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Tag Archives: children’s ministry
What’s Causing the Epidemic of Mental Illness in Kids?
I spend my days dealing with kids with real disabilities accompanied by well-meaning parents who more so than anything desire the best for their kids and are willing to try the strategies our practice team recommends. Continue reading
The Blessings of Technology
Up to now, the scope of our ministry has been limited by the ability of trainers to take time away from their families and work responsibilities to travel to churches and church conferences and the costs involved with travel and producing resources to be shared with the churches we serve. Because of the resources that folks like Jeremy Collins have developed, our team can make our training, consultation, resources and support available, free of charge, to churches everywhere. Continue reading
Thinking “Orange”: Catalysts for Spiritual Growth For Kids With…and Without Disabilities
What if a kid has a significant emotional, behavioral or developmental disorder that makes it more difficult to participate in the program or stick with the program? Here are ten suggestions…some are demonstrably effective, some are still working hypotheses based upon 25 years of experience as a clinician and many years of active involvement in churches. All of these suggestions are applicable to any kid or family being served by your church, and are applicable to kids with and without identified disabilities: Continue reading
Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Parents, Resources, Spiritual Development, Strategies
Tagged 2011 Children's Ministry Telesummit, children's ministry, Church4EveryChild, Family Ministry, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Reggie Joiner, Summer of Service, Think Orange, Vineyard Community Church
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JAM Session Rewind
I’ve had the opportunity to present at major international medical conferences, as well as regional and national ministry conferences. I’ll personally attest to the quality of the training and resources distributed during the JAM Session in Cincinnati and the JAM Sessions to come. Not only will you receive the opportunity to interact with some top-flight people, but you’ll benefit from the ongoing relationships you’ll develop with our trainers and your fellow participants. 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”: 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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