Tag Archives: Inclusion

Thinking differently about kids and mental illness…

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Dr. G

One of the challenges in understanding the epidemic of mental illness in kids is that conditions such as anxiety disorders and ADHD may be disabling in some environments, but not others. Continue reading →

Posted in ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, Autism, Controversies, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Common mental health conditions can be MAJOR barriers to church involvement

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Dr. G

It’s particularly difficult to understand why parents who might be able to maintain a job and a household or kids who are able to school without one-on-one aides or lots of support services aren’t able to attend church. I’ll try to explain why in today’s post…and give churches a conceptual framework for anticipating the obstacles kids and adults might experience in attending church and addressing them so they no longer remain obstacles.
Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety Disorders, Autism, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Ministry Environments, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

This week at The Front Door…

Posted on May 4, 2014 by Dr. G

We’re also beginning the practice of having regular worship hours three evenings each week, supported by wonderful hosts who have agreed to be available to our attendees for chat and prayer at the same worship hour every week. Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Anxiety Disorders, Families, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thinking Orange: Supporting the family’s role in spiritual development when kids have disabilities…

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Dr. G

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 at church we’ve found to be helpful in facilitating spiritual growth?
Continue reading →

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Who knew? Guest blogger Denise Schamens

Posted on April 27, 2014 by Dr. G

I asked him if he wanted to talk about God. He spelled out “yes.” I asked if he understood what it means to be baptized? He spelled out “it means to accept Jesus into your heart.” Continue reading →

Posted in Autism, Families, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Today’s worship schedule at The Front Door…

Posted on April 27, 2014 by Dr. G

Here’s the schedule for worship on Sunday April 27th at The Front Door, Key Ministry’s Online Church for families of kids with disabilities who are otherwise unable to attend church. Continue reading →

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Ten truths for parents of kids with autism…Colleen Swindoll-Thompson

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Dr. G

Yet, in it all, I have more freedom, more joy, more hope because it is birthed and grown by the grace of my sovereign, faithful, good, unlimited God and Heavenly Father. Dear friend or parent, if I may offer you some rays of hope in the dark tunnel of autism, may our Lord be honored and your soul be filled with hope. Continue reading →

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Mike Woods: So I Send You…Missional Special Needs Ministry

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Dr. G

The first phase of a missional special needs ministry must be a willingness for us to move out—to simply make a decision to go to the people that we want to serve, wherever that might be. For most of us, what is required to engage in missional special needs ministry is to rely on the Holy Spirit to give us the desire to reach out to others, to take a risk and get involved in what God is already doing in our disability communities. Continue reading →

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The power of stories…Dave Lynden

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Dr. G

So here was my little guy, Micah, standing in front of the TV, wrapped in his royal blue fleece blanket jumping up and down, clapping and laughing as he watched his favorite stories over and over again, reminding me of what I do, what we do, how we strive to fill in the puzzle pieces and reach for something that brings all of the stories together into a coherent whole. Continue reading →

Posted in Autism, Key Ministry, Spiritual Development, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Obsessing on the story…Dave Lynden

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Dr. G

The “spiritual autism” that isolates us from others is penetrated, in part, by a story God has weaved into the fabric of our very being. And in that sense, it is not only we who are obsessing over a story, but God who is drawing us in- connecting with us, telling us we are part of the story! Continue reading →

Posted in Autism, Key Ministry, Spiritual Development, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments