Category Archives: Key Ministry

Inclusion Fusion…The Special Needs Ministry Web Summit

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Dr. G

Inclusion Fusion will be a FREE, worldwide web conference to equip churches to more effectively minister to families of kids with disabilities. The conference is an opportunity for Christ followers everywhere to come together to share ideas and resources to advance the movement among Christ-honoring churches to serve, welcome and include families of kids with disabilities. Inclusion Fusion is being made available free of charge, to ensure the participation of as many church leaders, volunteers and families as possible.
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Information Overload

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Dr. G

One of the downsides of this proliferation of ministry content and resources is the danger that ministries can get into an escalating “arms race” in which leaders feel they need to promote more and more content in overlapping social networks in an effort to be heard above the “noise” caused by the volume of social media available. There’s also a risk of churches and parents who want to start ministry initiatives becoming paralyzed by the range of resources available to them through what’s referred to as choice overload theory. I think it’s also easy for ministry leaders to get so caught up in keeping up with social media and measuring success in terms of Facebook fans, Twitter followers and website hits that we lose sight of the ultimate goal…sharing God’s love with the people around us in such a way that those people are drawn to Jesus. Continue reading →

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The Luau

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Dr. G

“So, back to that Friday night party and the Sunday morning worship that followed it. It’s not about the party at all, is it? It’s about being the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to families who are affected by disability. It’s about meeting them where they are, with lots of love and no judgment. When we do this, we have a rare chance to serve up a little slice of Heaven right here on Earth. And that’s where the real party is!” Continue reading →

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I’m Taking My Talents to Cedarville…2011 Bioethics Conference and Joni and Friends Through the Roof Summit

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Dr. G

I’m honored to have received the opportunity to speak at the 2011 Bioethics Conference and Through the Roof Summit, scheduled for September 15-17, 2011. The conference is cosponsored by Joni and Friends and the Center for Bioethics at Cedarville University. Continue reading →

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Autism and Your Church…Revised Edition by Barbara Newman

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Dr. G

Autism and Your Church is an excellent resource for church staff and volunteers seeking to more effectively minister to children and adults with autism spectrum disorders and their families, offering strategies for creating welcoming environments and practical solutions for churches seeking to be more inclusive of persons with special needs. Continue reading →

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An Inclusive Movement

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Dr. G

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve continued to have experiences that reinforce how important it is for Key Ministry to actively seek out other ministries and leaders who are passionate about sharing Christ’s love with families of kids with disabilities, to offer to support and network those ministries and leaders, and to share our platforms with them in order to assist them in expanding the impact of their ministries. Continue reading →

Posted in Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Leadership, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Rules of the Community…Everyone Gets to Play!

Posted on June 26, 2011 by Dr. G

Every person or organization with a love for Jesus Christ, a heart for sharing the Good News of His Gospel with kids with disabilities and their families and a demonstrable capacity to do ministry with a standard of excellence that advances God’s reputation in the world gets to “play” with our team. Continue reading →

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Be Not Anxious…What Causes Anxiety Disorders in Children?

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Dr. G

Welcome to our Summer Blog Series examining the impact of anxiety disorders on church participation and spiritual development in kids. Today, we’ll look at some of the causes of anxiety disorders in children and youth. Continue reading →

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How Dads are Impacted When Kids Have Disabilities

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Dr. G

Examination of contributing factors to the higher rates of depression seen among men with teen or young adult children with autism may help us better appreciate what it’s like to walk in the shoes of a father of a child with a significant disability. Continue reading →

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Be Not Anxious…”Doing Church” With Separation Anxiety or Panic Disorder

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Dr. G

Today, we’ll continue our look at challenges church participation poses for children and teens with anxiety disorders by discussing specific situations likely to cause distress for kids with separation anxiety and panic disorder.
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Posted in Anxiety Disorders, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Stories, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment