Depression is a mental illness that goes beyond “feeling blue.” While most people are sad or feel down on occasion, depression is a prolonged period of intense sadness — including feeling helpless, hopeless or worthless — that can keep a person from functioning well in daily life. Likewise, anxiety is a natural and normal emotional response to stressful life situations that can become a disorder when it grows out of proportion to the situation or extends beyond the circumstances that triggered it.

Discovering that a nonchurched person in your life is struggling with depression or anxiety provides an opportunity to witness to that person. While most of us are not qualified to diagnose a person’s depression or anxiety, as Christ’s witnesses we can bring a message of comfort and hope to the people who suffer from these disorders. Using the LASSIE approach to witnessing, this module explains how to witness in a natural manner to our co-workers, neighbors, friends and family members who are dealing with depression or anxiety without the peace of Christ.