Pastoral Development

Pastoring in New England is no small feat. From the intellectual skepticism of urban centers like South End Boston to the quiet isolation of rural churches dotting Vermont’s hills or Maine’s forests, leaders face a post-Christian culture that often questions faith. The region’s vast rural areas, home to small, tight-knit congregations, can amplify feelings of loneliness, as pastors shepherd flocks in remote towns far from support networks. Urban pastors, in cities like Providence or Hartford, face a different but equally isolating challenge: surrounded by people, they’re often disconnected in a fast-paced, skeptical environment that marginalizes their calling. Mental health struggles—both for leaders and their people—add another layer of challenge.

In New England, where many churches minister in spiritually resistant, highly secularized, and often isolated environments, the call to love and shepherd the hurting has never been more urgent. Mental Health and Your Church: A Handbook for Biblical Care by Steve Midgley and Helen Thorne is a thoughtful, theologically grounded, and pastorally wise resource that speaks directly to the heart of that calling.