You are Not Alone

Mental Health & Wellness Ministry   -   August 28, 2025

This past March, WMPC’s Mental Health and Wellness and Health Ministry teams welcomed Dr. Warren Kinghorn, a professor at Duke Divinity School and a practicing psychiatrist with the Duke University Medical System. He writes and speaks on the role of faith communities in providing mental health care, not as a means of fixing symptoms, but as restoring a person’s way of living and relating to themselves, others, and God holistically.

In a well-attended presentation, “You Are Not Alone: How Christian Faith Connects Us in a Disconnected World,” Dr. Kinghorn addressed the growing issue of loneliness and isolation in America, as highlighted by former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s 2023 report.

Dr. Kinghorn emphasized that Christian faith can provide a sense of belonging, purpose, and hope in a culture of disconnection. He expertly described how the church can be a place of vocation, purpose, and mission, then asked, ‘How can churches be places for reconnection?’

According to Dr. Kinghorn, to belong, you need to be missed! And reconnection is not just inclusion but belonging. He helped the WMPC audience understand that church is a place where we can be known, in addition to serving as a refuge in times of crisis.

Additional key points from his presentation included:

  • The importance of addressing the loss of trust and learning to ask for help, as illustrated by Dr. Kinghorn’s personal story and the question “Who would you call in a time of need?”
  • The concept of shame and how it can lead to withdrawal or overwork, and the need to respond with vulnerability and honesty
  • The idea that fulfillment is found in wonder, not control, and that churches can be sites for reconnection and belonging
  • The importance of being known and missed by others, and of having a sense of purpose and mission

Practical suggestions for building connections, such as:

  • Asking simple questions in small groups to encourage sharing and connection
  • Checking in with one another to show care and support
  • Reaching out to someone who is hurting or disconnected
  • Practicing vulnerability and learning to receive help from others

Dr. Kinghorn also recommended the book “Lost Connections” by Johann Hari, which explores the idea that our culture is no longer meeting our needs for connection and community

The presentation also included interactive exercises, such as writing down the names of closest friends, someone who hasn’t been talked to in a long time, and someone who is hurting, and then reflecting on these relationships and reaching out to them.

During the evening’s question and answer portion of the presentation, Dr. Kinghorn suggested that to help someone who is disconnected, take the first step. We should ask ourselves what might be stopping them, and we should give opportunities for people to be seen and known by checking in with one another.

Overall, this wonderful presentation emphasized the importance of building connections and community in a culture of disconnection, and the role that Christian faith can play in providing a sense of belonging, purpose, and hope.

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