EP. 49. Is Mental Health The Church's Business

Talking Off The Couch podcast focuses on mental health and mental wellness within the community of color. Tatiana Smith who is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Dallas, Texas decided that it is time to shed light and break stigmas about mental health/wellness in the communities of color. This podcast is a voice for the mental health community as well as the average person. Talking Off The Couch will make you feel Ok about not being Ok. This week's episode I speak my guest Pastor Keith Battle. We talk about why there is a disconnect between the church and mental health, the importance of therapy, where mental health is talked about in the Bible, emotions and lack there of in man, and seven ways to handle a bad day. Keith Battle is the pastor of Zion Church located in Landover, MD. Keith Battle first began preaching in the late 1980s, those who knew him would often hear him say he would never want to be a Pastor. What an awesome responsibility! This mindset came from a combination of him loving what he did as an Itinerant Preacher and from the difficulty that many Pastors seemed to go through and experience in starting and maintaining a church. Yet, apparently the saying is true, “never say never”. In the late 1990s, Keith was greatly motivated and influenced by a couple of books that he read that were written by successful church planters — Rediscovering Church by Bill and Lynne Hybels, and The Purpose-Driven Church by Rick Warren. This is when the first seed for the "sensitive-seeker" model of doing church was planted. With the blessing of both his wife and his former Pastor, Reverend Jonathan Weaver (Greater Mt. Nebo AME Church) this is where the call to plant Zion Church became clear to Keith. As he spent days and days in prayer searching his heart, he knew that in his heart was one true passion and that was to start a new and different kind of church – not “church as usual”. In October 1999, the first meeting regarding this dream was held over a spaghetti dinner. After many meetings and months of preparation, thought and guidance from God, the first public Bible Study was held for Zion Church on Thursday, February 17, 2000. About 25 people attended this gathering at Largo, MD. Under Pastor Battle’s leadership, Zion Church has grown to over 5,000 regular attendees. Takeaways from this episode: There is a Conclusion to your Confusion. 1. Go to Therapy. 2. Find a Therapist for your soul. 3. Be ok with being Whole! Be woke in your soul. Where you can find Keith: Web: http://zionlandover.com/ Facebook: @keithbattle Instagram: @keithbattle Resources and Books Mentioned: The Bible Podcast hashtag #talkingoffthecouch and #TOTCpodcast Email: info@talkingoffthecouch.com Facebook-Talking off the Couch Podcast Facebook Group-Talking Off The Couch Village Instagram-talkingoffthecouch Twitter- podcasttotc If you are interested in working with Tatiana as a therapist you can find out more about her services at www.tsmithcounseling.com If you have questions or would like to discuss sponsorship opportunities, email us at: talkingoffthecouch@gmail.com Make sure to also visit our website at www.talkingoffthecouch.com ​