Category Archives: Families

The elephant in the living room…Sin, mental illness and the church

We appear to be far more interested in (and comfortable with) outreach to kids, teens and adults who we view as having little or no moral culpability for their disabilities. Continue reading

Posted in Controversies, Families, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

HIV and other blood-borne pathogens in children’s ministry…Shannon Dingle

So what should you do if there’s a child with HIV in your church? The same thing you should do otherwise: use best practices for first aid and show love to the child and parents. Continue reading

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

The myth that love is always enough…

Sadly, love isn’t always enough, and the implication that it is (or should be) with kids exposed to trauma or neglect is as destructive as the myth that mental illness is caused by a problem with sin or inadequate faith.
Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Advocacy, Controversies, Families, Foster Care, Key Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Everyone is welcome at church tonight…

Some Christmas wishes come true! Continue reading

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Christmas challenges for kids with common mental health concerns…

We’ll look at three common struggles the kids with mental illness experience over Christmas break and offer ideas parents might try to minimize the impact of the holidays upon their children. Continue reading

Posted in ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Mental Health, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Can God use our anxiety for good?

When we judge someone’s faith or spiritual life because of their anxiety, we ultimately push them into a place of shame. Shame drives people into hiding and not seeking and getting the help they need. Continue reading

Posted in Anxiety Disorders, Families, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Leading online support groups…Lorna Bradley

Online support groups create pathways of connection and support for even the most isolated of special needs parents. Continue reading

Posted in Families, Key Ministry, Resources, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

I love adoption, but…

When we say yes as a church to caring about vulnerable children and families, let’s also say yes to talking about related challenges too. Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Families, Foster Care, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Joe Butler…Connecting with families in your community

It’s not about starting a “special needs ministry,” as much as it’s about changing your philosophy of ministry to include families affected by special needs into the life of your church. Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, Families, Inclusion, Inclusion Fusion, Key Ministry, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When it’s scary to say yes…

If we ask families in our churches to say yes to adoption, then we need to be ready to say yes to those families and their children if they need support after their yes leads to unexpected challenges. Continue reading

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