Author Archives: Dr. G

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About Dr. G

Dr. Stephen Grcevich serves as President and Founder of Key Ministry, a non-profit organization providing free training, consultation, resources and support to help churches serve families of children with disabilities. Dr. Grcevich is a graduate of Northeastern Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), trained in General Psychiatry at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western Reserve University. He is a faculty member in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at two medical schools, leads a group practice in suburban Cleveland (Family Center by the Falls), and continues to be involved in research evaluating the safety and effectiveness of medications prescribed to children for ADHD, anxiety and depression. He is a past recipient of the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Dr. Grcevich was recently recognized by Sharecare as one of the top ten online influencers in children’s mental health. His blog for Key Ministry, www.church4everychild.org was ranked fourth among the top 100 children's ministry blogs in 2015 by Ministry to Children.

Key Strategy #6…Leveraging technology to maximize our impact

The greatest obstacle we face in sharing the Gospel with kids with disabilities and their families rests in the challenges presented by the environments in which we worship and do much of what we refer to as “ministry.” Our newfound ability to connect with people anywhere, at any time provides us with a tool to bridge the barriers that currently exist at church for kids who process sensory information differently, evaluate risk differently and maintain self control differently than kids considered more “typical.” Continue reading

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Key Strategy #5…Seeking platforms to advance the ministry

Our people and resources are irrelevant if churches don’t know they exist. While there’s a fair amount of narcissistic self-promotion in ministry world, there’s nothing wrong with seeking out opportunities to be a positive influence for including families of kids with disabilities in the church. Continue reading

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Nella Uitvlugt…a tribute

Because so many leaders are new to the disability ministry movement and never had the opportunity to learn from Nella, I thought the best way to honor her contributions to the field would be to share the video of her presentation from this past November’s Inclusion Fusion. Continue reading

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Gillian Marchenko…To the new mother of a baby with Down syndrome

I am a bit farther down your new path. Give yourself time to fall in love with your son, and to get used to Down syndrome. Breathe in his baby smell. Watch how his brother kisses the top of his head, how your husband gently puts him down to sleep, how your baby locks eyes with you when he eats. The weight of the world is in those eyes.

Today, you don’t have to love Down syndrome. Just love your son.
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Key Strategy #4…Intentionally collaborative

Today, we’ll look at our ongoing efforts to advance our mission and the disability ministry movement through partnering with other like-minded organizations and individuals. Continue reading

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Are teens “undermedicated” for mental health disorders?

There is very little evidence in this study to suggest that large numbers of teens are getting psychiatric medications that they don’t need. Continue reading

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Key Strategy #3…Expanding the circle

As Key Ministry grows and develops additional partners, we’ll be intentional in cultivating relationships with other leaders throughout the church. Continue reading

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Walk Worthy, Pope Francis!

Pope Francis strikes me as a leader who shares many passions with Christ-followers throughout the disability ministry movement. Our team at Key Ministry wishes him well and will be praying for his success. We’d be honored to support our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ everywhere who seek to live out the Gospel through welcoming and including kids with disabilities and their families into into the life of the church. Continue reading

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Key Strategy #2…Building a team

We’ve also sought to establish a culture that other strong leaders with big visions can join. We’re not just providing a service…we’re part of a movement. And movements need lots of high-capacity leaders with big visions. And we need to learn from other high-capacity leaders if we’re to honor God by doing what we do with a level of excellence that reflects His nature and character.
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Key Strategy #1…Services and resources are offered free of charge

We saw the opportunity to provide services free of charge as an opportunity for our organization to model an object lesson in grace. After all, Jesus paid the price for our salvation. We can’t do anything to earn salvation…we simply have to accept Jesus’ gift, freely given. If “free” worked for Jesus, it should work for us. Continue reading

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