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Tag Archives: Shannon Dingle
On Ashley Madison, Christians, and sloppy statistics
When we present numbers as facts without even checking to see if they’re legit, we’re saying that making a point matters more to us than telling the truth.
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The 4 most common types of adoption failure
This is grief. This is hard. This is worth knowing about in the church. Continue reading
Posted in Adoption, Controversies, Foster Care, Key Ministry
Tagged Adoption, Brokenness, Christian counseling, disruption, failed adoption, grief, lost placement, Shannon Dingle
6 Comments
5 ways you can minister to a family with a failed adoption
But while the child isn’t lost to this world, he or she is lost to the family. Their grief is real. The dreams they had for the child need to be laid to rest. Give them permission to mourn those losses. Continue reading
Posted in Adoption, Families
Tagged Adoption, church, Disability Ministry, failed adoption, grief, ministry, Shannon Dingle, support
2 Comments
Should you allow someone like Josh Duggar to serve in your children’s ministry?
Am I doing everything I can to protect the children and youth entrusted to my care each week? As a leader in the church and an ambassador for Christ, I need to be able to answer yes to that question, even if I have to answer no to someone who wants to serve with us.
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When we talk about the Duggars, who is listening?
If a mom, dad, or teen in your church feels like their family is falling apart because of a dark secret, will your words on this topic invite them to trust you or to stay silent? Will what you say or post on social media tell them you will love them in the midst of their messiness? Continue reading
Posted in Controversies, Key Ministry, Leadership
Tagged church, dark secrets, Disability Ministry, Duggar family, families, families in crisis, Josh Duggar, offenders, sexual abuse, Shannon Dingle, trauma, victims
3 Comments
Does adoption Christianese sometimes feel like a sucker punch?
For children in adoptive or foster placements, their lived experiences might offer a perceived theology of a God who abandons, a God who watches but is not overly involved, a God who leaves, or several gods who are interchangeable as different caregivers. Then when we take those assumptions about God and layer confusingly positive Christian clichés about adoption, the end result can be dismissiveness instead of discipleship. Continue reading
Church, let’s stop equating vertical adoption and horizontal adoption
When we choose our words about adoption, let’s do so carefully so that we don’t add to the trauma and hurt that might already be present in our churches. Continue reading
Posted in Adoption, Advocacy, Foster Care, Key Ministry
Tagged Adoption, church, horizontal adoption, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Shannon Dingle, vertical adoption
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Christians, are we being wise with the words orphan and fatherless?
We still use “orphan” or “fatherless” a lot in the church when we’re talking about adoption and foster care, even when those words don’t fit with our current culture or a specific circumstance. Why? Continue reading
Posted in Adoption, Advocacy, Families, Foster Care, Key Ministry
Tagged Adoption, children's ministry, church, fatherless, Inclusion, Key Ministry, language, orphans, Shannon Dingle, student ministry, words
18 Comments
Church, what if we think _______ diagnosis isn’t a real thing?
I don’t hear Jesus suggesting that we place bouncers at the door of a Luke 14 banquet to ensure that folks are crippled enough, lame enough, or blind enough. Continue reading
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