Tag Archives: church

Square Pegs and Round Holes…Understanding Kids with Asperger’s Disorder

As we begin our discussion of how churches can more effectively connect with, welcome and support kids with Asperger’s Disorder as they mature spiritually, a good place to begin is to establish a common understand-ing of the condition. Continue reading

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Square Pegs and Round Holes…Helping Kids With Asperger’s Disorder and Social Disabilities Grow Spiritually

Today we’re launching a series to help support churches seeking to minister more effectively to families of kids with Asperger’s Disorder and other social disabilities. The blog series will kick off five weeks of special content in honor of Autism Awareness Month. This series will also accompany a video presentation I’ll be offering on the topic as part of the 2012 Children’s Ministry Websummit, available online, everywhere, free of charge (registration required), from April 2-6. Continue reading

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New resource on including kids with aggressive behavior at church

Here’s a one-stop resource tying together the blog series from last fall, Beyond Zero Tolerance…When Kids Become Aggressive at Church. In addition to an edited version of the entire series in a single article, I included a SlideShare presentation of the lecture I was invited to present on the topic at last Fall’s Bioethics Conference and Through the Roof Summit at Cedarville University.
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New Resource Page on Pediatric Bipolar Disorder

We now have a new resource page on the blog for church staff, volunteers and parents looking for information about spiritual development and strategies for inclusion at church for kids with bipolar disorder.
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Resources for Churches on Mental Illness

Barb invited me to share some resources that might be of help to church staff, pastors and volunteers who desire to minister more effectively to families impacted by mental illness. Here are five organizations worth checking out… Continue reading

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Rhett Smith…Final Thoughts

In the conclusion of our interview with Rhett, he discusses the possible role of electronic ministry in serving those who don’t currently attend church as a result of anxiety, and shares his most important takeaway point for church leaders ministering to children and adults with anxiety. Continue reading

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Rhonda Martin…Nurturing Spiritual Growth in Kids With Anxiety

Rhett Smith’s outstanding interview on his new book, The Anxious Christian, has generated lots of interest in the topic of anxiety and church. In the process of compiling resources pertaining to spiritual development and anxiety, I came across this interview that Katie Wetherbee conducted with Rhonda Martin for the 2011 Inclusion Fusion Special Needs Ministry Web Summit.
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Rhett Smith…Inclusive Ministry Environments for Kids and Adults With Anxiety

Today’s interview segment with Rhett Smith is the perfect discussion starter for tonight’s Special Needs Ministry TweetChat on the impact of mental illness at church. In Part Four of our interview with Rhett, he shares ideas for pastors, church staff and volunteers for making church a more welcoming place for children and adults with anxiety. Continue reading

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Special Needs Ministry TweetChat: Families Touched by Mental Illness…The Impact at Church

Barb Dittrich has graciously invited me as her guest for this week’s Special Needs Ministry TweetChat, scheduled for Thursday, March 8 at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central). Our topic will be “Families Touched by Mental Illness…The Impact at Church.”
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People You Should Know: Dr. Matthew Stanford

One of my goals for this blog and for Inclusion Fusion is to expose leaders with an interest in disability ministry to other leaders with unique interests and competencies that can help us better understand the challenges we face and the needs of the kids and families we serve. One such leader is Dr. Matthew Stanford from Baylor University, who has graciously agreed to be interviewed for the blog today. Part Two will run on Thursday.
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