We are pleased to partner with Christ Church to offer The Church Mental Health Summit 2026.
This is a three-day, global gathering for those who want to care with confidence, wisdom, and compassion. Join thousands of pastors, care teams, counsellors, and church volunteers who are building cultures of care in their churches and communities.
Christ Church will be hosting the sessions at their Walnut Grove site. Various sessions will run throughout the event, so feel free to register to join us for an entire day (just bring your own lunch) or for either the morning or afternoon. Some sessions will include facilitated times of discussion.
Coffee and cold drinks will be provided, and the event is free of charge.
Please confirm your attendance by REGISTERING HERE.
The session schedule is listed below. Detailed information about the sessions and speakers is available on this page.
Wednesday, October 7
SF = Spiritual Formation; LOH = Leadership & Organizational Health
9:00 – Biblical and Theological Perspectives — Ruth Haley Barton (SF)
10:00 – Training Flourishing in Ministry Coaches to Care for Ministry Leaders Well (LOH)
11:00 – Finding Shalom: Theology and Mental Health — John Swinton (SF)
12:00 – Lunch Break
1:00 – The Challenge and Value of Suffering — John Andersen (SF)
1:45 – Leading with a Trauma-Informed Lens — Elias Omer (LOH)
2:30 – Dual Relationship: Building Context-Appropriate Boundaries in Your Ministry — Ruth E. Stitt (LOH)
3:15 – The God-Shaped Brain: How Our View of God Changes Our Lives — Timothy R. Jennings (SF)
4:00 – Building a Church that Cares: The Role of Care Leaders in Healthy Ministry — Rev. Rebecca Bailey and Pr. Dan Broyles (LOH)
Thursday, October 8
MH = Mental Health and Well Being; HR = Health and Recovery
9:00 – Supporting Survivors of Sexual Abuse Within Families — Dr. Joy Wilson (HR)
9:45 – Abuse Recovery: From Surviving to Thriving — Haley Scully, M.A. (HR)
10:30 – Unshackled: Addiction, Grace, and the Church as a Place of Recovery — Graham Joseph Hill (HR)
11:15 – Pain to Purpose — Davy Blackburn (HR)
12:00 – Lunch Break
1:00 – Does the Church Care? Creating a Culture of Care Ministry — Jen Ripley and Jim Sells (MH)
2:00 – Understanding Suicide: A Biblical and Compassionate Approach — Dr. Thomas V. Thomas (MH)
2:45 – Faith and the Healing Professions: What Each Can Teach the Other — Andrew Hartz (MH)
3:30 – Stop Confusing Mental Health with Mental Illness — Rachel Newham (MH)
4:15 – The Silence No One Talks About: What Grieving People Need but Churches Often Miss — Dr. Zoricelis Davita (HR)
Friday, October 9
CO = Community Outreach; FS = Family and Students
9:00 – Loving Well in Your Marriage — Sharon May, Ph.D. (FS)
10:00 – Beyond Partisanship: Recovering Our Public Witness — Elisabeth Cronlund, CNP (CO)
11:00 – Redemptive Public Work: How to Serve Your Community Without Losing Your Soul — Alvin Sanders (CO)
11:45 – Compassion-in-Action: A Church’s Response in Times of Uncertainty — Reina Olmeda (CO)
12:30 – Lunch Break
1:15 – “On Ramps” for Welcoming Individuals and Families Impacted by Mental Illness Into Church — Stephen Grcevich (FS)
2:30 – Supporting Families in Crisis: Building a Care Ministry for Overwhelmed Caregivers — Mary Tutterow (FS)
3:15 – Partnering Together for Healthy Families and Student Well-Being — Saru Koirala (FS)
4:00 – Supporting Teen Mental Health — Aaron Rosales and Chuck Hunt (FS)