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A Missouri couple has launched a ministry to reach those affected by divorce. It was from their own pain of divorce that inspired Dan and Rebecca Snell of Raymore, Mis. to found The Bonded Family, a ministry to blended families. The recovered divorced couple has developed Christian-based resources to help stuggling blended families.

Divorce Tends:

A surprising demographic phenomenon is expected to take place in 2010. It will quietly happen without receiving much attention.

In 2010, according to research based on the Census Bureau and other national studies, the most common form of family unit in the US will become some form of step-family. Recent studies indicate over 20+ million blended households represent the American family demographic.

When counting adults and children some 140 million people in the US are immediately impacted by blended family life.

The Snell’s say they started The Bonded Family in 2005 to extend ‘encouragement, hope, motivation and Biblical inspiration for those in stepfamilies.

“We’ve walked in the shoes of a blended family for 13 years,” said Dan Snell. “After facing many of the trials that often come with divorce, we felt the Lord calling us to help families going through similar trials.”

The past seven years have been a time of gathering research. The Bonded Family has hosted focus groups, attended ministry conferences, developed a Web site and talked with national leaders on the subject.  Earlier this year the Snell’s launched a weekly radio program in Kansas City and also broadcasts internally over the Internet using streaming technology.

Along with the radio program, today they are recognized as one of the few faith-based step-family experts in the US.

The Snell’s are parents to six children in a “yours, mine and ours” family.

“On our wedding day, we included the kids who were 3, 4, 5, 9 and 12-years-old in the wedding ceremony,” said Rebecca Snell.  “They stood at the altar with us.’”

Fourteen years later, after working through the unique family dynamics, Dan Snell says “Even today God is not done.  We don’t try to say we are the perfectly bonded family, however, my wife and I are fully bonded to Christ, and in that we have victory in our marriage, and have seen God work in our children through the years.”

They say the ministry is a product of their commitment to serving others. Dan Snell, a former 10 year elected official in Kansas said, “God is a God of second chances.  There is a God-sized need to reach out to blended families (step-families) in America today.”

Evangelicals Not Immune:

When prominent Pentecostal couple Randy and Paula White announced they were headed for divorce two years ago, many were amazed that there was little reaction among their supporters.

For a growing number of clergy, a divorce no longer translates to a career-ending result as it did decades ago, in part because a large percentage of congregants have experienced divorce themselves.

The changing views on divorced pastors represent a growing conclusion among conservative Christians that a failed marriage is no longer seen as an unforgivable sin.

For many evangelical Christians, the boundary seems to have shifted from a single acceptable reason for divorce—adultery—to a larger range of reasons that some say can be biblically justified.

Snell says many feel embarrassed about their divorce.  “They don’t want to talk about their challenges,” said Snell.  “God is in the business of redeeming people not scrapping people.  We want to take His message of hope and encouragement to others.  We have seen first hand the ups and downs in blended families, and know that by seeking God’s wisdom, applying daily prayer and trust in God, He will allow a stepfamily victory in a moment of crisis, and foremost be successful long term.”

Sidebar:
Statistics for marriage and step-families in America:

• 48% of all first marriages will eventually end in legal divorce
• 79% of women, and 89% of men, will then get married again within 5 years
• 68% of those remarriages involve children from the prior marriage
• Every single day in America over 2,100 new Blended Families are formed
• 72% of those blended families will end in divorce within 6 years
• By 2010, stepfamilies are projected to be the predominant form of family in the U.S.
• Less than 15% of single parents go to church regularly…because they
  ‘don’t feel the church cares about their broken lives’
• 65% of Pastors in America state ‘we don’t know how to serve these stepfamilies’
• 81% of step-parents say ‘we don’t know where to turn to for help’

Blended Family Today may be heard each Sunday morning on Union Broadcasting / 1510 AM in Kansas City or on the web via streaming audio at www.1510.com

The Bonded Family ministry, in a joint announcement with Big Picture Media, will be launch a national magazine, specifically to serving blended families, single parents and others facing challenges created by the breakdown of the America family.

For more information contact Dan or Rebecca Snell at 913.488.0026 or visit    www.thebondedfamily.com.