I encountered a rumour this morning -- again -- that I was suffering depression in the latter part of my city ministry. The facts: following the death of my wife, my doctor, which is Dr. Mike Nicholas, tested me every five months with the Hamilton or Zung ratings -- because I had been widowed -- and found no depression every time -- I was (quote) "within the normal range". I did not even have what is called "minor depression". During this phase of my ministry -- which is, ministry without my wife -- I was grieving, but not depressed. The relationship between grief and depression is well known. As for my experience outside of this period, much of it can be found on this blog. OBSERVATION: But here I would say something relevant to ministry in general. If a minister should suffer depression -- and many ministers operate in extreme circumstances -- the last thing that should happen is for people to use it against them. Ministers who have suffered depression are household names today: Luther, Bunyan, Wesley, Spurgeon, and so on.
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