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Category Archives: Spiritual Development
Defining Brokenness
Brokenness is the experience of pain, suffering and despair used by God to remove our sense of self-sufficiency, deepen our dependency upon Him and prepare us for meaningful service in His Kingdom. Continue reading
Thinking “Orange”…Communicating the Message
Kids (and not infrequently, parents) with hidden disabilities often have difficulty filtering out extraneous information to the point that they miss out on what’s important. One of the top two or three complaints I get from moms about their kids when they first come to our office is that they need constant reminders to do chores or complete homework because other things around the house (TV, the computer, the dog, their little brother) intrude upon their consciousness. Church leaders and volunteers are faced with the challenge of cutting through the information overload that characterizes modern American society with kids and parents with conditions that make prioritizing more difficult. Continue reading
Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Ministry Environments, Parents, Spiritual Development, Strategies
Tagged children's ministry, Family Ministry, Harmony Hensley, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, ministry environments, Orange Conference, Reggie Joiner, Think Orange, Vineyard Community Church
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“Thinking Orange”: The advantages of an integrated ministry strategy
When we think about ministry to the family as opposed to ministry to the child with a disability, collective intentionality is required to ensure the child’s disability doesn’t serve as an impediment to the ability of other family members to participate in activities and programs central to the church’s philosophy of ministry. Continue reading
“Thinking Orange”: Things Every Kid…With or Without Disabilities Needs
Why do I want churches to rethink their approach to ministry for all families, but especially families in which one or more kids has a disability? Kids with disabilities, their siblings and their parents are frequently starving for relationships because of the social isolation that results from the functional limitations of the disabilities in question, both hidden and visible.
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“Thinking Orange”: Libby Peterson on Partnering With Parents
We are coming to believe that every time we tell parents we are here to “equip” them in the faith training of their children we reinforce their belief that they are not adequate AND we feed the cultural lie that parents should contract out each aspect of their child’s growth and development. Parents need discipleship – to fall in love again with Christ – and encouragement to share what they know and are consistently learning with their kids. The church is here to HELP. Too often churches talk about partnering with parents when the church is in fact taking the LEAD and expecting parents to get on board with their initiatives.
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“Thinking Orange”…Family Values: Partnering with parents of kids with disabilities
Nothing is more important than someone’s relationship with God Think of how challenging this principle is to implement on a daily basis for folks in vocational ministry. Imagine how hard this is for parents of kids with disabilities! Based upon the limited data in the research literature, parents of kids with hidden disabilities are more likely to be single parents. Their kids are likely to require far more of their time and attention. Recommended treatments are time consuming and often expensive. In addition to all of the other “idols” that distract us from God in modern life, the day to day needs of kids with hidden disabilities leave parents with less “margin” to pursue their relationship with God. Continue reading
Thinking “Orange”: Warm Hearts…The family’s role in spiritual development is magnified when kids have disabilities…as well as the church’s role (Part Two)
I’ve found many church leaders to be very short-sighted in their conceptualization of disability ministry, resulting in the need for more family-centered approaches. 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 we’ve found to be helpful in facilitating spiritual growth? Continue reading
Thinking Orange: “Warm Hearts”…The family’s role in spiritual development is magnified when kids have disabilities…as well as the church’s role (Part One of Two)
Parents of kids with disabilities are often dragging along quite a bit of baggage. Many of them have their own struggles and limitations that undermine the best of intentions when it comes to their personal spiritual development and the spiritual development of their kids. Follow-through may be difficult for many parents, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t want to. The church plays an invaluable role by walking with them, encouraging them and helping them to take the next step. Continue reading
Posted in ADHD, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Parents, Spiritual Development, Strategies
Tagged ADHD, children's ministry, Church4EveryChild, Disability Ministry, Family Ministry, Harmony Hensley, Katie Wetherbee, Key Ministry, Orange Conference, Reggie Joiner, spiritual development, Think Orange
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To Make “Orange” You Need Red in Addition to Yellow
We’ll be focusing on the unique challenges involved in partnering with families of kids with disabilities around the spiritual development of their children, and explore strategies churches may use to partner with such families. In doing so, it is our hope that the church will understand the advantages of the “Orange” strategy in ministry to kids with hidden disabilities and their families. Continue reading
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