mentions CCEF Saints…

People in this episode

Host: Michael

Guest: Mike Emlet

Topics covered

• mental health
• church care
• holistic approach
• spirituality
• suffering
• biblical counseling

Keywords

• mental health
• church
• holistic
• suffering
• spirituality
• counseling
• CCEF
• saint
• sinner
• embodied souls

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: CCEF

Books & works: Saints, Sufferers, Sinners: Loving Others as God Loves Us

Places: Westminster Seminary

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