Wholeness

'A well-written and uncompromising book which teaches us an enormous amount about the whole area of healing. Wholeness addresses the whole area of healing as Christy Wimber draws on her considerable personal experience to help the reader understand the many ways God uses this important gift of the Spirit to help us to grow in our spiritual lives. Many times we have to unlearn what we have been taught about who we are in order to learn who God says we are. We are reminded that the goal of healing is for all to be loved by a loving God, to be given the opportunity to demonstrate our love for others, and to lose our own fear of asking them to help us.

Christy reminds us that one of the most challenging issues among Christians today is mental health, which is rarely talked about because of the stigma attached to it. However, it's a recognized fact that one in four members of our church and natural families, and of our friends and colleagues, will be struggling with some aspect of their mental health while we simply do not know how to help them. Wholeness greatly increases our understanding of this complex area and the best ways of addressing it.

This book challenged my whole way of thinking about various aspects of the healing ministry, particularly in the vital area of mental health, and I wholeheartedly commend it to every Christian - particularly to those with even the most basic leadership responsibilities.'

Charles Whitehead, president of the International Charismatic Consultation (ICC)

'For generations the church has believed it can't handle the truth when it comes to complex and difficult things like mental health. But denial and avoidance have cost us dearly, and are now grinding to a crashing end. We are faced with a great opportunity: the truth. Can we handle it? I believe this book will help us not only handle the truth but allow it to set us free.'

Danielle Strickland, international speaker, justice advocate, and author

'Mental illness is epidemic and rising. Has the church anything to say? Has Jesus anything to offer? Christy Wimber and Katharine Welby-Roberts' book Wholeness offers a resounding 'Absolutely!'.

As someone who has personally journeyed with mental illness for many years, I am so grateful that wise Christian leaders are now addressing this, and bringing wisdom, grace, hope, and healing for the many who are struggling.'

Simon Ponsonby, author, teacher, and pastor of theology at St Aldate's Church, Oxford

'Mental health and well-being is one of the most important issues of our day, and the Christian community's response to it is vital. Far too often we have been silent on the issue, and for too long it has been a subject shrouded in whispered conversations; hidden away in corners of our church communities' lives.

Christy Wimber's compassionate, thoughtful, and provocative book calls us to bring the subject into the light. It asks difficult questions and provides refreshingly honest and powerful answers. This book will help people who know that the church can do better on issues of mental health and mental illness, and is a powerful call for us to care enough to engage properly with the subjects, walk tenderly with those who live with mental illness, and remember that all of us need to think about our mental health. A powerful book with a compassionate, provocative, and insightful voice.'

Malcolm Duncan, author, lead pastor at Dundonald Elim Church, and theologian-in-residence at Essential Christian and Spring Harvest

'Christy Wimber has written an important book. She is a bit like the young David in the Bible facing Goliath, who, when everyone else is avoiding the giant, walks up to it and calls it out. With honesty, transparency, vulnerability, and boldness she confronts the issues of mental health within an understanding of healing, and the pain of following Jesus when you don't see what you thought you would see, or even what you were taught to expect. And all of this has so much credibility because it comes out of a life and ministry with so much experience of God's power of healing.

Her theology of healing in chapter 8, is pure gold, and is worth the price of the book alone. These are the mature, tender and hope-filled reflections of someone who articulates a balanced and beautiful understanding of healing, which she outworks in her final two chapters with wise practical advice. Thank you, Christy, for this call to the church, your pastoral heart for the pain people carry, and your wise, balanced advice.'

Steve Graham, principal at Equippers Bible College, New Zealand