James 2:18 Ministries was started by Steven Painter to address the disparity between the church and those dealing with a mental health issue. Too often the church has been seen as a place of condemnation and judgment for those with a mental health problem. Research has shown that people will go to their pastor to discuss their mental health before they go to a doctor. With this being the case, the church must step-up and help those who are hurting mentally.

Additionally, the CDC estimates that more than 1 in 5 American adults lives with a mental illness. With the isolation brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, this issue will just increase. Also factor in the speed with which the American culture runs, the prevalence of social media and screens replacing face-to-face contact, and the movement away from God in the Western Hemisphere – there is a need for the church to be involved in mental health help.

This is why James 2:18 Ministries’ mission is to show the love of God to those who are living with a mental illness. This ministry is a way for Christians to live out their faith, rather than just stating that they have faith in God. As James writes, “But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18).

James 2:18 Ministries’ vision is of a world in which the church takes the lead in helping those who struggle with their mental health problems. Just as Jesus paused to help those with health problems, the church can pause to help those with mental health problems on the road to further evangelization.