Chris, I understand what you are saying. My expertise is in ministering children from divorce and single parent homes. For years I ran a therapeutic child care in OK. I had no church to send these families to because churches just didn't understand what was needed. Parents would say, "why should I go to church? I just get called out to deal with my own child so I might as well stay home."
Thankfully more and more special needs ministries are cropping up now. However, church leaders and volunteers still have not received training in knowing how to minister and accommodate children in crisis and family trauma. That's where I come in. The Lord has opened the door to allow me to speak at various events around the country. This fall I'll be speaking at LifeWay KidMin Conference and the D6 conference. I'm praying other opportunities come up because I have a lot to say in this area. What we have been doing with these kids hasn't been working but there are now new techniques that do work.
Thanks for getting the discussion up and going.
Linda Ranson Jacobs
blog.dc4k.org