Identifying with Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Dr. G

imageIn preparation for this Easter, I’ve found myself drawn to the figure of Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane…in particular, the story of how he pulled out his sword in defense of Jesus at the time of His arrest by the authorities, despite the presence of overwhelming force.

Even though what Peter did was wrong…Jesus immediately rebuked Peter and cleaned up the mess he caused by healing the severed ear of Malchus (the servant of the High Priest)…I appreciate and identify with Peter’s impulse to defend Jesus and what He represents. I suspect…like Peter…that I’ve been reacting to events unfolding before me from a spirit of mixed motives and a lack of understanding of how to respond to the progression of God’s plans with an equal measure of grace and truth.

I’m especially vulnerable to the sin of not controlling my tongue. I’m pretty passionate about the stuff I believe in and the work that I do. At times, I’ve said some things online that were pretty cynical…especially comments of a political nature. The truth be told, I think I’ve completely disqualified myself to ever serve as chaplain of any Cleveland-based sports team…at least until the current generation of players and team officials retires or moves on to another position. The problem is that my harsh words and criticism do a lousy job of winning folks over to Jesus or building a more loving society. The stuff I’ve said definitely led to strained relationships with some folks on our ministry team and detracted from my ability to be an effective leader of the team. I ask for their forgiveness, as well the forgiveness of others I’ve offended…but most of all, Christ’s forgiveness.

As the events of the past few years have unfolded, I’ve responded all too often from a spirit of self-interest or excessive pride. I want to avoid persecution for being a follower of Christ…something that I strongly expect is coming to America in the very near future. I want to continue to practice medicine as I see fit. I want to be on the winning side…and it doesn’t feel at all like those of us who seek to live by the principles espoused in Scripture are winning the war being waged for our culture by any means. At times, I have to confess that my anger at changes unfolding in society has had less to do with the harm that will come to others but stemmed from ego…a “this isn’t going to happen on my watch” mentality. I’m definitely guilty of placing my faith in political leaders and solutions (and being sorely disappointed) instead of placing my trust in Jesus and His plans.

I’ve been guilty of insensitivity. I was reminded of this by a pastor friend…wheenver he would talk about abortion from the pulpit, he was very aware that there was likely at least one woman (and probably more) who had chosen to abort a pregnancy attending the worship service. I’ve frequently wondered whether my girls are coming away with the wrong impression of me…and Christianity from the comments I make during dinner when the evening news is on in the background. I know that stuff I’ve posted online has been insensitive…and has probably driven others away.

I’ve been guilty of living a dual identity…I’ve been unwilling to (at times) submit my orientation as a physician or an adherent to traditional values to my primary identity/orientation as a follower of Christ. For all of this, I ask forgiveness.

At the same time, I’m very much struggling going forward with what it means to be Christian when having Christian values is decidedly uncool. I’m convinced it’s critically important that those of us who have gifts, talents or experience as communicators…especially those of us in the neurosciences…be willing to stand up publicly for our values and beliefs. Because of who I am in Christ and because of my life experiences as a physician and neuroscientist, I can’t in good conscience stay silent when society moves in the direction of devaluing the sanctity of life, minimizing the importance of the God-given roles established for mothers and fathers, and placing greater importance upon the right to sexual gratification without consequence than the responsibilities adults have to consider the needs of the children in their care or the freedom we have as Americans to pursue worship as a way of life.

I’ve been very much struggling to find the right “tone” for communicating effectively in my primary role as Christ-follower, taking into account the knowledge and life experiences God has given me.

I’ve come to understand that I can’t balance grace and truth, but only the Holy Spirit within me can do that. I know I’ll make mistakes going forward,but thanks to what Jesus did for all of us 1980 years ago today, I know I’ll be forgiven.

I’d appreciate your prayers going forward this Easter. That I’d be able to conduct myself worthy in my role as a leader with an organization like Key Ministry. That the Holy Spirit would help me in controlling my tongue and making me sensitive when my words might turn others away from Jesus. That I would be fearless in professing the truths of Scripture in my words and actions, and help encourage others to do the same. And that I’d become more like Jesus in the year ahead.

Thanks! Sunday’s coming!

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Key Strategy #6…Leveraging technology to maximize our impact

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Dr. G

iPadWe’re concluding our miniseries examining Six “Key” Strategies…operating principles and approaches that provide a framework for our staff and volunteers when unexpected opportunities arise. Today, we’ll examine our efforts to take advantage of new technologies to advance our mission of helping churches connect with kids with disabilities and their families.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

“To reach people no one else is reaching, we have to try stuff no one else is trying.”

Craig Groeschel

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.”

Consider the barriers kids encounter who have disabilities, but would never be thought of (or think of themselves) as having “special needs”…

  • The bustle, light, color and noise of our ministry environments for kids and teens
  • The social demands of our church environments for the child (or parent) with difficulty processing body language or social cues.
  • Expectations for self-control for a child who struggles with hyperactivity, stereotypical movements, vocal/motor tics or poor impulse control.
  • The times when we do worship aren’t necessarily convenient for families of kids with disabilities. Parents are frequently exhausted by Sunday morning. Sleep disorders are common among kids with mental health conditions.
  • Many of our churches that are most effective at sharing the Gospel in an engaging and relevant manner don’t have supports in place for families of kids who need 1:1 support to function at church.

The beauty of our new technology is that we in the church now have the ability to provide introductory opportunities for worship and discipleship to families of kids with disabilities within their preferred environments. That doesn’t mean that families will stay within those environments forever. A goal of any online church initiative to serve families of kids with disabilities must be to serve as a catalyst to those families worshiping Jesus in the physical presence of other believers.

We need to put some other supports in place first before plunging into online ministry. We’ll need hundreds of churches across the U.S. and beyond to which we can direct families who connect through online worship, Bible studies and small groups. We need churches prepared to offer respite care and other practical supports. But we HAVE to try something different. There’s too much at stake for us not to!

In addition to online worship and outreach, the ability to train church staff and volunteers online is a must as we push forward with our mission. We don’t have the money or the staff and volunteer resources to travel to all of the places where we might have impact for the Kingdom.

We’ve sought to make as many of our resources available for free online…our Inclusion Fusion library (to be updated in 2013 with last year’s Inclusion Fusion presentations, our new Website, and the Disability Ministry Web Summit we’ve hosted for the last two years.

I think web-based technology will have a greater impact upon the future church than the invention of the printing press…which contributed greatly to the Reformation. Key Ministry will be at the forefront of the new technology…using it to share the love of Christ with families of kids with disabilities.

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Key CatalogOur Key Ministry team is very much in need of your support if we are to continue to provide free training, consultation and resources to churches. Please consider either an online donation or a sponsorship from the Key Catalog. You can sponsor anything from an on-site consultation at a local church, the addition of a new site for church-based respite care, to a “JAM Session” to help multiple churches launch special needs ministries in your metropolitan area. Click the icon on the right to explore the Key Catalog!

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Key Strategy #5…Seeking platforms to advance the ministry

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Dr. G

DSC00116We’re continuing our miniseries examining Six “Key” Strategies…operating principles and approaches that provide a framework for our staff and volunteers when unexpected opportunities arise. Today, we’ll examine our efforts to advance our mission and the disability ministry movement through seeking opportunities to educate as many leaders within the church as possible about the needs of families with disabilities…and the resources available to support them at church.

I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

Romans 1:14-15 (NIV)

Paul wanted to go to Rome. Rome was the center of the world’s culture at that time… similar to New York today. If you were seeking to have a significant impact on thought and culture in the first century A.D., Rome was the place you had to be. If you’re an organization seeking to impact the church, conferences and social media are where you need to be.

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. As a result we’ve actively pursued (and sought to create) platforms…conferences, publications, online resources and social media for getting the word out about Key Ministry, as well as other like-minded ministries. We needed a strategy for creating awareness among the most people who can do ministry for the least amount of money.

In pursuing this strategy, we’ve sought to model the change we seek by offering our platforms to like-minded leaders and ministries. We want other ministries to be featured in our blogs and included in our conferences. Including others serves as an ongoing protection against selfish ambition and helps us to maintain our focus on the primacy of advancing the Kingdom. The nature of modern social media is such that we’re most likely to be successful in communicating the work of our ministry by sharing our platforms with others.

inclusionfusionfinalWe’ve sought to implement this strategy in the past by launching our social media initiative, participating in conferences such as the Accessibility Summit, the Orange Conference, Group’s Kidmin Conference, the Children’s Ministry Web Summit, and launching Inclusion Fusion.. In the future, any online platform we develop for training and worship will include resources from many ministries and many churches. We are interested in developing relationships with publishers for the purpose of disseminating our resources to a broader audience.

Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16 (MSG)

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Accessibility Summit 2013Our Key Ministry team will be hitting the road to be part of the 2013 Accessibility Summit, hosted by McLean Bible Church in suburban Washington D.C. on April 19th-20th. This year’s Summit features Emily Colson (daughter of Chuck) As an artist, author, and speaker, Emily is passionate about inspiring others to persevere through their challenges and appreciate life’s gifts. In her book Dancing with Max, she and her late father share the struggle and beauty of life with Max, Emily’s son with autism.

For more on our Key Ministry presentations, click here. For more information on the Summit and registration, click on the Summit logo to the right.

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Nella Uitvlugt…a tribute

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Dr. G

Nella, Katie and AnnieOur friend and colleague Nella Uitvlugt went home very unexpectedly to be with the Lord this past Wednesday night. On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of Key Ministry, we would like to extend our deepest sympathies to Nella’s family, and to the staff and volunteers of Friendship Ministries. Here’s a link to Nella’s memorial page, and a feature story on her life from the Grand Rapids Press in 2011. Funeral services will be held on Monday, March 25 at 11:00 AM at Plymouth Heights Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids.

Nella Uitvlugt was the first person I ever met in the field of disability ministry…possibly before the official beginning of Key Ministry. I was in Grand Rapids doing a “lunch and learn” roundtable in what at the time the busiest ADHD clinic in the U.S. The physician who had headed up the clinic was a Christian and apparently attended the same church Nella’s family belonged to. I was flattered that Nella took time to come to see an “upstart”…she was-and continued to be-very gracious.

In our first or second year, I was having lunch in Downtown Cleveland with Kevin Kelley (one of our founding Board members), a member of the Catholic Charities Board and the VP of Disability Services for the Cleveland diocese. I’d served on the Catholic Charities Board in the past and assumed the diocese would jump all over the chance to work with Key Ministry. It turned out that the diocese had contracted with Nella and her team from Friendship and were so pleased that they had no burning need for what we had to offer.

Friendship Ministries developed a well-developed reputation for ministry with adults with developmental disabilities. She was the first person I recommended when ministry leaders were struggling with the issue of how to transition teens with autism and developmental disabilities into adult life in the church. I think part of Friendship’s success under Nella’s leadership was the way they avoided trying to be everything to everybody. Friendship has been successful by serving a underserved population with excellence.

Nella was on the invite list for our first Inclusion Fusion. Friendship hadn’t yet acquired a lot of tech support at the time and she had to graciously decline. I’m glad I hounded her into participating this past fall.

Because so many leaders are new to the disability ministry movement and never had the opportunity to learn from Nella, I thought the best way to honor her contributions to the field would be to share the video of her presentation from this past November’s Inclusion Fusion. Her presentation was on the topic Ministering Beside Adults With Intellectual Disabilities. As you’ll see, when Nella finally took the plunge into technology, she did it well!

I have no doubt that when Nella had the opportunity to meet Jesus face to face late on Thursday night, Jesus’ welcome began with the words “Well done, good and faithful servant. Our team was honored to have had the privilege of serving with her.

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Gillian Marchenko…To the new mother of a baby with Down syndrome

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Dr. G

579946_10200657836665518_426234612_nMarch 21, 2013 marks the eighth annual World Down Syndrome Day, the second official date since it was recognized by the United Nations last year. People with Down syndrome, their families, friends, teachers, coworkers and supporters will be celebrating across the globe. Celebrated on the 21st day of the third month of the year, the date is symbolic of the third copy of the 21st chromosome that characterizes Down syndrome. There are over 400,000 Americans living with Down syndrome. It is the most common chromosomal condition.

In honor of Down Syndrome Day, I could think of no one better to guest blog than Gillian Marchenko. 

Marchenko GirlsGillian is a writer, speaker and advocate for kids with special needs and their families who, together with her husband Sergei, serves a church in Chicago (Christian Fellowship Church) where families of kids with disabilities are welcome. She leads a ministry (The King’s Table) offering weekly respite care to families of children with special needs, and an inclusive ministry for weekend worship.

Gillian has written very authentically and poignantly about her experiences as the mother  of four children… one (Polly) with an extra chromosome who has had a stroke, two brain surgeries and a diagnosis of Moyamoya Disease, and another (Evangeline) who came to their family through Reece’s Rainbow, an organization that helps kids with Down Syndrome from around the world find loving families. For this year’s Inclusion Fusion, she spoke on the topic…Loss and Grief in Parenting Children With Special Needs.

Here’s Gillian’s post…To the New Mother of a Baby With Down Syndrome

Meeting Her

I remember the feeling.

That first meeting with another family farther along the path of Down syndrome after the birth of our child with the same diagnosis.

I remember fear and fascination.

Fear of the child four or five years old whose eyes mirrored my baby’s. She shouldn’t have looked like him. I birthed her. She should have resembled me.

Fascination, as I watched his sister play with him; he hit her, she cried, mother reprimanded. So common, so usual, so family. Things I thought we may have lost with the appearance of an extra chromosome.

I cried quietly for two hours while visiting this dear little boy and his family. They loved him. They cherished him. He played games, and communicated with his hands and with his voice. He chowed down on his lunch.

But still, I cried, because this path wasn’t my choice. At my point of weakness his mother appeared strong. I was an anthill. She, a mountain. I clutched my baby to my chest, each second teetering between relief and uncertainty.

His mother was gracious, tender. We whispered to each other as her children played nearby. ”I love him. Our life is good. Really. It is.”

Her smiling eyes met mine.

I looked away.

I loved my baby.

But that day I did not love Down syndrome. It was too big, too unknown.

Meeting You

Your husband contacted us last week. We scheduled dinner. The following days you kept popping up in my mind. A mother forced to move from a typical parenting landscape to some place new, a place everyone claimed was special. If you are anything like me, shocked by a culture wildly unknown and unsolicited.

“Mom, why are you cleaning up around the house, and making us all put on fresh shirts and brush our hair?” Elaina asked as I set the table. “You usually don’t make such a big deal out of dinner guests.”

Several responses queued on my tongue. Instead, in a brief moment of clarity, understanding that Elaina would learn more from the truth, I responded.

“Because, this family had a baby a few months ago with Down syndrome and I want them to feel welcome. I want them to see that we are happy, and that Papa and I treasure all four of our girls. I want them to see that we are OK.”

Your family arrived. We cooed over both of your children. I held your new baby in my arms. He smelled like sunshine.

His eyes mirrored my daughter’s.

I held your little one to my chest as our children played close by. Polly hit Zoya. Zoya cried which made Evie cry, and Elaina played on the floor with your son.

You probably aren’t excited to be a part of our special needs club. I have to tell you, though, welcoming you into my home was like welcoming family.

You teared up as you talked about your love for your son. “Down syndrome is something different. It’s a lot to take in.”

Oh, how I know.

I am a bit farther down your new path. Give yourself time to fall in love with your son, and to get used to Down syndrome. Breathe in his baby smell. Watch how his brother kisses the top of his head, how your husband gently puts him down to sleep, how your baby locks eyes with you when he eats. The weight of the world is in those eyes.

Today, you don’t have to love Down syndrome. Just love your son.

And know that we, other parents in this very special club, are here when you need us and that someday, you will be the one looking a new mother in the eye saying,

“Our life is good. Really. It is.”

(This is a post from the archives that is part of the Disability Series Blog Hope: A Favorite Post. Be sure to go to With A Little Moxie to check out other fabulous posts about disability.)

In addition, I’d recommend two other posts from Gillian…21 Things You Should Know About Down Syndrome and Ten Things Not to Say to the Parent of a Child With Down Syndrome.

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Key Ministry’s mission is to help churches reach families affected by disability by providing FREE resources to pastors, volunteers, and individuals who wish to create an inclusive ministry environment. We have designed our Key Catalog to create fun opportunities for our ministry supporters to join in our mission through supporting a variety of gift options. Click here to check it out! For a sixty second summary of what Key Ministry does, watch the video below…

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Key Strategy #4…Intentionally collaborative

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Dr. G

friends-at-accessWe’re continuing our miniseries examining Six “Key” Strategies…operating principles and approaches that provide a framework for our staff and volunteers when unexpected opportunities arise. 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.

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:5-11 (NIV)

We would have been very intentional about cultivating relationships with other like-minded ministries and Christ-followers, even if doing so wasn’t imperative from a strategic perspective. The crew has too much fun when we get together with our colleagues from around the country and beyond.

We didn’t (and still don’t) have the budget to hire a large staff in support of our mission. Relationships with other leaders and ministries allow us to cast much greater influence than our budget would otherwise allow. Our relationships allow us to access gift and talent sets that compliment the strengths of our team. Working together helps increase awareness of our resources, as well as the resources of our partnering organizations. Working together allows us to focus our efforts on developing resources and services that address unmet needs among the churches we serve.

Key Ministry has occupied a unique position in the disability ministry movement in that our organization was largely started by child-serving professionals, while most other organizations were launched by parents of kids with disabilities or churches in which a senior leader’s family was impacted by disabilities. Our current Board is composed (in part) by a child and adolescent psychiatrist, a former speech and language pathologist, a special education teacher, and a counselor specializing in the treatment of anxiety. We’ve been blessed with many leaders and volunteers with years of professional experience in serving the population of kids and families who are underrepresented in our churches. We’ve asked those professionals to develop resources no other organization could offer and are honored to share our resources with other organizations.

Inclusion Fusion is one enormous collaboration with thirty leaders from a plethora of ministry organizations. Our Free Respite website will be made available to other ministries offering church-based respite care services. We greatly benefit from the resources of organizations who can help us get the word out about what we have to offer… Group Publishing’s invitation to Katie to write for Children’s Ministry magazine and train at their annual Kidmin conference is one example. Our trip next month to the McLean Accessibility Summit is another. Our future electronic ministry will involve MANY collaborations with churches seeking to serve more families of kids with disabilities.

Are you a ministry leader interested in working with us? Give us a call. Shoot us an e-mail. Let’s talk!

I think God is pleased when His children are working together on behalf of the Kingdom.

FYI…Here’s an excellent post from one of our friends on how to do ministry collaboration.

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Accessibility Summit 2013Our Key Ministry team will be hitting the road to be part of the 2013 Accessibility Summit, hosted by McLean Bible Church in suburban Washington D.C. on April 19th-20th. This year’s Summit features Emily Colson (daughter of Chuck) As an artist, author, and speaker, Emily is passionate about inspiring others to persevere through their challenges and appreciate life’s gifts. In her book Dancing with Max, she and her late father share the struggle and beauty of life with Max, Emily’s son with autism.

For more on our Key Ministry presentations, click here. For more information on the Summit and registration, click on the Summit logo to the right.

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Are teens “undermedicated” for mental health disorders?

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Dr. G

iStock_000019287811XSmallI came across an interesting study published by researchers from the National Institute of Mental Health in last month’s issue of JAMA Pediatrics. In this study, slightly over 10,000 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 representative of the teen population in the U.S. were interviewed as part of a larger study on comorbidity, and one line of questioning involved treatment for mental health conditions. Here are the results…

Among youth with any DSM-IV mental disorder, 14.2% reported that they had been treated with a psychotropic medication in the past 12 months. Strong associations emerged between specific disorders and classes of medications with evidence for efficacy. Antidepressants were most frequently used among those with primary mood disorders (14.1%); stimulant use was most common among those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (20.4%); and antipsychotic use was infrequent and mostly seen among those with serious developmental disorders. Less than 2.5% of adolescents without a 12-month mental disorder had been prescribed psychotropic medications, and most had evidence of psychological distress or impairment reflected in a previous mental disorder, subthreshold condition, or developmental disorder. Appropriate medication use was significantly more frequent among those in treatment in the mental health specialty sector than general medicine or other settings.

It’s very easy to look at data from large population studies such as this one and draw sweeping conclusions, but I’ll nevertheless share a few from my observations, experience and involvement in presenting some earlier studies looking at prevalence of stimulant use in kids and teens…

  • There is very little evidence in this study to suggest that large numbers of teens are getting psychiatric medications that they don’t need.
  • Teens and their families have an extraordinarily difficult time accessing good mental health care. In many communities around the country, care is inaccessible because of a lack of qualified professionals. Parents with private insurance have difficulty finding clinicians willing to work with their insurance plans, or avoid seeking care because of high deductibles. Much of the care that is available simply isn’t very good.
  • Medication isn’t necessarily a panacea for many of the mental health conditions that teens experience. As we’ve referenced earlier, antidepressants aren’t all that effective for treating kids with depression. We were involved with a study seven years ago that found kids diagnosed with ADHD who had been prescribed medication received medication less than 40% of the time over the course of a year.
  • Lots of teens are suffering from mental health disorders with the potential to significantly impact their development educationally, socially, and spiritually. Many struggle on a daily basis from disabilities that they don’t even know they have. Kids and families have large, unmet needs in communities of all economic and ethnic backgrounds.

Bottom line…Teens with mental illnesses and their families represent an identified people group worthy of attention when churches consider unmet needs to target for missional outreach.

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ID-10072756Key Ministry has put together a resource page for pastors, church staff, volunteers and parents with interest in the subject of depression and teens. Available on the resource page are…

  • Links to all the posts from our recent blog series on depression
  • Links to other outstanding blog posts on the topic from leaders in the disability ministry community
  • Links to educational resources on the web, including excellent resources from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), a parent medication guide, and excellent information from Mental Health Grace Alliance.

Photos courtesy of  freedigitalphotos.net

Posted in ADHD, Advocacy, Controversies, Depression, Hidden Disabilities, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Key Strategy #3…Expanding the circle

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Dr. G

ID-10072152We’re continuing our miniseries examining Six “Key” Strategies…operating principles and approaches that provide a framework for our staff and volunteers when unexpected opportunities arise. Today, we’ll look at our efforts to engage leaders outside our field of ministry in discussions of making our churches more welcoming to children and teens with disabilities and their families.

One of my favorite books in the Bible is Nehemiah. When Nehemiah was grieved by the state of Jerusalem and returned to lead the people, the first task at hand involved rebuilding the wall around the city. Essential to the success of the project was the involvement of all of the people in rebuilding the wall. Nehemiah’s example is very relevant to the task of preparing our churches to welcome families impacted by disabilities…the gifts and talents of many will be required for the movement to be successful.

A number of years ago, I was in a lunch meeting in which leaders of other ministries vented their frustration that more churches didn’t see the need to establish prominent disability ministries. One of my takeaways from the meeting was that the disability ministry movement collectively hadn’t built the types of relationships that lead to influence within the larger church as a whole. In addition, those of us advocating for greater inclusion of families impacted by disability need to do a better job of understanding the challenges faced by leaders in other areas of the church. To quote Stephen Covey, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Our leadership came to the conclusion that we needed to be be very intentional about expanding the circle…including more people inside and outside of the church into the disability ministry movement. Disability ministry is hard! Ministries that last have broad foundations of support.

cm0313_122x166Looking first within the church, inclusive ministry impacts every area of programming. Leaders serving within children’s, family and youth ministry are often most immediately affected when kids when families impacted by disabilities wish to become more involved at church. For the last two to three years, we’ve been very intentional about seeking to develop relationships and credibility within the children’s ministry community. Katie Wetherbee now writes both both K and Children’s Ministry magazines. Katie and Harmony have both been presenters at major children’s ministry and family ministry conferences. We’ve had a significant presence with the Children’s Ministry Web Summit the past two years. In doing so, we had to expand the scope of our service offerings. We had traditionally focused on “hidden disabilities”…I’d summarize them as the “Four A’s”… ADHD, anxiety, Asperger’s Disorder and attachment disorders. What we found in working with children’s ministry leaders was that they often needed help with kids experiencing more obvious disabilities to earn the right to talk with them about kids with hidden disabilities.

As Key Ministry grows and develops additional partners, we’ll be intentional in cultivating relationships with other leaders throughout the church. I would very much like us to develop relationships with more senior pastors and executive pastors for the purpose of expanding their ministries to families impacted by disabilities without compromising other important church initiatives. We NEED their perspectives in order to serve more effectively. Our efforts this year will likely be focused upon developing relationships through support of churches engaging in missional initiatives in adoption and foster care.

Not AloneWe also see benefit to expanding the circle through the development of relationships with parents and families involved in disability advocacy communities as well as professionals involved in serving kids and families impacted by disabilities that present barriers to church involvement. We’re very encouraged by the rapid growth of the Not Alone web project. Parents of children impacted by disabilities currently within the church are positioned to be incredibly effective advocates for inclusive ministries and likely know other families in their communities in need of a church home. Professionals lend credibility to disability ministry initiatives within their home churches and come in contact with hundreds of families on a regular basis who could benefit from the care and support of a loving church family.

inclusionfusionfinalInclusion Fusion has been a resource we’ve sought to use to expand the circle. Our Program Committee has been very intentional about using the Disability Ministry Web Summit as a way of introducing the movement to leaders from all fields of ministry who need to be part of the process. One of my hopes for Inclusion Fusion in the future is to include presentations from some of the top physicians and researchers throughout the world to help church leaders better understand the nature of common disabilities that interfere with church involvement and spiritual growth and to raise the sensitivity and sophistication of pastors and other church staff providing direct service to families impacted by disabilities.

As in Nehemiah’s time, the “wall” will be built…

Featured photo courtesy of  freedigitalphotos.net

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Key CatalogOur Key Ministry team is very much in need of your support if we are to continue to provide free training, consultation and resources to churches. Please consider either an online donation or a sponsorship from the Key Catalog. You can sponsor anything from an on-site consultation at a local church, the addition of a new site for church-based respite care, to a “JAM Session” to help multiple churches launch special needs ministries in your metropolitan area. Click the icon on the right to explore the Key Catalog!

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Walk Worthy, Pope Francis!

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Dr. G

Pope FrancisI, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Ephesians 4:1-6 (NKJV)

A few thoughts today as Jesus calls a new leader to the largest group of Christians within His Church…

I was struck by the number of non-Catholics who stopped what they were doing to watch the events in Rome yesterday as they transpired. It’s a reminder that despite our doctrinal and denominational differences, for those of us who follow Jesus our commonalities dwarf our differences. In a time when culture is experiencing radical transformation and many are too intimidated to speak out on behalf of their beliefs, Christians of all backgrounds are very interested in the person who will be the world’s most visible spokesperson for the faith.

Pope Francis 2Francis stands as an example of the appeal of an authentic Christian life. By all media accounts he lives very humbly, having rejected the trappings associated with his position as Archbishop of Buenos Aires to live in a simple apartment with another priest. He is a champion of the poor and the downtrodden. While articulately defending traditional church positions on the sanctity of life and marriage, he is willing to kiss and wash the feet of patients with AIDS. I came across this very cool picture (credit-Tony Gomez/ Reuters) of the new pope in a maternity hospital washing the feet of the women being cared for there during Holy Week in 2005.

I’m most encouraged by comments Francis made last Fall while speaking to priests from his diocese on the topic of baptizing children born out of wedlock…

In criticizing the priests who refused to baptize out-of- wedlock children, he argued that their mothers had done the right thing by not receiving abortions and should not be shunned by the church.

Priests who refused to perform such baptisms “drive God’s people away from salvation,” he said.

Bergoglio told his priests: “In our ecclesiastical region, there are priests who don’t baptize the children of single mothers because they weren’t conceived in the sanctity of marriage.

“These are today’s hypocrites. Those who clericalize the church. Those who separate the people of God from salvation. And this poor girl who, rather than returning the child to sender, had the courage to carry it into the world, must wander from parish to parish so that it’s baptized.”

Pope Francis strikes me as a leader who shares many passions with Christ-followers throughout the disability ministry movement. Our team at Key Ministry wishes him well and will be praying for his success. We’d be honored to support our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ everywhere who seek to live out the Gospel through welcoming and including kids with disabilities and their families into into the life of the church.

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Key Ministry’s mission is to help churches reach families affected by disability by providing FREE resources to pastors, volunteers, and individuals who wish to create an inclusive ministry environment. We have designed our Key Catalog to create fun opportunities for our ministry supporters to join in our mission through supporting a variety of gift options. Click here to check it out! For a sixty second summary of what Key Ministry does, watch the video below…

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

Key Strategy #2…Building a team

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Dr. G

cropped-dsc00216We’re continuing our miniseries examining six “Key” strategies…operating principles and approaches that provide a framework for our staff and volunteers when unexpected opportunities arise. Today, we’ll look at why we sought to build around a team of gifted and passionate Christ-followers with complimentary talents and skills as opposed to constructing our organization around a single dynamic leader.

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Romans 12:4-8 (MSG)

Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers.

Proverbs 24:6 (NIV)

Cleveland ClinicKey Ministry’s focus on building a strong leadership team is supported both by my understanding of Scripture as well as my experiences in the world of medicine.

I did my residency at Cleveland Clinic…a world-renowned institution featured prominently in every list of the top hospitals in the world…founded on the model that physicians working together as a team could provide better care. When I think about the folks in my field who have had the greatest impact on improving the treatments available to kids and families, most have been members of groups or departments. The experience of working with colleagues who are very good at their work makes everyone in the group better.

Jesus mentored a circle of followers to lead the church following His earthly ministry. But it’s very easy for the focus to shift away from Jesus to the leader of a given church or ministry. I was never fully aware of the extent of the narcissistic self-promotion in ministry world until our team became very intentional in seeking to influence that world. Kirk Wellum from Toronto Baptist Seminary put it this way in his series, The Cult of Personality…

Today, the church in the West, struggles with what can be called “the cult of personality.” This cult is the antithesis of the self-effacing attitude that characterized John the Baptist. Instead, it is the domination of the church by egos and famous personalities that for all practical purposes become larger than Jesus himself. Rarely, if ever, is this the stated intention of the people involved. Few would dare to deliberately usurp the place that belongs to Christ alone. The cult of personality, however, is more subtle than that. It happens when men put themselves front and centre in their churches and ministries. When everything revolves around them, their sermons, their thoughts, their opinions, their plans, their tweets and their programs.

Our mission is WAY bigger than any one person…and our commission is to point people toward Christ…to “make disciples.” Team leadership makes the possibility of someone other than Jesus becoming the focus of our ministry far less likely.

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. 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.

Team leadership expands our potential influence. Three of our current staff, as well as three of our current Board members (and two past Board members) have had the opportunity to speak at major ministry conferences. There are conferences where one team member has been able to establish a presence when others on our team would never be invited. Each team member has a unique sphere of influence and is capable of opening doors for other members of our team as well as like-minded colleagues from other ministry organizations.

Finally, given the struggles involved with doing ministry, I don’t think Jesus ever intended his followers to go about it alone. In Mark 6, Jesus sent the disciples out in pairs. Our ministry has been far more effective…and far more fun because we haven’t had to go about it alone!

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ID-10072756Key Ministry has put together a resource page for pastors, church staff, volunteers and parents with interest in the subject of depression and teens. Available on the resource page are…

  • Links to all the posts from our recent blog series on depression
  • Links to other outstanding blog posts on the topic from leaders in the disability ministry community
  • Links to educational resources on the web, including excellent resources from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), a parent medication guide, and excellent information from Mental Health Grace Alliance.

Photos courtesy of  freedigitalphotos.net

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