As a former pastor with 12 years of experience, I feel uniquely qualified to speak on the pressing issue of pastors’ mental health. While I never led a mega church, my time shepherding a small congregation was filled with profound challenges that weighed heavily on my mental and emotional well-being. I witnessed tragedies that could leave a lasting impact on anyone’s psyche, including the horrifying incident of a man being set on fire by a group of drug dealers. In the Kensington area of Philadelphia, reaching out to law enforcement during the COVID pandemic often felt like calling a disconnected number—either no one answered, or there were excuses for why help couldn’t arrive.
As a former pastor with 12 years of experience, I feel uniquely qualified to speak on the pressing issue of pastors’ mental health. While I never led a mega church, my time shepherding a small congregation was filled with profound challenges that weighed heavily on my mental and emotional well-be...