Dr. Steve Grcevich sits down and interviews Dr. Lamar Hardwick on his new book How Ableism Fuels Racism. This is Part 1 of a 3-part series! Dr. Lamar Hardwick will be speaking at Disability & the Church 2024 Conference in Orlando, FL May 1-3. Go to www.keyministry.org/datc2024 to register now!
Recently, Catherine had a conversation with Dr. Jim and Heather Sells, authors of the new book “Beyond the Clinical Hour: How Counselors Can Partner with the Church to Address the Mental Health Crisis.” Jim, Heather and their co-author Dr. Amy Trout offer a valuable resource to both mental health professionals and ministry leaders as a way to meet the heartfelt mental health needs impacting both churches and our culture. Take a listen to this thought-provoking conversation.
“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.
Beth sits down with the always delightful Marie Kuck, who has a special invitation for our listeners for a behind-the-scenes tour of Make ‘m Smile in Orlando.
In today's episode, Sandra chats with Tracy McElhattan, PhD about how to apply universal design for learning principles to our children's ministry classes so everyone is included and engaged!
Disability Ministry and the Church
In this episode, Lamar Hardwick examines how our theology influences disability ministry and how the experience of disability influences our understanding of God, faith, and life. We will talk about how understanding disability doesn’t begin with having all the right answers, but how understanding disability requires that we ask the right questions.
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.
As a disability ministry leader, do you ever feel like you are caught up in a “Bigger or Better Party?” Do you find yourself comparing the ministry God has given to you with the ministry work of others? Have you ever found yourself longing for your ministry work to be bigger or better? Or, perhaps, both bigger and better? Steph Hubach writes on ministry envy, and how we should put on love.
Shannon Blosser talks about New Years Resolutions and the challenges of starting up a Disability Ministry. Like many resolutions it can be hard to stick with it after the New Years glitter wears off, and Disability Ministry is not much different. Disability Ministry takes perseverance, and being willing to do things differently in order to have a more Christ-centered church.
Have you ever planned an event and it wasn’t the success you thought it would be? Or maybe you are feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list even though it’s work that God has called you to? Beth has five strategies to share that just might help if you are in a season of being bummed out or burned out. She will provide words of encouragement and some practical steps to get you back on track and, hopefully, in a healthy and productive place.
Reverse inclusion is a class designed for teens and young adults with disabilities that invites typical teenagers and young adults in for the purpose of friendship. It’s for teens like my son James who wouldn’t enjoy being part of our youth group. That environment isn’t safe for him and the curriculum doesn’t fit his needs. So instead we’ve created a class that is a good fit for him and our other teenagers! Listen to this podcast to hear about our strategies to make reverse inclusion work for you and your church!
