Emotional emergencies and family tragedies are the real nightmares of Children's Ministry. We can handle teacher shortages and the occasional "oowie" with ease, but helping children and families deal with emotional emergencies like the death of a child, terminal illness or childhood depression leave me wishing I had gotten that extra degree in counseling!  When these emotional emergencies happen, parents naturally turn to the Children' Minister for advise and counsel, so we need to be prepared to respond appropriately and know when to recommend professional help.   

In anticipation of these situations, I took 50 hours of Stephen Ministry training so I was equipped to care for people in crisis, but I still had to dig to find materials to equip myself to specifically work with children and families.

Emergency Response Handbook for Children's Ministry is an answer to prayer! Each chapter addresses how to respond to a specific emotional crisis from moving away to death of a child. I especially appreciate that each chapter lists "things to say" and "things NOT to say" in each situation. At the end of each chapter, the book recommends Bible verses to provide God's Word as the ultimate counsel.  AND there are editions for Youth AND Women as well!

My copy is already dogged-eared so I will be ordering a copy for each ministry leader on our team and a few extras to have on hand for parents in times of need.

Lisa B from NC

http://www.childrensministry.com/article.asp?ID=1639

Lisa B from NC

Sure, we have policies and programs in place for all sorts of things, but this is one great little book.  We're getting it for our youth leaders and some just to keep at church!