Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christian Book and fine booksellers everywhere
Thanks to Ministry-To-Children!
“The most complete special needs ministry resource I’ve ever come across.”
Honored to be in Sharecare Now’s Top Ten online influencers in children’s mental health!
Tag Archives: church
What if Mom is depressed?
But for the sake of this discussion, it appears that in examining depression as a specific disability, regular involvement of either the child or the parent with depression at church not only produces spiritual benefits, but actually helps reduce the risk for the condition itself. Continue reading
Posted in Depression, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Resources, Strategies
Tagged children's ministry, church, Depression, Faith Net, families, Family Ministry, Grace Groups, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health Grace Alliance, mothers, NAMI, youth ministry
Leave a comment
Church…A Hostile Environment? Harmony Hensley
For families and children impacted by disability church is all too often viewed as a “hostile” environment in which they feel judged or unwelcome. Sadly, I’ve met a number of families who would summarize their church experience this way. Continue reading
Posted in Families, Inclusion, Ministry Environments, Strategies
Tagged church, families, Harmony Hensley, hostile environment, Inclusion, Key Ministry, ministry environments
1 Comment
Depression…Challenges in serving kids with an episodic disability
The first people in a church likely to suspect a problem will be the youth pastor or a small group leader when they notice an often abrupt change in the pattern of involvement of a teen suffering from depression. Unlike the other conditions we’ve discussed since launching the blog, in the absence of another mental health condition or a parent with a disability, I’d hypothesize kids with depression wouldn’t be any less likely to start attending church…they’ll have difficulty staying involved with church once symptomatic. Continue reading
Depression…Definitions matter
The purpose of this series will be to help pastors, church staff, volunteers and Christian parents improve their ability to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression and children and teens and help them to most effectively support kids with depression and their families. Here’s a tentative outline of some of the topics we’ll be covering in the series… Continue reading
Mental Illness and Mass Murder: Reflections From a Christian…and a Psychiatrist
Efforts to address the danger present in our society through gun control or better mental health services represent futile attempts to employ collective defense mechanisms to assuage our anxieties and enable our avoidance of the real issue…there is evil in the world, NONE of us is good, and we as individuals and collectively as a society are powerless to do anything about it. Continue reading
Posted in Controversies, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry
Tagged aggression, Christian, church, evil, Mass Murder, massacre, mental illness, Newtown, Psychiatrist, social isolation, violence
1 Comment
What Christians (and the church) can learn from Planned Parenthood
Why can’t Christians be as bold and confident in advancing our cause as the Planned Parenthood folks and other “progressive” organizations are in advancing theirs?
Continue reading
Posted in Controversies, Leadership
Tagged Christians, church, Key Ministry, Leadership, Planned Parenthood, Stephen Grcevich MD, Susan G Komen Foundation
2 Comments
Church, We’ve Got a Problem
How will the church serve a generation of families with kids who have issues with emotions or behavior that interfere with their ability to function on a day to day basis?
Continue reading
Is autism a form of mental illness?
Because of extensive media coverage and public education, the stigma associated with autism has largely disappeared. But the stigma associated with mental illness has largely remained. And that’s especially true in the church. Continue reading
Posted in Advocacy, Autism, Controversies, Key Ministry, Mental Health
Tagged Autism, church, Inclusion, mental illness, Sandy Hook, stigma
5 Comments
How would your church help “Michael” and his “Anarchist Soccer Mom?”
Kids like “Michael” get lost in discussions of “special needs ministry.” He’s “twice-exceptional”…intellectually gifted, but with a disability. His disability dominates every aspect of his family life. How do you think things would go if Michael made clear his desire to NOT get up for church on Sunday morning? This is a kid who needs extra protection from the forces of evil present in our culture. So what could you or your church do to help “Michael”…or other families like his-to experience the love of Christ? Continue reading
Mental Illness and Mass Murder: Reflections From a Christian…and a Psychiatrist
Efforts to address the danger present in our society through gun control or better mental health services represent futile attempts to employ collective defense mechanisms to assuage our anxieties and enable our avoidance of the real issue…there is evil in the world, NONE of us is good, and we as individuals and collectively as a society are powerless to do anything about it. Continue reading
Posted in Controversies, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry
Tagged aggression, Christian, church, evil, Mass Murder, massacre, mental illness, Newtown, Psychiatrist, social isolation, violence
5 Comments
Church4EveryChild 