What’s new at CareLeader.org?
Why special-needs families need the churchAlmost a third of the people in the US care for someone who deals with a chronic illness or a disability. It’s one of the reasons Mary Tutterow, author of The Heart of the Caregiver, asks us to consider who cares for the caregivers. And she shares practical ways churches can care for this growing segment of our population.
So why are caregivers in need of care? See What Caregivers Want from Pastors, a previous CareLeader.org article by Mary, for more details. But in short, many caregivers are exhausted, discouraged, and in conflict with other family members about managing their loved one’s care, and some are even asking significant “why” questions about suffering and the meaning of life.
The harvest is plentiful.
Is preaching overrated? (video)
Scriptures like “The truth will set you free” (John 8:32) and “Sanctify them by the truth, your word is truth” (John 17:17) can lead us to think that all we need to do to help people change is give them the Word—more teaching, more preaching … more information. While it’s critical to remember the power of God’s Word (Jer. 23:29; Isa. 55:11; Heb. 4:12) and have it saturate our ministries, it’s also true that God uses more than the Scriptures to sanctify us. This video points out why it’s important to keep that in mind as you minister to others.
The video is also a helpful reminder to Sunday school teachers and small-group leaders about the limitations of information in the sanctification process—and our need to allow God to work in the lives of those we care for. Consider sharing it with them.
What’s it like to be a single parent? (video and free ebook)
Angela Thomas, author of My Single Mom Life and cohost of Single & Parenting, shares some of the hidden struggles that single parents face. Watch the video and you’ll also learn a few surprising stats about the number of children born in single-parent homes. And, while you’re on the page, click through to download our new free ebook, Single Parents: Is Your Church Meeting Their Unique Needs? It will help you assess how welcoming your church is to single moms and dads.
In other news …
I want your opinion
We’re working on a new curriculum that equips your church members to do more significant ministry in the context of their friendships. We’ve decided to call the curriculum “Friend: Enjoying Exceptional Relationships.”
This week, we asked freelance designers to submit concepts for the curriculum’s logo/look and feel. And I’d like to know what you think about their designs. Tomorrow, I’ll send an email with a link to a page where you can see what we’ve received. Please let me know which design you like best.
Thanks in advance for your help. I plan to ask for your input on many other issues related to this new curriculum.
Have a good week!
Sam Hodges
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CareLeader.org is a ministry of Church Initiative.
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