Can a pastor have depression?

[kor]

Can a pastor/missionary have depression? Worry and anxiety?
How do you say?

 

[quietthinker]

Can a pastor/missionary have depression? Worry and anxiety?
How do you say?

I think depression (which is emotional) presents when a valid focus is lost; when self and peripheral matters consume one's internal world.
Pastors or missionaries are under a pressure to live up to a certain image and when the available energy is image focussed the greater value becomes thin.

 

[Muna]

Can a pastor/missionary have depression? Worry and anxiety?
How do you say?

Here is the mention of what might be considered similar wording as found in the scripture

Psalm 119:28 My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

Grief, heaviness, sorrow

תּוּגָה tûwgâh, too-gaw'; from H3013; depression (of spirits); concretely a grief:—heaviness, sorrow.

----

Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

Anxiety, anxious care, care

דְּאָגָה dᵉʼâgâh, deh-aw-gaw'; from H1672; anxiety:—care (-fulness), fear, heaviness, sorrow.

----

Phil 2:26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

To be troubled, great distress or anguish, depressed

This is the strongest of the three Greek words (85, 916, 3076) in the NT for depression.

ἀδημονέω adēmonéō, ad-ay-mon-eh'-o; from a derivative of ἀδέω adéō (to be sated to loathing); to be in distress (of mind):—be full of heaviness, be very heavy.

There could be others, but I thought I would just add these

 

[quietthinker]

Here is the mention of what might be considered similar wording as found in the scripture

Psalm 119:28 My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

Grief, heaviness, sorrow

תּוּגָה tûwgâh, too-gaw'; from H3013; depression (of spirits); concretely a grief:—heaviness, sorrow.

----

Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

Anxiety, anxious care, care

דְּאָגָה dᵉʼâgâh, deh-aw-gaw'; from H1672; anxiety:—care (-fulness), fear, heaviness, sorrow.

----

Phil 2:26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

To be troubled, great distress or anguish, depressed

This is the strongest of the three Greek words (85, 916, 3076) in the NT for depression.

ἀδημονέω adēmonéō, ad-ay-mon-eh'-o; from a derivative of ἀδέω adéō (to be sated to loathing); to be in distress (of mind):—be full of heaviness, be very heavy.

There could be others, but I thought I would just add these

Is there value in stating the obvious?

 

[Muna]

Is there value in stating the obvious?

Is there any value in your comment?

 

[PS95]

Can a pastor/missionary have depression? Worry and anxiety?
How do you say?

Of course. They are human. Everyone can be subjected to those.. but especially while walking in the flesh.

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

I have found that to be truth- but we can all take our mind off of Him.
So, yes of course but only for a season and most likely to learn something.

 

[Lambano]

Can a pastor/missionary have depression? Worry and anxiety?
How do you say?

Only if they're human.

We had a pastor whose son developed an absolutely horrid neurodegenerative disease (ALS) that slowly paralyzes and then suffocates its victim, but it draws out the suffering over a period of years. One of the most bastard diseases I've every had the misfortune to see, and I hope to God I never see it again. You can only put on the happy preacher face for so long. Our pastor turned to alcohol to deal with the depression, wrecked his car, got arrested for DUI, and had to resign from the pastorate.

So, while I would discourage dealing with depression this way, I acknowledge that pastors are human beings. Like you and me.

 

[Lambano]

Prophets could get depressed:

3 And he (Elijah) was afraid, and got up and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah; and he left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree; and he asked for himself to die, and said, “Enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” - 1 Kings 19:3-5

So can Apostles:

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction which occurred in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. -2 Corinthians 1:8

 

[quietthinker]

Is there any value in your comment?

yes, it informs you of what you are unaware of.

 

[Muna]

yes, it informs you of what you are unaware of.

I am very aware that you are beating up depressed people in the prayer room, and you are now expanding your territory to depressed pastor threads.

 

[kor]

Only if they're human.

We had a pastor whose son developed an absolutely horrid neurodegenerative disease (ALS) that slowly paralyzes and then suffocates its victim, but it draws out the suffering over a period of years. One of the most bastard diseases I've every had the misfortune to see, and I hope to God I never see it again. You can only put on the happy preacher face for so long. Our pastor turned to alcohol to deal with the depression, wrecked his car, got arrested for DUI, and had to resign from the pastorate.

So, while I would discourage dealing with depression this way, I acknowledge that pastors are human beings. Like you and me.

Hi, thank you so much for sharing this. It is yes very deceitful world that we have to be very aware of and carefully stick to the Word of God.

I am sorry for this pastor. Many pastors/missionaries could be that situation. The devils work so hard

 

[kor]

Only if they're human.

We had a pastor whose son developed an absolutely horrid neurodegenerative disease (ALS) that slowly paralyzes and then suffocates its victim, but it draws out the suffering over a period of years. One of the most bastard diseases I've every had the misfortune to see, and I hope to God I never see it again. You can only put on the happy preacher face for so long. Our pastor turned to alcohol to deal with the depression, wrecked his car, got arrested for DUI, and had to resign from the pastorate.

So, while I would discourage dealing with depression this way, I acknowledge that pastors are human beings. Like you and me.

I feel very sorry for him. It makes me in tear. We don't know how much hard for him.

 

[Wick Stick]

Can a pastor/missionary have depression? Worry and anxiety?
How do you say?

Sure. Having an office to discharge does not exempt one from the human condition.

 

[quietthinker]

I am very aware that you are beating up depressed people in the prayer room, and you are now expanding your territory to depressed pastor threads.

hmmmm....perception says it all!

 

[Pearl]

Can a pastor/missionary have depression? Worry and anxiety?
How do you say?

Of course they can; they are human like everybody else.

 

[Rockerduck]

Everyone at some point in their life will go through a depressive episode in their life. In clinical depression, it is a lack serotonin production and it puts someone in a very dark place, even crying for no reason. Yes, many turn to alcohol as a drug. This can be fixed with a lot of exercise, every day, but most lack motivation to do this. In fact, exercise cures a lot of problems. The better the health, the better the outlook.

 

[Stumpmaster]

Can a pastor/missionary have depression? Worry and anxiety?
How do you say?

For edification:

Roman Catholicism considers despair a sin primarily because it contradicts the theological virtue of hope and reflects a false understanding of God's nature—especially His mercy, justice, and faithfulness.

️ Theological Basis in Catholic Doctrine​

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

“By despair, man ceases to hope for his personal salvation from God, for help in attaining it or for the forgiveness of his sins. Despair is contrary to God’s goodness, to his justice—for the Lord is faithful to his promises—and to his mercy”.

This places despair as a sin against the First Commandment, which calls for trust in God above all.

Philosophical and Moral Reasoning (via Aquinas)​

Thomas Aquinas, in the Summa Theologiae, argues that despair is sinful because it stems from a false intellectual judgment about God. He writes:

“The true opinion of the intellect about God is that from Him comes salvation to mankind… while it is a false opinion that He refuses pardon to the repentant sinner”.

Thus, despair is not just emotional collapse—it’s a moral turning away from truth, a rejection of divine mercy and grace.

Despair as a Gateway Sin​

Aquinas also notes that despair can lead to other sins:

“Who, despairing, have given themselves up to lasciviousness… unto covetousness” (Ephesians 4:19).

In this view, despair isn’t just a passive state—it actively erodes moral integrity and spiritual resilience.

Nuanced Pastoral Perspectives​

Modern theologians like Fr. Ron Rolheiser challenge the rigid interpretation, suggesting that what’s often labeled “despair” may be more akin to psychological collapse than moral fault. He writes:

“Being so beaten and crushed in spirit… is normally not an indication of sin but more a symptom of having been fatally victimized by circumstance”.

This pastoral lens urges compassion, distinguishing between theological despair (a willful rejection of hope) and existential suffering.

---

 

[Lambano]

For edification:

Roman Catholicism considers despair a sin primarily because it contradicts the theological virtue of hope and reflects a false understanding of God's nature—especially His mercy, justice, and faithfulness.

John MacArthur (who was decidedly NOT Roman Catholic) said pretty much the same thing: Despair is a denial of faith.

 

[Lambano]

I feel very sorry for him. It makes me in tear. We don't know how much hard for him.

@mk_lsm, I know from the prayer forum that your own daughter is seriously ill. Is there a connection between this topic and your own situation?

(In other words, are you okay?)

 

[TLHKAJ]

Along these lines, it might be good for any who are experiencing depression or sorrow to hear this sermon.