Category Archives: Inclusion

Why many in the church don’t see ADHD as a disability…

“People in the church believe they can tell when a disability ends and bad parenting begins.”
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Wow!

I’m so encouraged to see so many people from throughout our home region willing to spend a day examining how we can more effectively welcome kids, families and adults impacted by disability into our churches. Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Stories, Training Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Disability ministry has captivated my heart…Bekah Behnke

Disability ministry has not only stolen my heart, but also captivated it. There is not a time in my life that I was not surrounded by God’s beauty shining through my friends with disabilities. Continue reading

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Unintended consequences…Sin, mental illness and the church

The research appears to suggest that we have a lot of people within the church who struggle with emotional distress who have been badly hurt by their interactions with pastors, church staff, counselors and the reactions of fellow believers. Clearly, there’s an established perception among the majority outside the church that those struggling with more serious or chronic mental health concerns won’t be welcome at church…and that’s a very big problem when it comes to fulfilling Christ’s command to make disciples. Continue reading

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When Our “Can’t” Overwhelms Our “Can”…Mike Dobes

Why are the very overseers of the Church reluctant to bring the Gospel to all people, regardless of their disability? In truth, we are all disabled… some of us just hide our disabilities better than others. How do we keep missing an entire people group that is waiting to be heard, loved, accepted and embraced as they are? Continue reading

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I wonder how we miss the obvious…Jeff McNair

We walk by, seemingly acting if we don’t know who our neighbor is. Continue reading

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“Downtown Nate” and a school that “gets” inclusion

The administration and students of Louisville High School found a spectacular way to demonstrate Nate’s value to the community this past week. Continue reading

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Steve AND Shannon will be presenting at #GlobalAccess2015

Shannon will be leading a workshop on The Special Needs of Foster and Adoptive Families and leading a roundtable discussion on What are some practical implications of the verse “Blessed are the nations whose God is the Lord?”
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The elephant in the living room…Sin, mental illness and the church

We appear to be far more interested in (and comfortable with) outreach to kids, teens and adults who we view as having little or no moral culpability for their disabilities. Continue reading

Posted in Controversies, Families, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

HIV and other blood-borne pathogens in children’s ministry…Shannon Dingle

So what should you do if there’s a child with HIV in your church? The same thing you should do otherwise: use best practices for first aid and show love to the child and parents. Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Controversies, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments