Effective Ministry to Families
The Goal
Families come in all sizes and shapes. So do their problems. Ministry has shown you that every phase of married life brings unique challenges. They start before a couple can say "I do," and keep coming after children arrive, turn into teenagers, leave the nest, and the 'golden' years arrive. The seasons of life are an obstacle course that every family must navigate. But not all families are successful. You long to help these families. You want to equip every family to meet the challenges of every stage of life. Talbot can help. This track is designed to help you help families.
The Strategy
Year One: Developing Transforming Communities (Johnson, Thurman)
Since no individual can do it alone, the first week of this residency will teach you how to establish communities that bring families genuine help, healing and support. During the second week, you will learn how to provide the basic training and supervision required by the leadership of the Transforming Communities.
Year Two: Designing Healthy Churches (Johnson)
During the first week of residency you will learn how to create a "no person left-behind" family ministry. This developmentally oriented strategy encourages health and wholeness for people in every stage of life. Emphasis is given during the second week on how to adequately equip and oversee gifted lay counselors for significant counseling ministries. You will learn how to equip these individuals with an understanding of:
- viable counseling models
- non-traditional family structures
- appropriate referral strategies
- common ethical issues
Year Three: Developing Caring Outreach Ministries (Johnson)
Like Jesus, we want to reach out to our hurting world. We will show you how to reach out redemptively through family ministries. During the first week Gary Strauss will explain how to minister to people suffering from addictive bondage. The final week will feature Dr. H. Norman Wright teaching how to reach out to individuals and families in the wake of crisis, loss and trauma.
The Faculty Mentor
Dr. Rex Johnson is the Director of Talbot's Pastoral Care and Counseling Program as well as the Associate Professor of Christian Ministry and Leadership.
Dr. Johnson founded and for 10 years directed Ministry Associates, Inc., a counseling ministry. He is actively involved in curriculum development and teacher training ministries in the former Soviet Union countries, Africa, and the Pacific Rim. He conducts marriage and family workshops and ministries. Besides contributing to many Christian magazines, journals, and texts, Dr. Johnson has published several books, including Communication: Key to Your Parents and At Home with Sex. Dr. Johnson also co-authored Building Positive Parent-Teen Relationships; Communication: Key to your Teens; Characteristics of a Caring Home; Life at the Crossroads; and Foundations of Christian Ethics.