special needs ministry

Internalized Ableism

Internalized Ableism

“I am disabled. For years that was so hard to admit. I couldn’t mention out loud my neurodivergence. I whispered about my post-traumatic stress disorder, insisting ‘I’m better now.’ I was a champion for the disabled who didn’t want to talk about her own disabilities. It was disingenuous, but I didn’t know how to come to terms with the fact that I was disabled. I was still scared that admitting my disability publicly would convince people I was not able to do anything.” Joanna French writes on her experience with disability.

Talk with Doc About Disability Ministry 101: Podcast Episode 092

Talk with Doc About Disability Ministry 101: Podcast Episode 092

Beth sits down with Doc Hunsley, the founder and executive director of SOAR Special Needs Ministry, who will be leading a Ministry Intensive at the Disability & The Church 2024 conference. Doc shares his personal journey of becoming involved in disability ministry as well as his passion for helping churches take the next step towards disability inclusion. Doc's Ministry Intensive – Disability 101 – will cover various aspects of starting and enhancing a disability ministry, including volunteer recruitment, training, programming, and curriculum. Plus Beth learns a fact about Doc that she never would have guessed.

Family Care Plans: Podcast Episode 091

Family Care Plans: Podcast Episode 091

In episode 091 of Key Ministry the Podcast, Sandra shares an idea for organizing care for disability families in your church and how the parable of the Good Samaritan provides guiding principles for how and why we provide that care.

Call for Speakers for Disability and the Church 2024

Call for Speakers for Disability and the Church 2024

The opportunity to apply to speak is open to any and all mature Christians with important or innovative thoughts or ideas to help grow or advance the disability ministry movement. We encourage leaders doing important work in relative obscurity lacking the connections or platforms to make their work better known throughout the church to apply.

Disability Ministry: A Tale of Two Churches

Disability Ministry: A Tale of Two Churches

Guest blogger Sandy Hartranft shares her son's experience with the disability ministries at two churches—each with its own approach to inclusion and belonging.

The Sin of Partiality and Disability Ministry

The Sin of Partiality and Disability Ministry

Right now, so many churches are seeking a few, permitting some, but not unabashedly speaking and sharing the gospel, ensuring its access to everyone. Is your church committing the sin of partiality?

The Spiritual Role of a Buddy

The Spiritual Role of a Buddy

To be an effective buddy, we must do both the practical and the spiritual work.

Establishing Gospel Centered Traditions

Establishing Gospel Centered Traditions

Traditions can be beautiful and meaningful but in Colossians, Paul shares how traditions can also be problematic. “We’ve always done it this way before” cannot function as a core value within the church. Everything we do should be consistent with the character of Christ and the values of His Kingdom.

When You Should Leave a Church

When You Should Leave a Church

Ideally, every person is welcome and embraced by a church as Christ welcomes and embraces all with unconditional love. That, unfortunately, is not always expressed by the church. I believe in those moments when we do feel we need to leave, God’s love will guide the conversation and direct us towards a place that will be more welcoming and open to expressing the love of Christ for all people.

The pandemic as an unexpected blessing to the disability community

The pandemic as an unexpected blessing to the disability community

It's very possible that the COVID-19 pandemic will have provided the impetus for introducing many local churches to people in their communities with conditions that would otherwise make in-person attendance either highly unlikely or impossible.