Theological and scriptural statement
The source and ministry of PSMIN is in Jesus Christ. He healed mentally ill persons. Jesus called the sick to arise and to take part in their own healing. We are called into community with Jesus for healing, nurturing and enabling wholeness. By God’s grace, each of us helps to heal, nurture and make whole the community of believers.
PSMIN finds its base in the Great Ends of the Church.
- The proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind. We are to declare the good news that those with mental illnesses are included in the grace of God and that they have the possibility of wholeness and welcome into the Church and the right to live their lives in the community with full acceptance.
- The shelter, nurture and spiritual fellowship of the children of God. It is our special calling to reach out and embrace with God’s love: the homeless mentally ill; all those rejected by family, church and society because of the symptoms of their mental illnesses; the very souls of those who have felt the darkness of deep despair and depression and who may have known a sense of abandonment by God; and all those who kneel to care for such as these.
- The maintenance of divine worship. There can be no divine worship if any are excluded. PSMIN will not rest until every congregation of the faithful has made a place for the children of God who struggle with mental illnesses.
- The preservation of the truth. PSMIN lifts the full throat of its voice in every venue of human life to combat the mindless personal and social prejudices which afflict and destroy the mentally ill. We cry out against the utterly false stigmas and labels of shame, sinfulness, infectiousness and demon possession. We challenge the destructive prejudicial beliefs that persons with mental illness are unemployable and untreatable. We hold up the truth and denounce all social prejudices and stigmas which reject and exclude the mentally ill and their families from all their rightful places in human society.
- The promotion of social righteousness. PSMIN is called to promote justice with and for those with serious mental illness in dealing with systems and providers of mental health services, health insurance, housing and employment. The Church is called to advocate politically and socially for a competent, just and compassionate mental health system and full parity with other illness and wellness care.
- The exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world. PSMIN believes the Church should lead in demonstrating by its life welcoming, treating with parity and dignity, and advocating for those affected by serious mental illness. It is also called to educate itself, the Church and the greater community of nation and world about serious mental illness in seeking equity, justice and human dignity for those affected by serious mental illness.
