About The Course

Why has the church struggled in ministering to those with mental illnesses?

Each day men and women diagnosed with mental disorders are told they need to pray more and turn from their sin. Mental illness is equated with demonic possession, weak faith, and generational sin. As both a church leader and a professor of psychology and behavioral sciences, Matthew Stanford has seen far too many mentally ill brothers and sisters damaged by well-meaning believers who respond to them out of fear or misinformation rather than grace.

This course educates Christians about mental illness from both biblical and scientific perspectives. Stanford presents insights into our physical and spiritual nature and discusses the appropriate role of psychology and psychiatry in the life of the believer. Describing common mental disorders, Stanford probes what science says and what the Bible says about each illness.

This course is based on his book Grace for the Afflicted (InterVarsity Press) available for purchase at ivpress.com or at Amazon.com.

Lesson Plan

Epilogue (Matt Stanford)

Epilogue (Matt Stanford)
A Clinical and Biblical Perspective on Mental Illness (Trailer)

A Clinical and Biblical Perspective on Mental Illness (Trailer)
2 - The Secular and the Sacred

2 - The Secular and the Sacred
3 - A Cake of Figs

3 - A Cake of Figs
4 - A Lost Mind: Psychotic Disorders

4 - A Lost Mind: Psychotic Disorders
5 - Mood Disorders: Depression and Bipolar Disorders

5 - Mood Disorders: Depression and Bipolar Disorders
6 - Overwhelmed: Anxiety Disorders

6 - Overwhelmed: Anxiety Disorders
7 - Broken and Crushed: Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders

7 - Broken and Crushed: Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders
8 - Distressed and Destructive: Personality Disorders

8 - Distressed and Destructive: Personality Disorders
9 - Dementia, Strokes, and Head Injuries

9 - Dementia, Strokes, and Head Injuries

Teaching This Course

Matthew Stanford

Bio
Matthew S. Stanford is CEO of the _Hope and Healing Center & Institute_ in Houston, Texas, and adjunct professor of psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine and the Houston Methodist Hospital Institute for Academic Medicine. Dr. Stanford's research on the interplay between mental health and faith has been featured in such national publications as _The New York Times_, _USA Today_, and _Christianity Today_. A Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, he is the author of several books including _Grace for the Afflicted: A Clinical and Biblical Perspective on Mental Illness_ and _Grace for the Children: Finding Hope in the Midst of Child and Adolescent Mental Illness._

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Tailored for Your Spiritual Journey

From students to seasoned pastors and lifelong learners, Seminary Now offers the tools and insights to deepen your faith or enhance your ministry.

Seminary Now is a great resource to have in your church or organizational toolkit. The courses are thoughtfully designed in short, easy-to-digest videos for a well-paced learning experience. Imagine the rich conversations that your team can have when you are learning together from some of the most qualified and engaging Christian voices today!

Carmen Joy Imes
Author; Associate Professor of Old Testament, Biola University

Pastors have very busy lives and Seminary Now is perfect for building theological and biblical knowledge and sharpening ministry and cultural engagement skills in a manageable and affordable way. And the fact that Seminary Now is constantly adding new courses means that there is a ready-made context for becoming a lifelong learner. What a gift!

Dr. Nijay K. Gupta
Author; Professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary

Seminary Now provides a unique combination of deeply researched insights from leading authors presented in a highly approachable format. If you are looking for discipleship, leadership development, or training, it is hard to find video material that more perfectly fills the bill.

Tod Bolsinger
Pastor and author; Senior Congregational Strategist and Associate Professor of Leadership Formation, Fuller Theological Seminary