Author: Austin, Steve
Binding: Paperback
Number Of Pages: 230
Release Date: 21-09-2021
Details: Product Description In 2012, Steve Austin, then a pastor, nearly died by suicide. His experience launched him on a journey that opened his eyes to the widespread problem of mental illness and how those who live with it are often treated in congregations. He began to wonder: if church folks had talked openly about mental health, therapy, suicide prevention, recovery from abuse, and other difficult issues, would that have changed his story? In Hiding in the Pews, people with mental illness--some of whom might be pastors themselves--will find comfort as they learn they are not alone. Those who know someone with mental illness will gain wisdom about how to be a safe presence. Those who hold the most power in church communities--pastors, board members, and lay leaders--will be challenged and equipped to transform their congregations into places of healing, where it is safe for people to be vulnerable about their suffering. Austin draws on his own experience, as well as on interviews with eighty current and former church leaders and members. Each chapter covers a topic or theme about mental illness and the church and includes practical applications to guide leaders on a journey toward transforming church culture. When a church champions vulnerability and establishes safety within its walls, especially for those who are suffering, the healing power of God can set the captives free. Austin offers hope that faith communities will be the first places people think of when they need a sense of safety and belonging. Review "Western Christians have subconsciously baptized the American Dream but we wonder why all our striving, smiling, and saying prayers and verses in response to suffering and weakness only leave us dry and cracking. We don't need one more book about fighting our fears with faith. We need the kindness of wounded healers willing to show us their scars. By showing us his scars, Austin kindly and accessibly invites us into a better story where our weakness is welcome and our hurt is held." - K.J. Ramsey, MA, LPC, NCC; Therapist and the author of This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers "Mental health conversations--and the messiness that accompany them--have long been taboo in many faith environments. This is why Hiding in the Pews is a vitally important book for our time. With courage, candor, and grace Steve Austin has given us a needed perspective on how church leaders can deeply care for the hurting and vulnerable in their pews." - Aundi Kolber MA, LPC Licensed Therapist + Author of Try Softer "I should not have to apologize for taking up space in this world. Frankly, too many times those with mental illness within the church are forced to explain away their pain, their hopes, their sadness, and even their joy. More dangerously, as you will read in these pages, some people will even have to reckon with their church communities, where others are demanding their illness be prayed away or chased out, as if they need an exorcism. Let me be clear: The heart of God is far bigger than that. The church should follow God's lead. Steve is an advocate for our big-tent God--a God who is willing to embrace you at the height of mania or the depth of depression, a God who will quiet the fears of anxiety and instability, a God who will shift the weeping of depression to the joy of a new morning. Steve Austin has come to know that God and shows us that this God is worth getting to know." - from the Foreword by Rev. Robert W. Lee About the Author Steve Austin was a writer, coach, podcaster, and former pastor whose work was featured in USA Today, Huffington Post, The Mighty, and other outlets. Austin died by suicide in 2021 after a long struggle with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Before his death, he had become a leading voice at the intersection of faith and mental health. Austin is survived by his wife and two kids.
EAN: 9781506470481
Package Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
Languages: English