{"id":30781,"date":"2022-09-10T15:04:18","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/gen-z-mental-health-crisis-how-pastors-can-make-a-difference\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:04:18","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:04:18","slug":"gen-z-mental-health-crisis-how-pastors-can-make-a-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/gen-z-mental-health-crisis-how-pastors-can-make-a-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"Gen Z Mental Health Crisis: How Pastors Can Make a Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"
Fernando photo – Unsplash <\/p>\n

Anyone who works with Gen Z is facing a mental health crisis in this generation at levels they\u2019ve never seen before.<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Jamieson Taylor and Kevin Singer<\/em><\/p>\n

The growing Gen Z mental health crisis is being felt across the nation\u2014in schools, families, and churches. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Children\u2019s Hospital Association, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry recently declared this crisis a national emergency. As a pastor or church leader, you may have a unique opportunity to come alongside educators and parents to make a difference in the lives of young people struggling with mental health.<\/p>\n

Mental health during COVID<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Springtide Research Institute recently released sobering findings on Gen Z (ages 13-25) mental health trends two years into COVID-19.<\/p>\n

The research found teens and young adults feel extremely depressed, anxious, stressed, and lonely. Over half of young people (53%) reported the biggest challenge they faced during the pandemic was their mental health. Nearly half of young people (48%) say they\u2019re moderately or extremely depressed. Another 1 in 4 say they\u2019re extremely stressed (25%). And 1 in 5 say they\u2019re extremely anxious (26%) or extremely lonely (21%). Worse, 6 in 10 young people (61%) say adults in their lives don\u2019t truly know the extent of their struggles. This includes 59% of young Protestants.<\/p>\n

6 in 10 young people (61%) say adults in their lives don\u2019t truly know the extent of their mental health struggles, including 59% of young Protestants, according to a Springtide Research study. Click To Tweet <\/p>\n

These trends aren\u2019t necessarily new. Experts have been monitoring America\u2019s \u201cloneliest\u201d generation and their mental health since before the pandemic. Gen Z faces the normal challenges of typical adolescent uncertainty. But there\u2019s really no \u201cnormal\u201d for them to return to after the pandemic. Their worlds turned upside down just as they were starting to find their footing.<\/p>\n

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We can begin to understand these years of their lives are not opportunities and events delayed, like an adult returning to a well-known office at a steady job. In many instances, young people are missing entire developmental markers and moments\u2014formative and singular events that in many cases cannot be easily made up for or replaced. And often, these losses are coupled and magnified by a loss of support systems, the kind that would normally help them move forward in times of uncertainty or growth. In essence, the pandemic hasn\u2019t been a mere speed bump in their lives. It\u2019s been a sudden and dramatic left turn.<\/p>\n

Anyone who works with Gen Z is facing a mental health crisis in this generation at levels they\u2019ve never seen before.<\/p>\n

From crisis response to crisis prevention<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In Springtide\u2019s new report, Mental Health & Gen Z: What Educators Need to Know<\/em>, Springtide Executive Director, Dr. Josh Packard, unpacks a heavy burden both faith leaders and educators working with young people are familiar with.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past decade, many teachers (myself included) have been trained to spot the warning signs of mental-health crises in our students, direct them toward resources, and check in on them regularly\u2014all while doing the thousands of other things that constitute our jobs,” Packard says. \u201cBut sometimes it doesn\u2019t work. We don\u2019t see. We\u2019re too busy or too untrained or the situation is simply beyond our capacity to see and respond to.\u201d<\/p>\n

This typical approach\u2014focusing on monitoring and, when needed, individual crisis intervention\u2014is still critical work. But what if there are twice as many students falling into crisis? An already challenging task could easily become overwhelming. For a lot of churches, there simply aren\u2019t enough trusted adults to meet the growing need. The answer, then, is to focus time and resources on building a mental health-friendly culture that goes beyond crisis response.<\/p>\n

Pastors can make a difference<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There are a number of actions faith leaders and communities can take to begin caring for young people in ways that mitigate mental health struggles before they become crises. Some of these are pragmatic\u2014staying in touch, making referrals to mental health professionals, and offering financial help with counseling costs. While these pragmatic things are vital, the research shows young people need more.<\/p>\n

Young people who feel they belong in a community say they\u2019re \u201cflourishing a lot\u201d in their mental health at significantly higher rates than those who don\u2019t feel they belong, according to a Springtide Research study. Click To Tweet <\/p>\n

A critical finding from Springtide\u2019s mental health study is that young people who feel they belong in a community say they\u2019re \u201cflourishing a lot\u201d in their mental health at significantly higher rates than those who don\u2019t feel they belong. To be sure, belonging isn\u2019t just a result of well-thought-out programs. It\u2019s also a function of highly relational practices like knowing their name, acknowledging their presence and their absence, remembering details they\u2019ve shared about their lives, and\u2014especially for this generation\u2014being cognizant and appreciative of their identities (e.g., racial or ethnic).<\/p>\n

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See also  8 Ways to Persevere in Ministry<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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A 2020 Springtide report demonstrated a pattern in the stories of young people as they moved from initial joining to experiences of belonging. Three distinct feelings kept surfacing as they talked: feeling noticed, being named, and feeling known. This pattern resurfaced in interviews for this report. This pattern of moving from noticed to named to known is known as the Belongingness Process.<\/p>\n

Young people initially enter relationships, groups, and organizations because of certain commonalities\u2014shared interests, values, beliefs, practices, vocations, or professions. But they stay in those relationships when they feel like they belong. Pastors and church leaders should lead the way in cultivating a sense of belonging for young people.<\/p>\n

Here are three action steps pastors can take to cultivate a stronger sense of belonging for young people at your church:<\/p>\n

1. Look for outliers<\/h4>\n

Consider young people who are likely to not <\/em>feel they are a part of your church community\u2014perhaps minorities, those with reclusive personalities, or those attending inconsistently. Assess what you can do to help these students.<\/p>\n

2. Consider assigning adult mentors to your students<\/h4>\n

Be it an elder or deacon, a staff member, or someone whose kids are grown, this adult can be someone students can connect with beyond typical church activities. These mentors don\u2019t need to be trained mental-health practitioners, but they should be ready to listen and willing to help a student find the resources they need.<\/p>\n

Young people initially enter relationships, groups, and organizations because of certain commonalities. But they stay in those relationships when they feel like they belong. \u2014 @KevinSinger0 & @JamiesonTaylor2 Click To Tweet <\/p>\n

3. Offer mental-health first-aid awareness training to students<\/h4>\n

When it comes to conversations about mental health, young people naturally turn to one another. Therefore, the more peer connections they have, the better. But beyond this, you can equip young people with the skills to help one another. Students can be better equipped to help their friends and, importantly, to know when to bring a concern to a trusted adult. Mental Health First Aid is one organization offering this training.<\/p>\n

Many churches are doing a good job helping Gen Z feel noticed, named, and known on a basic level. However, there are important places where pastors can strive to dig deeper into this dynamic and truly create a sense of belonging that leads to connection. Taking action dedicated to building connections at your youth group or college ministry is a sure way to create an environment that is mental-health friendly at its very core.<\/p>\n

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Kevin Singer<\/h2>\n

@kevinsinger0<\/p>\n

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Kevin is head of media and public relations for Springtide Research Institute and teaches religious studies courses at community colleges. He was involved with North American Mission Board church planting from 2009-2014.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n