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Category Archives: Inclusion
The Burden…and the Paradox
Yet I’m powerless to effectively communicate the burden I’ve been given because it’s absolutely essential for the world (and the Church) to know if this movement happens and the walls come crashing down that keep families who struggle with mental illness and developmental disabilities from connecting with the church that the work was unmistakably of God’s doing, and not that of a bunch of gifted people. Continue reading
Hot Topics: Should Christian Parents Seek Out Christian Mental Health Professionals?
Effective treatment of your child’s mental health condition can often reduce or remove significant barriers to spiritual growth. Unfortunately, parents may find it far easier to find someone to fix their kid than finding someone to fix the attitudes demonstrated toward persons experiencing mental illness at their church. Continue reading
Ministry Resources From Mike Woods for Kids With Autism
We’ve been fortunate to enjoy the benefits of Mike Woods’ wisdom and experience during his recent guest blog series for Autism Awareness Month. Mike’s truly a thought leader in the field of disability ministry, but a humble thought leader. When we first discussed his guest blog series, I’d asked him to put together a post with links to many of the excellent web-based resources he’s developed for church staff, volunteers and parents for serving kids with special needs. Mike seemed a little reluctant to blow his own horn, so I thought I’d share links to some resources Mike has developed that church staff and volunteers might find especially valuable in ministering to kids with autism spectrum disorders and their families…
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Strategies For Promoting Spiritual Growth in Kids With Asperger’s Disorder
Today, we’ll look at potential strategies for promoting spiritual growth in kids with Asperger’s and speculate about ways in which the condition might provide advantages to a Christ-follower.
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Mike Woods: Giving Unconditional Worth to Children on the Autism Spectrum
In my previous post I discussed the important of human engagement with children and adults with autism in an effort to develop relationships. Our goal is to bring a nurturing spirit into the special needs volunteer/child relationship…one that is characterized by genuine warmth, mutual respect, and unconditional worth. In order to facilitate these relational characteristics it is essential to maximize the use of giving unconditional worth.
Unconditional worth refers to any action on the part of the special needs staff/volunteer that recognizes and expresses the dignity, worth, and value of the child.
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Mike Woods: Human Engagement and Children on the Autism Spectrum
We’re pleased to share with you the third installment in Mike Woods series of guest posts in honor of Autism Awareness Month. Mike currently serves as Special Needs Ministry Director at First Baptist Church of Orlando. For more info on Mike, click here. Today’s post addresses the importance of providing comfort to children and adults with autism spectrum disorders and the theologic foundation to his ministry’s approach to relationships with persons who have special needs.
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Posted in Autism, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Resources, Strategies, Uncategorized
Tagged Autism, church, Disability Ministry, First Baptist Orlando, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mike Woods
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Tips for Church Staff and Volunteers Serving Kids With Asperger’s Disorder
We’ve looked at some of the common characteristics of kids with Asperger’s Disorder along with the impediments they face to spiritual growth and the obstacles parents of kids with the condition face when attempting to “do church.” Today, we’ll get very practical and explore some helpful hints for church staff and volunteers involved in serving kids with Asperger’s. Continue reading
Mike Woods: C3: Comfort, Confirm, Challenge…Part Two
Christianity is about entering into relationships with people…to include children with autism and other special needs. And in order to be able to do that, it’s important to be familiar with how Jesus, the Master of developing relationships, interacted with people. That’s why we use what I call the C3 model: Comfort, Confirm, Challenge that’s based on His interactions with people with disabilities. Continue reading
Guest Blogger Mike Woods: C3: COMFORT, Confirm, Challenge
One of the primary outcomes for each team member in our Special Friends Ministry is to develop relationships with each and every child and adult with special needs that we minister to. The process that we use to develop a relationship is called C3 (Comfort, Confirm, Challenge) and is derived from the many interactions between Jesus and people with disabilties in the Gospels. Continue reading
Posted in Autism, Inclusion, Resources, Strategies
Tagged Autism, church, Church4EveryChild, First Baptist Orlando, Inclusion, Mike Woods, relationships, Special Needs Ministry
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