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Category Archives: Strategies
A different way of thinking about kids with mental illness
Let’s think about church for a minute and consider the reality that folks with mental illnesses have disabilities that cause them difficulty in some environments but not others. There are lots of things about the environments in which we “do church” that pose major barriers for a parent or child struggling with common mental health disorders.
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Posted in ADHD, Advocacy, Anxiety Disorders, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Strategies
Tagged ADHD, aggression, anxiety, Asperger's Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, church, Depression, Family Ministry, Inclusion, Joe McGinnis, Key Ministry, mental health, mental illness, ministry environments, Stephen Grcevich MD
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Contributing to a conversation about faith and mental illness
What if the environments in which we “do church” are distressing to large segments of our population who struggle with common mental illnesses? And what about the family members of a child or adult with a mental illness who miss out on learning about Jesus or growing in faith in Jesus because attending church or belonging to a small group or participating in a service ministry is too overwhelming to their brother or mother? It’s not unreasonable to assume that a significant chunk of people in any given community have some experience of church but don’t regularly attend church because of the subtle, but real ways in which mental illness presents a barrier to the environments in which we do ministry. Continue reading
Advancing the movement…
I’ll share some ideas about strategies we can all begin to pursue where we’re positioned right now…this is intended to be a starting point to spark discussion Continue reading
Key Strategy #6…Leveraging technology to maximize our impact
The greatest obstacle we face in sharing the Gospel with kids with disabilities and their families rests in the challenges presented by the environments in which we worship and do much of what we refer to as “ministry.” Our newfound ability to connect with people anywhere, at any time provides us with a tool to bridge the barriers that currently exist at church for kids who process sensory information differently, evaluate risk differently and maintain self control differently than kids considered more “typical.” Continue reading
Key Strategy #5…Seeking platforms to advance the ministry
Our people and resources are irrelevant if churches don’t know they exist. While there’s a fair amount of narcissistic self-promotion in ministry world, there’s nothing wrong with seeking out opportunities to be a positive influence for including families of kids with disabilities in the church. Continue reading
Key Strategy #4…Intentionally collaborative
Today, we’ll look at our ongoing efforts to advance our mission and the disability ministry movement through partnering with other like-minded organizations and individuals. Continue reading
Key Strategy #3…Expanding the circle
As Key Ministry grows and develops additional partners, we’ll be intentional in cultivating relationships with other leaders throughout the church. Continue reading
Key Strategy #2…Building a team
We’ve also sought to establish a culture that other strong leaders with big visions can join. We’re not just providing a service…we’re part of a movement. And movements need lots of high-capacity leaders with big visions. And we need to learn from other high-capacity leaders if we’re to honor God by doing what we do with a level of excellence that reflects His nature and character.
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Key Strategy #1…Services and resources are offered free of charge
We saw the opportunity to provide services free of charge as an opportunity for our organization to model an object lesson in grace. After all, Jesus paid the price for our salvation. We can’t do anything to earn salvation…we simply have to accept Jesus’ gift, freely given. If “free” worked for Jesus, it should work for us. Continue reading
Six Key Strategies
During March, we’ll share six “Key” strategies…operating principles and approaches that provide a framework for our staff and volunteers when unexpected opportunities arise. Continue reading
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