Author Archives: Shannon

Church, we can’t not know about adoption and special needs!

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Shannon

Our church community didn’t know what we would need, but they said yes with us: yes to loving through the brokenness, yes to being faithful to the ones (me included) who need to learn to trust once again, yes to a bit more chaos in our row during worship, yes to choosing to do good for young ones for whom others hadn’t always chosen good in their recent past. Continue reading →

Posted in Adoption, Inclusion, Key Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

4 reasons why teens cut to COPE

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Shannon

Because acronyms help facts stick in our head, I’ve created one here: COPE. Teens – or kids or adults – cut for Control, as an Obsessive Behavior, as Punishment, or as an Emotional release. Continue reading →

Posted in Controversies, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

4 thoughts on being a church leader with alcoholism

Posted on July 12, 2016 by Shannon

Bring your stories of redemption, we say. Your testimonies of sobriety are welcome here. But if you’re in the muck right now, we’d really rather you clean yourself up because we don’t really want to get dirty. Continue reading →

Posted in Controversies, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Review: Black and White Bible, Black and Blue Wife by Ruth A. Tucker

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Shannon

The book mixes the personal and the theological, serving as both a wife’s narrative of enduring domestic abuse by a pastor husband and a theology professor’s analysis of the biblical, theological, historical, and contemporary issues surrounding abuse in the church. Continue reading →

Posted in Controversies, Key Ministry, PTSD | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

10 ways to be a safe church for sexual assault survivors

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Shannon

How can our churches be safe places for survivors like me, even those who will never disclose their stories? Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Controversies, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, PTSD | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Teaching the essentials to reach children of all abilities at church

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Shannon

If children and students at our church only grasp one thing today, what should it be? Continue reading →

Posted in Inclusion, Key Ministry, Special Needs Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Partnering with parents to display the works of God in special needs ministry

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Shannon

Because every child’s disability is unique, it’s vital to talk with each family to figure out the best ways to include their child in your church. Continue reading →

Posted in Families, Key Ministry, Parents, Special Needs Ministry, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment