On September 26, 2024, over sixty members of the Rotation.org community heard from Dena Kitchens, our expert presenter, about ways to welcome and engage "neurodiverse" children and youth in church -- atypical kids with mental, emotional, and intellectual challenges. She also addressed needs of kids with physical challenges and those who are just plain “different.” Dena described the many facets of neurodivergence and shared strategies for effectively engaging with and teaching these challenging gifts of God. Dena also shared ways we can broaden the acceptance of those who are different.

View the video recording of the seminar and resources mentioned in it.

Here's a link to our "Ministering to NeuroDiverse Students" forum of resources with more discussion, suggestions, and resources for welcoming, engaging, and teaching "neurodiverse" and "special needs" children and youth in the church.

About Dena Kitchens, Our Presenter

Dena is a long-time educator, having taught in a variety of settings including special education, early childhood, and Christian education. She currently serves as an instructor for BeADisciple.com, leads the Family Ministry team at her home church, and is the current president of Learning Disabilities Association of Georgia.

Dena holds a BS in Special Education, an MA in Practical Theology, and is about to embark on the journey of earning a Doctor of Education Ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia.

Dena has been active on Rotation.org with our Writing and Content Teams, and will join the Board in 2025.

From Dena:

Neurodiversity is the idea that there’s natural variation in how people’s brains work and how people experience, understand and interact with the world. This means there are natural differences in the way people learn, communicate, and interact with their faith as well.

Most children’s brains develop in similar ways and with similar abilities that are seen as typical for their age and stage. These children are often described as "neurotypical."

It is estimated that about 1 in 5 children have variations in their brain development that result in atypical behavior. These variations include attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders, autism, and dyslexia.

Neurodiversity can also include kids with mental and emotional challenges. From a classroom and teaching perspective, we also include kids with physical disabilities as part of our challenge in ministering to all our children.

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