By 96five Wednesday 14 Aug 2024Sunday CelebrationHealth and WellbeingReading Time: 2 minutes
You wouldn’t have to travel back too far in time to find a place where the issue of mental health in a faith setting was swept under the carpet.
Not so anymore, with everyone now being aware of the ease in which mental health challenges can overcome us, but also the importance of asking for help when you need it.
Dave Quak is a Gold Coast pastor who leads the Living Temple Christian Church, is married to Jess, and likes the usual kind of stuff like snorkelling and playing pranks on his mates. Except along side all of that, Dave lives with bipolar disorder; a condition that affects mood, and sees people experience overwhelming highs and extreme lows.
Earlier this year, Dave launched the Sunburnt Souls podcast, which exists for those navigating the challenges of faith and mental illness.
He is now also presenting a series of one minute spots on 96five, which Dave says are all about making mental health challenges real and relatable.
“The statistics on people walking with mental ill health in Australia is phenomenal,” Dave told 96five’s Alex Milne.
“If you factor in everyone who is supporting those people, I feel like these radio spots are there to encourage almost the entire population. If we don’t have mental ill health, then we almost certainly know someone who does.”
Dave also said that mental health challenges should no longer come with the stigma that was once attached, especially in a faith setting.
“For me, I can be fully alive in Christ, while walking with mental health issues, the same way that someone who is diabetic can be fully alive in Christ.
“The difference is that when we look at conversations around mental ill health, we do need to disarm some past misunderstandings as well as moving forward with people in this sphere.”
Dave’s podcast Sunburnt Souls is all about having conversations with people who have lived experience of mental health.
“I have had pastors who have burnt out, I’ve spoken to people with a history of addiction; it’s chats with people who, like me, love Jesus but who have gone through these struggles.
“It is a bit of a testimony to God’s goodness in bringing us through that, but also the continued frustration of living in that intersection of faith and mental health.”
Listen out to 96five for Dave’s one minute spots, and check out Dave’s conversation with Alex Milne in the audio player at the top of the page.
Main image supplied Sunburnt Souls.