Mental Health Panel Discussion at the SBC Annual Meeting

Mental health challenges can be overlooked or dismissed and often be stigmatized in local church settings. At the SBC Annual Meeting in New Orleans in June 2023, WMU Executive Director Sandy Wisdom-Martin had the opportunity to lead a panel discussion on this important topic.

Serving on the panel are:

• • Kay Bennett, retired NAMB Send Relief missionary who served in New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Gay Williams, licensed clinical counselor and co-director of Hawaii Pacific Baptist Disaster Relief
  • Jerry Haag, president and CEO of One More Child in Lakeland, Florida
  • Keith Gates, national RA/Challengers/Youth on Mission ministry consultant, lawyer in private practice, and judge at Winnfield City Courts in Winnfield, Louisiana

From their unique and insightful perspectives, this panel of experts shares multiple avenues churches can take to raise awareness of mental health as a critical issue in all of our lives and equip church members to lead and champion mental health initiatives both in the church and in local communities.