Four stories of courage under trial by Heather Tomlinson Spring 2017
How can a preacher rouse a congregation to worship God when they are struggling to find peace themselves? What if the church is struggling: based in a violent and divided community, its very survival threatened? Four Christian leaders talk to Preach about their own story of difficulties and how they continued to preach hope in challenging circumstances.
PREACHING AFTER A MENTAL BREAKDOWN Will Van Der Hart
In 2005, Will was a young vicar leading a church near Edgware Road Station. On the morning of 7 July 2005 he opened his church hall to the emergency services as they battled to help the 163 people injured in the London bomb attacks. Will helped to counsel and pray for all involved. Later that year he began to suffer from panic attacks and acute anxiety, which led him to take a break from ministry. He is now a director of mental health charity Mind and Soul, and is the pastoral chaplain for Holy Trinity Brompton. He is currently recovering from a spinal operation and coping with ongoing pain following a serious injury.
