Pastor Bryan and Heidi talk candidly about their personal journeys with depression, mental health and stigma within the church. Please note that this episode also mentions suicide and suicidal ideation, so this conversation may not be suitable for children or those of us who aren't ready to listen to that right now.
The presence of mental illness isn’t a metric of your faith or spirituality; it can affect members, leaders, and pastors. And healing can be in a moment for some, but for many, it can take a lifetime.
God can heal our deepest hurts and pains, but if you break a bone, you need to see a doctor. In the same way, if you are suffering from a mental health condition, therapy and medicine are God-given tools to guide you toward healing and recovery.
Please find lists for group therapy and therapists below. You can also email Heidi.Kwon@ekkochurch.com for a list of Spiritual Directors.
Episode 5 | Too Blessed to be Depressed?
Depression, Mental Illness and Spirituality
September 22, 2021 • Bryan Kim, Heidi Dixon Kwon
Episode 14 | Let Your Life Speak
May 11, 2023 • Heidi Dixon Kwon, Bryan Kim
We are back for season two of MCWPB! This season, we are doing something a little different. For the first few episodes, we are doing a book club-style chat to discuss books everyone should read. In this episode, we dive into "Let Your Life Speak" by Parker Palmer (https://http://rb.gy/m0lg6) and process some of the book's main ideas. It's like being able to read the book, without reading the book (but we suggest you read the book). Musicbed SyncID: MB01ZG9JZFA6IQP
Episode 13 | On the Topic of Spiritual Abuse
September 12, 2022 • Heidi Dixon Kwon, Bryan Kim
What is the difference between being edited, being offended, and being abused? These seem like they'd be clear enough, but when something hurts our feelings, our egos… especially in the church setting, how can we tell the difference? Because let’s be real, sometimes being held accountable or being called out can feel terrible - especially when we’re not in a good place. The church is a place and a community that can hold many layers of experiences. Some people come to the table with memories of pain, and trauma, while others experience healing and restoration. We bring both before God and one another. And when you bring humans together who are broken and messy and trying to wrestle with faith and the gospel in one place, we are bound to bruise one another as we learn to love, give grace, forgiveness… all in the hopes of being formed into the likeness of Christ.
Episode 12 | Character over Calling
August 12, 2022 • Heidi Dixon Kwon, Pastor Bryan H Kim, Pastor Michelle
Many of us have had these questions: "Am I in the right lane?" "Am I in the right career?" We go through life sometimes thinking that our decisions are like switches on the railroad track. But what if God cares more about who we are than what we do? And what does it look like to live that out practically in our lives? We sit down with Pastor Michelle and hear about her story which includes many career shifts and many transitions. But mostly we hope you catch the way in which she submits herself to the slow and steady work of God forming her through it all. For the sermon referenced in the podcast: Names of God Series: Yahweh Yireh https://subspla.sh/rjbbdma Music featured: Funky Thing by Mullaha, Beginning Light by 24th and Haven, and Be With Me All My Days by John Lucas (SYNC ID: MB011BOSQFEL2EQ, MB01JCKYM57BAKL)