Tag Archives: Family Ministry

Building Strong Families in a Hostile Culture

Posted on August 9, 2015 by Dr. G

What can we do NOW to build families capable of serving as fortresses…families that honor God and serve as outposts for the reestablishment of Jesus’ Kingdom in the midst of “enemy territory? Continue reading →

Posted in Families, Resources, Spiritual Development | Tagged Family Ministry, hostile culture, Linwood Park, Nehemiah 4, spiritual development, Stephen Grcevich MD | Leave a comment

Jolene Philo…A series of very fortunate events

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Dr. G

We wrote Every Child Welcome because this command is not limited to children who will sit quietly at His feet and listen, who color between the lines, who raise their hands and wait to be called upon, and who work at grade level.
Continue reading →

Posted in Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Resources | Tagged children's ministry, church, Disability Ministry, Every Child Welcome, Family Ministry, Inclusion, Jolene Philo, Katie Wetherbee, Special Needs Ministry, student ministry, Sunday School teachers, volunteers | 4 Comments

The barriers to getting newcomers with mental illness connected at church…

Posted on May 17, 2015 by Dr. G

Is there a way of making available an alternative path…an accommodation available to those who need it? Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety Disorders, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Resources | Tagged anxiety, assimilation, attendance, barriers, children's ministry, church, engagement, Family Ministry, Inclusion, mental health, student ministry, visitors | 3 Comments

Vangie Rodenbeck’s interview with Dr. G on Mental Illness and the Church…

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Dr. G

Steve will be Vangie Rodenbeck’s special guest THIS COMING TUESDAY, MAY 19th, at 12:00 PM Eastern as part of Vangie’s Shaping Special Hearts podcast hosted by CM Connect and sponsored by Standard Publishing. Continue reading →

Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Strategies, Training Events | Tagged Blog Talk Radio, children's ministry, CMconnect.org, Family Ministry, Inclusion, mental health and the church, Shaping special Hearts, Stephen Grcevich MD, student ministry, Vangie Rodenbeck | 1 Comment

But what if we don’t have any children with disabilities in our church?

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Dr. G

Do you want to share the Gospel with everyone in your community, or do you want to limit who has access to your body of believers?
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Posted in Advocacy, Inclusion, Key Ministry | Tagged children's ministry, Disability Ministry, Family Ministry, inclusion ministry, Key Ministry, Shannon Dingle, Special Needs Ministry | 2 Comments

I had no plan…Jeff Davidson

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Dr. G

It’s been 15 years and my world is still turned upside down by autism. Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Autism, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Intellectual Disabilities, Key Ministry, Stories | Tagged Autism, Autism Awareness Day 2015, Disability Ministry, Family Ministry, father, Jeff Davidson, Key Ministry, Light it Up Blue, No More Peanut Butter Sandwiches, parenting, Rising Above Ministries, Special Needs Ministry | 1 Comment

Please don’t say “all kids do that” to adoptive and foster families…

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Dr. G

But when foster or adoptive parents like me hear that, it feels dismissive to the real grief, pain, and trauma our kids have experienced and how that history still influences their actions today. Usually when someone tells another parent “all kids do that,” the words are meant to be helpful, to soothe our nerves or encourage us in the midst of a hard parenting moment. But that’s not what your words do. Instead those words invalidate what we know to be true and minimize the extra layer of thinking that parenting kids from hard places requires. Continue reading →

Posted in Adoption, Families, Foster Care, Key Ministry, Strategies | Tagged Adoption, all kids do that, attachment, child development, children's ministry, Disability Ministry, Family Ministry, Foster Care, Inclusion, Shannon Dingle, Special Needs Ministry, trauma | 75 Comments

The myth that love is always enough…

Posted on January 4, 2015 by Dr. G

Sadly, love isn’t always enough, and the implication that it is (or should be) with kids exposed to trauma or neglect is as destructive as the myth that mental illness is caused by a problem with sin or inadequate faith.
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