Category Archives: Key Ministry

Common mental health conditions can be MAJOR barriers to church involvement

It’s particularly difficult to understand why parents who might be able to maintain a job and a household or kids who are able to school without one-on-one aides or lots of support services aren’t able to attend church. I’ll try to explain why in today’s post…and give churches a conceptual framework for anticipating the obstacles kids and adults might experience in attending church and addressing them so they no longer remain obstacles.
Continue reading

Posted in Anxiety Disorders, Autism, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Ministry Environments, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

This week at The Front Door…

We’re also beginning the practice of having regular worship hours three evenings each week, supported by wonderful hosts who have agreed to be available to our attendees for chat and prayer at the same worship hour every week. Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, Anxiety Disorders, Families, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thinking Orange…Partnering with parents when kids have disabilities

More so than with parents in the general population, church leaders may need to do more to earn the right to partner with parents from families affected by disabilities. Continue reading

Posted in ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Resources, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Thinking Orange: Supporting the family’s role in spiritual development when kids have disabilities…

How are the kids in the family supposed to come to know and love Jesus if we’re not prepared to welcome the parents to church…and all the other activities at church we’ve found to be helpful in facilitating spiritual growth?
Continue reading

Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Who knew? Guest blogger Denise Schamens

I asked him if he wanted to talk about God. He spelled out “yes.” I asked if he understood what it means to be baptized? He spelled out “it means to accept Jesus into your heart.” Continue reading

Posted in Autism, Families, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Today’s worship schedule at The Front Door…

Here’s the schedule for worship on Sunday April 27th at The Front Door, Key Ministry’s Online Church for families of kids with disabilities who are otherwise unable to attend church. Continue reading

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

The experiment…

In helping local churches to make their worship services, Christian education, small groups and service activities available online, we’re providing them the opportunity to introduce the church to families in an environment that works best for that family. Continue reading

Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Ministry Environments, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Reflections on our first weekend of online church….

Her son was having a rough week with brain stem seizures. She was so grateful to attend that Easter service online! At the end of the service, she told me her son’s seizures had stopped and he had fallen peacefully asleep. Glory to God! Continue reading

Posted in Families, Key Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Experiencing the God of hope in the prison of spiritual autism…Dave Lynden

Being the parent of a special needs child is often a journey of constant despair. You ache for the many things your child will probably never enjoy or experience. With autism, you pine for some kind of deeper connection that you know will always be impaired. Sometimes, it can feel like a kind of prison. But, in this small moment, I suddenly realized that God was taking my routines and trying to break through to connect with me. With this little crack in the wall, I could feel God burrowing through the walls of hopelessness with a small glimmer of a promised world renewed; of a deep blue Pacific Ocean, of a place where the bars and cement block walls that kept me away from my son and kept me away from my God would one day crumble to dust. Continue reading

Posted in Autism, Key Ministry, Spiritual Development | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Front Door…Online Church For Families Impacted By Disabilities

We believe The Front Door represents a new expression of Christian community…an online extension of the local church through which children and families may be introduced to Jesus Christ via technology in environments chosen by their parents and caregivers at times of the day when families impacted by disability may be more receptive to teaching and discipleship. Continue reading

Posted in Families, Inclusion, Key Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments