Talking Off The Couch
podcast focuses on mental health and mental wellness within the
community of color. Tatiana Smith who is a Licensed Professional
Counselor in Dallas, Texas decided that it is time to shed light
and break stigmas about mental health/wellness in the communities
of color. This podcast is a voice for the mental health community
as well as the average person. Talking Off The Couch will make you
feel Ok about not being Ok.
This week's episode I speak
my guest Pastor Keith Battle. We talk about why there is a
disconnect between the church and mental health, the importance of
therapy, where mental health is talked about in the Bible, emotions
and lack there of in man, and seven ways to handle a bad day.
Keith Battle is the pastor
of Zion Church located in Landover, MD.
Keith Battle first began
preaching in the late 1980s, those who knew him would often hear
him say he would never want to be a Pastor. What an awesome
responsibility! This mindset came from a combination of him loving
what he did as an Itinerant Preacher and from the difficulty that
many Pastors seemed to go through and experience in starting and
maintaining a church. Yet, apparently the saying is true, “never
say never”.
In the late 1990s, Keith
was greatly motivated and influenced by a couple of books that he
read that were written by successful church planters —
Rediscovering Church by Bill and Lynne Hybels, and The
Purpose-Driven Church by Rick Warren. This is when the first seed
for the "sensitive-seeker" model of doing church was planted. With
the blessing of both his wife and his former Pastor, Reverend
Jonathan Weaver (Greater Mt. Nebo AME Church) this is where the
call to plant Zion Church became clear to Keith. As he spent days
and days in prayer searching his heart, he knew that in his heart
was one true passion and that was to start a new and different kind
of church – not “church as usual”.
In October 1999, the first
meeting regarding this dream was held over a spaghetti dinner.
After many meetings and months of preparation, thought and guidance
from God, the first public Bible Study was held for Zion Church on
Thursday, February 17, 2000. About 25 people attended this
gathering at Largo, MD. Under Pastor Battle’s leadership, Zion
Church has grown to over 5,000 regular attendees.
Takeaways from this
episode: There is a Conclusion to your Confusion.
1. Go to Therapy.
2. Find a Therapist for
your soul.
3. Be ok with being Whole!
Be woke in your soul.
Where you can find
Keith:
Web:
http://zionlandover.com/
Facebook:
@keithbattle
Instagram:
@keithbattle
Resources and Books
Mentioned:
The Bible
Podcast hashtag
#talkingoffthecouch and #TOTCpodcast
Email:
info@talkingoffthecouch.com
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If you are interested in
working with Tatiana as a therapist you can find out more about her
services at www.tsmithcounseling.com
If you have questions or
would like to discuss sponsorship opportunities, email us at:
talkingoffthecouch@gmail.com
Make sure to also visit our
website at www.talkingoffthecouch.com