Imagine this: Sunday morning after the service, a church member, Amber, approaches you for some advice. She’s been a single mom of two young children since her divorce a few years ago. Recently, she’s started dating again and is interested in pursuing a relationship, but she doesn’t know if that’s the right decision with two kids at home. What counsel can you offer Amber? … [Read more...]
Blended families: 4 considerations for pastors
Sunday morning after service, you’re chatting with a set of parents in your congregation. In passing, they mention that their oldest daughter, fourteen-year-old Anna, has gotten more disrespectful and disobedient lately. She ignores her father’s instructions and shows little, if any, affection. Consideration 1: The reality of “insiders” and “outsiders” On day one in a … [Read more...]
Helping stepfamilies when things go wrong
In a previous article, we introduced licensed marriage and family therapist Ron Deal, director of FamilyLife Blended™, a resource website for blended families and the churches who serve them (FamilyLife.com/blended). We interviewed him about the unique needs of stepfamilies and how churches can reach out to them. Here he explains how pastors can help stepfamilies deal with … [Read more...]
Understanding the unique needs of stepfamilies
We interviewed licensed marriage and family therapist Ron Deal, director of FamilyLife Blended™ (a division of FamilyLife®), about the unique needs of stepfamilies, which are often overlooked in the church. He explains why stepfamilies present a ministry challenge for pastors, and what pastors and churches can do to reach out to them. Why is it important for churches to … [Read more...]