Download “Connecting to the Disconnected” (Workshop

Connecting to
the Disconnected
The example of Jesus and the
demoniac of Gadara in Mark 5
(also Luke 8 and Matthew 8).
Mark 5:2-6
• 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there
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met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could
bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and
chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and
the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in
the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
Mark 5:15
• 15 And they come to Jesus, and see
him that was possessed with the
devil, and had the legion, sitting,
and clothed, and in his right
mind: and they were afraid.
Mark 5:18-20
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18 And
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19 Howbeit
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20 And
when he was come into the ship, he that had been
possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with
him.
Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go
home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord
hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how
great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
Mental Health
• The prevalence and incidence of mental
health disorders is worth reviewing in order
to better grasp the size of the population
segments affected.
• The following summaries are focused on
prevalence in adolescents and young adults.
ADHD
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) is one of the most common
childhood disorders and can continue through
adolescence and into adulthood. Symptoms
include difficulty staying focused and paying
attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and
hyperactivity (over-activity).
Anxiety Disorders
• Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and can actually be
beneficial in some situations. For some people, however,
anxiety can become excessive, and while the person
suffering may realize it is excessive they may also have
difficulty controlling it and it may negatively affect their
day-to-day living. There are a wide variety of anxiety
disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder,
obsessive-compulsive disorder, and specific phobias to
name a few. Collectively they are among the most
common mental disorders experienced by Americans.
PTSD
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety
disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event
or ordeal in which there was the potential for or actual
occurrence of grave physical harm. Traumatic events that
may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural
or human-caused disasters, accidents, and military combat.
People with PTSD have persistent frightening thoughts and
memories of their ordeal, may experience sleep problems,
feel detached or numb, or be easily startled.
Social Phobias
• Social phobia is characterized by a persistent,
intense, and chronic fear of being watched and
judged by others and feeling embarrassed or
humiliated by their actions. This fear may be so
severe that it interferes with work, school, and
other activities and may negatively affect the
person’s ability to form relationships.
Mood Disorders
• Mood disorders represent a category of mental
disorders in which the underlying problem primarily
affects a person’s persistent emotional state (their
mood). The statistics below, derived from
the National Comorbidity Survey – Adolescent
Supplement (NCS-A) , represent 13 to 17 year olds
experiencing major depressive disorder, dysthymic
disorder, and/or bipolar disorder.
MAJOR DEPRESSION
• Major depression is a common mental disorder
affecting adolescents in the United States.
• The 12-month prevalence data for major depressive
episode presented here are from the National Survey
on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Based mainly on
the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), a major depressive
episode is defined as:
• A period of two weeks or longer during which there
is either depressed mood or loss of interest or
pleasure, and at least four other symptoms that
reflect a change in functioning, such as problems
with sleep, eating, energy, concentration, and self-
What does this mean for
Youth Ministry?
• Those who have the most severe cases are often
disconnected from others and struggle to develop
relationships.
• Knowledge and willingness to meet them where they
are can allow us to connect with and reach a
population that is often simply either not connected
to churches or have been ostracized.
Q&A