Overcoming Spiritual Discontinuity and Perceived Abandonment: Partnering with Parents Raising Children with Mental Illness
General Material Designation
[Thesis]
First Statement of Responsibility
Pingel, Brian William
Subsequent Statement of Responsibility
Nelson, Daniel
.PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC
Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.
Assemblies of God Theological Seminary
Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.
2019
GENERAL NOTES
Text of Note
259 p.
DISSERTATION (THESIS) NOTE
Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree
D.Min.
Body granting the degree
Assemblies of God Theological Seminary
Text preceding or following the note
2019
SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
Text of Note
Having a child diagnosed with a severe illness is difficult for any parent. However, when the illness is a mental disorder, the symptoms are often masked as rebellious reactions, which can be interpreted as a lack of self-discipline brought on by poor parenting skills. This negative stigma causes many parents to hide the illness from others, struggle with their faith, and isolate their family from those who should be a great source of comfort-their church family. In response to the challenge of supporting parents through this journey, I designed a project focusing on the research and development of a seminar to help parents feel empowered and equipped to grow in their faith and help support their children through the many challenges associated with having a mental disorder. After a thorough study on the biblical view of how God blessed the marginalized and those who felt abandoned by Him, I surveyed contemporary literature dealing with the challenges parents will face when they have a child who has a mental disorder. I then combined the research from the biblical and contemporary literature to form a five-session seminar that I presented to ten parents who have children with a mental disorder at the church where I currently serve as senior pastor. Those who participated in the seminar gained a new level of understanding and hope for the difficult journey their family is on.