Pastor Suicide Archives - Christian Standard

Articles for tag: Pastor Suicide

January 2, 2020

Depression and Ministry: How Do We Respond When Our Church Leaders Are Struggling?

“I was sick and you looked after me.” _ _ _ By Paul H. Alexander The pastors’ emotional struggles were widely known. Yet, most people did not know just how real and intense the struggles were day in and day out. Only God knows how much pain these men were in. About 18 months ago, a pastor in Southern California killed himself. In the following months, two more young pastors also tragically took their own lives. In this area everyone knew someone who was impacted, at least indirectly, by these events. Many men and women I know were affected directly

October 30, 2019

Christian Standard

Anxiety & Depression Care & Counseling

HIU’s Alexander Teaching Church Leaders about Depression and Ministry

By Chris Moon When a prominent pastor committed suicide last year in Southern California, Paul Alexander couldn’t help but take notice. A lot of people he knew had a connection with the young pastor—Andrew Stoecklein—and they were deeply moved by the news. Alexander, a licensed marriage and family therapist who assumed the presidency of Hope International University in August, has spent years studying and teaching about depression and ministry. It only made sense to help. Depression is something many ministers struggle with—even though, Alexander said, it is “not comfortable or common to talk about it.” Alexander contacted Gene Appel of