What is the Non-traditional Family Continuum of Care?
The Continuum of Care is a developmental model for understanding the scope and sequence of stepfamily ministry. The model provides a panoramic view of the key events and processes that are involved in the development and ongoing life of stepfamilies. At a deeper level, it is represents a philosophy of ministry; one that sees as its goal the integrating of various diverse family groups into the community of the church. The purpose of stepfamily ministry is not to segregate stepfamilies, but to affirm and recognize their unique needs and challenges and integrate them into the body of believers. What purpose does this model serve? First, the Continuum of Care serves as a model for understanding the developmental nature of stepfamily life and the various touch points for ministry. Second, it serves as a tool for choosing specific ministries that a ministry team could implement based on the mission, needs and resources of their local congregation. Finally, it helps to identify resources for
