Pastors and other clergy members often serve as pillars of support in times of crisis. Yet what happens when they're the ones who need to be lifted up? Mark Dance, a former pastor who lives in Alabama, knows firsthand that mental health struggles can impact those in church leadership.
He revealed the details of his story to Fox News Digital. The ‘three-year fog’ Dance’s mental health challenge began about 15 years ago, when he was in his third pastoral position, he said. He and his wife, Janet Dance, were busy navigating life in ministry while raising teenagers — and they were also in the middle of a major move from one church campus to another. 'I noticed that I had become different,' he told Fox News Digital.
Dr. Norman Blumenthal, director of the Ohel Zachter Family National Trauma Center in New York, noted that members of the clergy are often 'benevolent and idealistic individuals' who extend themselves to others, even at the expense of their own well-being. 'It's essential to remember that charity and care entail giving generously, but not excessively,' Blumenthal, who is not associated with GuideStone, told Fox News Digital.
In his role, Dance often tells preachers, 'Don't self-diagnose and don't hesitate to ask for help.' 'God has not called us to be competent in everybody else's profession — if you’re a pastor, it’s OK not to be a mental, physical or financial health professional. Just be a pastor and let other people help you.' At GuideStone, Dance said, the focus is on helping pastors and ministers to 'stay well and finish well.
Listening to God is an important part of self-care, according to Dance. 'He's the one who designed us — He knows how to help us stay well,' he said. 'I learned to become more physically, mentally and spiritually healthy, through the process of my mind being renewed by the Lord and His people.' Dance also draws support from his wife of 36 years and their two children. 'My wife is my biggest fan and advocate,' he said.