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Why are People Turning to Therapy Instead of Church?
Your most engaged members are dealing with anxiety, relational struggles, and emotional challenges, but many aren't thinking to bring those struggles to church.
Women's ministry directors are noticing a significant shift: while emotional and relational struggles among church members are increasing, fewer people are seeking help from pastors, small group leaders, or ministry staff. According to Laura Kleinschmidt, who has served in leadership for 15 years, many Christians, especially women, are turning exclusively to professional therapists for issues like anxiety, boundaries, and relational conflict, with broader culture shaping expectations about where different types of help should come from.
The trend points to a gap in how churches communicate their role in whole-life care. In an increasingly therapeutic culture, people are receiving clear messages that emotional and relational struggles belong in a therapist's office, while spiritual questions belong at church. This creates a clear opportunity for you to communicate that the church cares about the whole person. The question isn't whether therapy is valuable (it often is), but whether your people know the church wants to support them through every dimension of life, not just explicitly spiritual concerns.
Three ways to strengthen your church's holistic care:
Communicate clearly about whole-person care. Regularly emphasize from the pulpit and in small groups that God cares about every part of our lives: our emotions, relationships, bodies, and minds. Share stories of how the church has walked with people through anxiety, grief, or relational struggles, explicitly showing how these aren't separate from spiritual life.
Build accessible care pathways. Train small group leaders in basic pastoral care, host teaching events on topics like anxiety and boundaries, and clearly communicate available resources. Create multiple entry points for care so people know exactly where to turn when life gets difficult.
Partner thoughtfully with professional care. When members do work with therapists or counselors, stay engaged. Ask how you can support them, coordinate care when appropriate, and continue walking alongside them. The goal isn't either-or but both-and: helping people access the full range of support they need.
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Ministry Intel
Turn Your Best Sermons Into Year-Round Resources | The Gospel Coalition
Most pastors spend 10-15 hours crafting each Sunday sermon, but that investment typically reaches people just once. TGC editors Jared Kennedy and Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra explain how turning sermons into written articles can multiply your ministry impact throughout the year. The key differences: articles need shorter length (cut your manuscript to the bones), clearer persuasion over pure exposition, and adjusted tone since readers don't know your personality. Written content also reaches a broader audience who may never visit your church but need biblical wisdom for their lunch break scrolling.
This week: Identify your three best-received sermons from last year. Practice converting one into a 1,000-word article using the guidance above. Consider starting a church blog or Substack where your teaching can serve both current members and the wider body of Christ.
Why the Church Matters More than Ever | Christianity Today
As AI chatbots become the go-to source for answers, with 42% of adults now using AI for emotional support and a quarter of Gen Z students consulting ChatGPT before parents, Brad Edwards argues the embodied church community has never been more essential. His CT Book of the Year winner, The Reason for Church, makes the case that digital gnosticism (the belief that we can transcend our bodies through technology) is creating the same spiritual vacuum that secular materialism did. The antidote isn't better Christian apps but deeper commitment to gathered worship, sacraments, and physical service to neighbors.
Consider: Start 2026 by auditing how your church emphasizes embodied community over merely spiritual connection. Are you equipping members to resist the pull toward digital solutions for fundamentally human needs?
Growth Toolkit
A free small group curriculum designed to help members mature to the point where they assume responsibility for others' spiritual growth. This course transforms passive attendees into active disciple-makers.
Free formation resources created by pastors for pastors, including an eight-session apprenticeship primer and adaptable small group materials. Developed and tested with proven transformation results.
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