Union Churches Host VOP Mental Health Series

BURLESON, TEX. – Seeking to reach people outside their walls, more than 200 Seventh-day Adventist churches across North America, including 14 in the Southwestern Union, hosted a short mental health series called MindFit this past spring. The Voice of Prophecy (VOP) produced the event to empower churches to be practical and spiritual resources to help communities battle a continent-wide mental health crisis.

“On a global scale, one in eight people struggle daily with mental illness—one in five in North America,” said Alex Rodriguez, VOP associate speaker. “The implication is clear: it is nearly impossible to live on this earth and not be affected by mental illness.” 

Each session of MindFit, a four-part event, commenced with audiences watching a 30-minute episode of a docuseries hosted by Rodriguez, who traveled across North America to speak with mental health professionals and patients. The series sheds light on the history and prevalence of mental health challenges. It emphasizes that effective treatments are available and amplified by biblical principles. After each episode, a local church leader guided the audience through a provided study and discussion.

Andres Canizalez, pastor of the Clovis Seventh-day Adventist Church in Clovis, N.M., was impressed by MindFit’s ability to generate community engagement. “Our city has a huge need for mental health awareness; some use drugs and alcohol as antidepressants,” Canizalez emphasized. “The MindFit videos were very informative and helped us understand mental health struggles. Attendees also testified how they had personally faced these struggles and sought help to overcome drugs and alcohol.” 

Local mental health providers and government officials lent resources to the Clovis church to hand out at each MindFit session. Following the event, Canizalez kept in touch with several community attendees to encourage them and connect them with professionals. Canizalez plans to host the series again.

“Our church struggled getting information to our city,” he said. “Thanks to MindFit, we were able to let people know that the Adventist Church cares about them.”

The Fredericksburg Seventh-day Adventist Church in Fredericksburg, Tex., is also planning to host MindFit for a second time. The church’s excitement for the event surprised head deacon Don Krimmer, a retired substance abuse counselor who, before leading the local study in the spring, was concerned about the stigma attached to mental health issues.

“As Adventists, we don’t often admit that we have problems,” explained Krimmer. “We like to think that we have it all together.” As Krimmer watched his audience open up during the discussion portion of each MindFit session, his worries dissipated. Many individuals shared how their lives had been touched by mental illness. Krimmer is excited by the possibility of drawing in even more people from the community when Fredericksburg hosts MindFit again in October. 

“MindFit offers present truth,” Krimmer said. “In the fall, we’re going to put more effort in getting our community to attend. Of course, we encourage people to invite friends to all our meetings, but this is a mental health event. That invitation is very nonthreatening.”

For churches interested in hosting MindFit and receiving an advertising boost to draw in more community members, VOP will conduct continent-wide MindFit campaigns on Sept. 19-21 and Jan. 2-4. In the weeks leading up to these dates, host churches will benefit from a mass social media campaign promoting the series.

“With approximately 6,500 Adventist churches dotting the landscape of North America, our denomination is uniquely positioned to be a center of healing for those who are struggling,” Rodriguez said. “We filmed MindFit to place churches at the forefront of the mental health conversation. May the love of Jesus be reflected through us as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in bringing physical and spiritual healing to a world perishing in hopelessness.”

To join those serving their communities through this unique evangelistic event, visit MindFitEvent.com/Host.

By Amanda BlakeVoice of Prophecy Writer