We might be tempted to separate our emotional health from our spiritual health. We might read our Bibles and go to church, but we may be detached from a real connection with God and others. And we might be unaware of the reasons we continue to suffer emotional distress.

Pastor Ben taught "Emotionally Healthy Christianity" to help create a greater awareness of the causes of our unwanted emotions. In addition, we will see how God’s Word can give us direction and hope to make progress toward a healthier and more Christ-centered emotional life. Click the button below to access a YouTube playlist of this course.

WEEK 1: What is my spiritual battle? (February 23, 2021)

In this class, we will discuss our unique personalities which give us our unique abilities and advantages. In addition, we will discuss how our personality can also lead to emotional toxicity when we are unhealthy. We will learn how to pay attention to how God wired us and where our wiring might cause us problems.

Scriptures: Genesis 1 and 4

WEEK 2: Looking back in order to move forward. (March 2, 2021)

We would like to think that we are completely independent from our upbringing. But the reality is that all of us are affected by our parents and grandparents for better or worse. We see this in the stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The traits of Abraham were passed on to the third and fourth generation. In this class, we will discuss the importance of paying attention to our past so that we can decide what we want to embrace and what we want to release with God’s help.

Scriptures: Genesis 12-50

WEEK 3: What season am I in? (March 9, 2021)

Each stage of life brings challenges. If we are unaware of those challenges, we might not cope well. In this class, we will look at the goals, challenges, and crosses of early life, middle age, and older years. We will rely heavily on Daniel Deutschlander’s book Theology of the Cross as he gives insights into how different life stages affect us emotionally and spiritually.

Scriptures: Ecclesiastes, Mark 8

WEEK 4: Walking through grief and pain. (March 16, 2021)

Pain and suffering are unavoidable. We will all suffer grief and loss at some time. But we don’t always know how to walk through the suffering. In this class, we will look at the book of Job and the Psalms to see how the Biblical authors walked through the deep emotions of suffering and pain. Through this study, we will find ways to walk on the path towards hope and healing.

Scriptures: Job and Psalms

WEEK 5: Living on Purpose. (March 23, 2021)

Much of our emotional distress and anxiety comes from the fact that we don’t know what to do with our lives. We don’t know our purpose. In this study, we will talk about the importance of finding meaning and purpose in our lives even in the midst of pain, loss, and temptation. We will put together a plan to find our “why”, our reason to get out of the bed in the morning.

Scriptures: Matthew 22