3 minute read
Pastor's Corner
By Paul Hathcoat
What should you and your family expect from a disability ministry? What simple services, supports, events, lessons, and care could a church be providing to individuals and families living with disabilities? Let’s take a look at some of the common offerings and programs that I have found in churches across Central Indiana.
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First and foremost is spiritual care. For parents, for kids, for teens, and for adults, spiritual guidance and biblical knowledge should be the bedrock of a disability ministry. There are enough enriching adapted curriculums out there that provide a solid foundation of biblical education that every church can be teaching individuals of all learning abilities. In my home church, we use a very popular curriculum provider called Orange. For our under-18 audiences, we use this curriculum and then adapt it according to the age group, comprehension level, and even the individual.
For adults seeking to grow in their knowledge and faith, there are several great curriculums out there that are not overly intellectual but can challenge even a mature Christian’s thinking. Ability Ministry and Lifeway are two of the most accepted resources, and there are even a couple of great Bibles like the Jesus Storybook Bible and the Action Bible that take into consideration the multitude of ways in which a person could receive and process biblical materials.
Our ministry creates original in-house adult curriculums focusing on Jesus and the most recognizable figures from scripture. We try to provide a strong biblical basis to each lesson and add time for prayer, communion, audio/video components that reinforce, and even visual and tactile elements that further enhance our student’s engagement and participation with the lesson. There are infinite ways in which the Bible can be related to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and your church can easily find a way that works for you and them.
Respite is another popular and effective way that a special needs ministry can serve families in our churches. Providing rest, recuperation, and protected community play for families is a great and fun way to serve them. I know of at least a dozen churches in Central Indiana that provide regular respite events for families and students. It is a terrific way to provide parents with a night out and a perfect way to introduce less experienced volunteers into a disability ministry environment. Our church tries to create a monthly rhythm of respite and the results have strengthened relationships both inside and outside of the ministry.
This last category is populated by the most fun elements of disability ministry. Bingo nights, movie nights, service in the park, “lights up-sound down,” inclusion VBS, prom, dances, and myriad other social events aimed at creating a community of belonging are all powerful tools in a church’s arsenal of offerings to families and individuals with special needs. These events serve to sew families into the fabric of the church. If these events are hosted at the church, staffed by the church, and attended by pastoral and staff members, then the message that is sent and received is that individuals and families living with disabilities are an integral and worthy part of the church to invest in. They are also a ton of fun!
Special Needs ministry is a worthwhile endeavor for all. Families and individuals are served well, and churches get to include a population that is oftentimes neglected. The amount of investment can vary greatly, but the benefits are nearly always the same. People are included, relationships are built and the results within a church more closely resemble God’s plan for His communities.
AUTHOR’S NOTES – If you want to read more about the sources used in this letter each month, or hear about the disability ministries around you, feel free to contact Paul Hathcoat at the information below.
Paul Hathcoat – Special Needs Director White River Christian Church Email: phathcoat@wrcc.org Ph #: 317-840-5558
