WAKE FOREST, NC (ANS) -- With divorce rates among Christians comparable to those within the culture generally, churches across the nation are reaching out and helping children whose parents are separated or divorced.

The Barna Group found in its latest study (2008) that born again Christians who are not evangelical were indistinguishable from the national average on the matter of divorce with 33 percent having married and divorced at least once.

The Barna report states that among all born again Christians, which includes evangelicals, the divorce figure is 32 percent, which is statistically identical to the 33 percent figure among non-born again adults, the research group noted.

Now, churches are offering a ministry program to help children heal from their parents’ separation or divorce. The resulting impact on the churches has been surprising.
 

DC4K logo

The DivorceCare for Kids (DC4K) weekly, lay-driven ministry program is having a powerful effect on children and their parents. But what may be surprising is the impact of DC4K on the church itself.

Greg Stanford, children’s minister at Tenth & Broad Church of Christ, Wichita Falls, TX, has observed church members becoming more proactive in wanting to help families outside the church.

“The greatest fruit I have seen at our church from DivorceCare for Kids is a new awareness and new compassion for divorced families, not only in our church but in our community,” he said.

DC4K has been found to grow churches, introduce people to Christ, help decrease behavior issues and lessen staff counseling loads.

The number of children attending DC4K from outside the church excites church leaders, because when children come to church, their parents come too.

“We average eight children, and none of them belong to our church,” explained Ross, a DC4K lay leader in Grand Blanc, MI.

As more people attend the church, more hear the gospel

DC4K curriculum kit

message. Every child in DC4K learns about Christ’s love through the modeling of group leaders, scripture songs, games, prayers and activity books.

“Children come to Christ, and parents come to Christ as a result of their children,” said Glenn Bosworth, who leads DC4K at Davisville Church, Southampton, PA.

Sunday school teachers and children’s ministers have reported fewer disruptions and behavior issues by children who struggled previously, but who now attend DC4K.

And parents have reported that, after their children participate in DC4K, their children do better in school, communicate better and express their emotions in a healthier manner.

Pastors and church staff who often struggle to meet the many needs in a church body on their own are thankful for this lay-led program. Stanford praises the comprehensive, yet easy-to-use, training materials and lessons.

“We have team members that are teachers, some are bankers, some are firemen. All of our team members have been able to pick up a lesson plan, read through it and lead the session without any problems,” Stanford said.

For information about starting a DivorceCare for Kids ministry, go to www.dc4k.org/startagroup/?impact.  Or call 800-489-7778.

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Media Contact: Samuel Hodges
Executive Producer, www.churchinitiative.org  
1-800-395-5755, x247, shodges@churchinitiative.org  

** Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent of ANS, is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649,at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can donate online to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Chief Reporter