Collaboration in the Special Needs/Disability Ministry Movement

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Dr. G

I came across an outstanding blog post from Brad Lomenick earlier this week that I’d encourage you to check out… “7 Thoughts on Collaboration.”  My thoughts today will be an expansion of ideas Brad touched on in his post.

One of the most unsettling observations I’ve made (as an unpaid or “amateur” Christian) through my involvement with Key Ministry and experiences serving on church boards is that there’s way too much competition between churches, church leaders and parachurch ministries. The level of politics and competition in ministry makes the competition in medicine look like a joke. I suspect that competition in ministry is one of many reasons why the church is nowhere near as effective as it could and should be in sharing the love of Christ with a fallen world.

From my read of the Bible, we were designed by God to collaborate with one another in our worship and service. No one has all the gifts. Everyone has some gifts. The gifts and talents of God’s people were designed to work in concert with one another. It never made sense to anyone at Key Ministry to build our organization around a single leader or personality because such approaches seemed to run counter to God’s design.

I think I get where the competition originates in the church. Forgive me…I never really slip out of psychiatrist mode when I’m volunteering-making observations about the operation of organizations and systems is second nature after 25 years.

The competitiveness and fear in ministry occur when leaders and organizations perceive a threatened loss of ability to exercise influence on behalf of the Kingdom. Obviously, many other factors contribute to the propensity of churches and ministry organizations to compete as opposed to collaborate…the need to generate adequate financial support to sustain a career in ministry looming as a large concern for many. But most folks in ministry do what they do because they’ve been personally impacted through their faith in Christ and are called to share with as many others as possible. It’s natural for the pastor who speaks in front of 1,000 people each week to desire the opportunity to influence 5,000 people a week. The problem is that it’s far too easy for a leader or church or ministry to become preoccupied with growing influence (or preventing others from gaining influence) at the expense of missing the bigger picture of God’s design for His church.

I’m very fortunate to have Harmony Hensley as a ministry teammate and friend. When our team was gaining experience in observing the less than flattering side of ministry earlier this year, Harmony was very encouraging in reminding me that there’s more than enough opportunity for everyone to build God’s Kingdom even when others block access to opportunities and platforms that offer great potential for influence.

Returning to Brad’s blog post, here are a couple of ideas I’d add that have been impactful in how our Key Ministry team has approached the issue of collaboration…

Collaboration is an imperative for us because it appears to be an essential component of God’s plan for reestablishing His earthly kingdom through the church. I’m convinced that we’ll have more opportunities than we ever dared to ask or imagine to influence churches to reach out to, welcome and minister to families of kids with hidden disabilities if we’re obedient in putting the advancement of larger Kingdom goals ahead of any individual or team recognition.

Collaboration is an imperative for us because of the energy and joy we derive from working with other like-minded ministry leaders, organizations and churches. I’m so encouraged by the successes of our friends and colleagues in the fields of disability and special needs ministry. When we’re working together with others as God intended for us to work, we experience an energy driven by the presence of God’s Spirit…the “it” that Craig Groeschel described in his book from a few years back.

Finally, we need to “be the difference” by modeling the change that we’d like to see in others. We want to be an influence on behalf of establishing a collaborative culture in the DNA of the fledgling disability/special needs ministry movement.

I’m interested in hearing from other ministry leaders…How can we work together to create a culture of collaboration in disability/special needs ministry?

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KM_ForFamilies_Logo_Color_RGBKey Ministry helps connect churches and families of kids with disabilities for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ. In order to provide the free training, consultation, resources and support we offer every day to church leaders and family members, we depend upon the prayers and generous financial support of readers like you. Please pray for the work of our ministry and consider, if able, to support us financially!

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Inclusion Fusion…Call for Presentations

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Dr. G

Do you or someone you know have an innovative ministry strategy for serving kids or adults with special needs and/or their families? Have you or someone you know developed resources to support families with the spiritual challenges they face in raising kids with disabilities? If the answer to either of those questions is yes and you or they would like a platform to share ideas with other leaders in the special needs or disability ministry communities, we’d like to offer you the opportunity to apply to join the faculty for Inclusion Fusion.

We’re looking for cutting-edge presentations from leaders working in the field of special needs ministry. We hope to promote discussion of diverse ideas and views. Some areas of concentration for this year’s Summit include support resources for parents and families, missional ministry initiatives, models for church-based respite care and strategies for including persons with special needs at weekend worship services and other ministry environments. Our Program Committee is especially interested in presentations from “up and coming” ministry leaders with promising ideas as well as presentations from leaders working in small church environments.

Prospective faculty members can submit ideas for presentations by going to the Inclusion Fusion website, clicking on the link for speakers on the homepage, and paging down to the “Click here to apply” button at the bottom of the page to complete the application. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, September 5 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Prospective faculty are highly encouraged to submit links to video of any previous teaching or training presented on topics related to special needs or disability ministry.

The Inclusion Fusion Program Committee hopes to make final determinations on the faculty lineup by Thursday, September 15. Faculty are required to submit final copies of video presentations and Power Point handouts by Monday, October 3.

We want Inclusion Fusion to be an event featuring leaders doing great things to build the Kingdom through serving persons with disabilities and their families. We want to be challenged by new faces with new ideas. We need to model the change we hope to see.

We’re delighted to offer the opportunity to participate as a faculty member to any member of our larger family in Christ with resources or wisdom to share to help us more effectively serve families of persons with special needs. After all, doesn’t that reflect what it means to be inclusive?

Interested in joining a bunch of folks who are passionate about families of kids with special needs coming to know and love Jesus Christ?  An event in which any church leader, volunteer or parent anywhere in the world who shares the same passion and has access to the Internet through a computer, tablet or smart phone can join in? That’s Inclusion Fusion. Register here for the Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, coming this November 3rd-5th.

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Guest Blog…Aaron Scheffler from Mark 2 Ministries

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Dr. G

Originally posted on 8/21/11, revised 9/19/12). Between now and Inclusion Fusion on November 3-5, 2011 (Inclusion Fusion 2012 is scheduled for November 12-16, 2012, FREE registration available here) we’ll be introducing you to some of the speakers and ministries that will be featured during our upcoming Special Needs Ministry Web Summit. Today, we’re honored to turn the blog over to Aaron Scheffler from Mark 2 Ministries.

Aaron is currently serving as Indiana Director for Mark 2 Ministries. Mark 2 Ministries exists to encourage and equip the local church to evangelize, disciple, and integrate into their congregation individuals with disabilities. The ministry has a significant international presence in Spanish-speaking countries, the Ukraine and in Central Indiana.

Today, Aaron will share from Mark 2’s experiences in developing collaborations between like-minded churches serving persons with disabilities and their families in the greater Indianapolis area. To learn more about the services offered by Aaron and Mark 2 Ministries, click here.

Do you remember the 60’s TV show called Gilligan’s Island?  As a kid, I used to watch the reruns all the time.  I loved the dynamics of how the seven castaways interacted and got alone (or more appropriately didn’t get along) during their misadventures of being stranded on that deserted tropical oasis.  I must say that I’m still jealous of them sleeping in hammocks every night.

The Professor was far and away my favorite character.  He was a perfect blend of scientist, dreamer and Mr. Fix It.  He never gave up hope of being rescued… which lead him to invent some crazy communication devices and other “technologically advanced” equipment out of coconuts and bamboo shoots!  There was no problem too big or too small for him to try to figure out.  It makes me smile just thinking about it!

If only the castaways would have been able to communicate with the world around them, their lives would have been drastically different.  Even if they were still stuck on the island, they could have gotten answers to questions and solved most of the problems they encountered.

You may be asking yourself why I’m reminiscing about an old school TV show that hasn’t seen the light of day in years.  The answer is simple:  I notice a lot of similarities between the local church of today and the castaways of Gilligan’s Island.  “Professional Christians” (people whose primary vocation is within a church setting) tend to think of their church buildings and what happens within them as an island.  The thought of communicating with the outside world is but a fairy tale… especially in the world of disability ministry.

This line of thinking is CRAZY!  I have worked in the disability world for four years with the last year being in ministry with Mark 2 Ministries.  Since being with Mark 2, I have noticed this “castaway” mentality again and again in the churches with which I work.  Ministry leaders feel as though they are on their own.  They feel that there is nowhere to turn for help with questions, program development, volunteer training, etc.  Most find themselves getting discouraged to the point where their disability ministry never really takes off or just sputters along at best.

A friend and disability ministry leader at an Indianapolis-area mega church told me very early on in my Mark 2 career about a networking group that used to meet years ago as an avenue to brainstorm, share successes and challenges, and fellowship with other disability ministry leaders around the city.  Unfortunately, this group died out for various reasons.  I took this small seed and planted it just to see what would happen.  I approached a few key people within the Indianapolis disability ministry community to see if they would be interested in an opportunity to meet with their ministry peers.  I got a resounding, “YES!,” from everyone I approached.  I then went on to send out invitation letters to over 100 churches.  I received several more “yes” replies… the Disability Ministry Connection was born!

The Disability Ministry Connection (called the DMC for short) is a quarterly networking meeting for disability ministry leaders, pastors and key volunteers.  Each meeting is hosted by a different church in the Indianapolis area.  A typical meeting lasts two hours.  The first hour is used for fellowship and food (if you feed them, they will come… Ha ha!).  We will also use this time to introduce any first-time attendees and give them the opportunity to share about their ministry.  They also share successes and challenges within their ministries, asking questions, seeking answers.  I absolutely LOVE this part of the meeting.  I love watching these leaders interact and step up to share knowledge and brainstorm solutions. It is truly inspiring for me.  The second hour of the meeting is devoted to the purpose of the host church highlighting their disability ministry.  They tell specifically about what they do from Sunday morning to respite to mid-week small groups and more.  The time always ends with a tour of the space they use for their disability ministry.  You can see the other leaders soaking up the experience and the “idea wheels” churning and burning!

I have gotten great feedback from the ministry leaders who have attend.  I have even been asked by several of the attendees if we could have the DMC monthly instead of quarterly.  While I don’t think this will happen in the foreseeable future, I will never say never.  These meetings have been such a blessing to me and to my colleagues who have attended.  And they keep getting better and better as time goes by.  Glory to God!

If you would like to start a network similar to the DMC in your community, please do not hesitate to call or email me.  I would be more than happy to get it rolling for you!

In His Service,

Aaron

Mark 2 Ministries

 

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KM_ForFamilies_Logo_Color_RGBKey Ministry helps connect churches and families of kids with disabilities for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ. In order to provide the free training, consultation, resources and support we offer every day to church leaders and family members, we depend upon the prayers and generous financial support of readers like you. Please pray for the work of our ministry and consider, if able, to support us financially!

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Final Key Ministry Lineup…Bioethics Conference and Through The Roof Summit

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Dr. G

Our team is honored to participate in the Bioethics Conference and Through The Roof Summit at Cedarville University on September 15-17, co-sponsored by Joni and Friends. Here’s the final lineup of presentations from Key Ministry staff and volunteers:

Rebecca Hamilton and Katie Wetherbee will be joined by two very special guests for their breakout session on Out-of-the-box Outreach: Here’s a summary of their presentation:

Outreach events can be effective in reaching out to the community. However, reaching families affected by disabilities requires “out-of-the-box” thinking. In this session, we’ll examine three different outreach models that meet the needs of these families while pointing them toward the Church.

  • Event-based outreach (The Luau, BREATHE Respite)
, Community-based outreach, Chagrin Falls “TigerStripes” program…buddies for community ed/scouts/sports, pen pals, lunch bunches at school
  • Community “Block Parties” 
  • Alternative Special Programming (One-Day VBS Voyage Respite Event)
Rebecca and Katie will be joined by their daughters for this breakout session…Abby Hamilton, team leader for the 2011 FBC Luau outreach at Fellowship Bible Church in Chagrin Falls, Ohio and Annie Wetherbee, founder of the Tiger Stripes program in the Chagrin Falls Local Schools.

Inner Health Ministries founder and Key Ministry Board member Dr. Cara Daily will be presenting two breakout sessions…Autism Spectrum Disorders:  A Brief Overview, in which participants will learn the basics about pervasive developmental disorders on the autism spectrum, including practical tips for working with children at home and/or in the classroom, as well as Behavior Management in the Classroom. Participants in Cara’s second breakout session will learn the basics of behavior modification, including how to increase positive behaviors, decrease negative behaviors, and teach new behaviors in the classroom.

I’ll be presenting two breakout sessions as well. Here are the summaries:

Breakout One: The Impact of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on Spiritual Development

ADHD is the second most common chronic medical condition among kids in the U.S. In this breakout,  participants will review challenges kids with ADHD and their families face in their spiritual lives: attending church, practicing spiritual disciplines, internalizing faith, and maintaining consistent spiritual growth.  Strategies for promoting church participation and spiritual growth among families of kids with ADHD will be presented, along with an exploration of spiritual gifts and talents commonly observed in persons with ADHD.

Breakout Two: Children and Youth Who Demonstrate Aggressive Behavior at Church: What to Do?

Churches are ministering to increasing numbers of children with conditions associated with a heightened risk of aggressive behavior. In this breakout, participants will explore situations at church that increase a child’s risk for aggression and review common precipitants to aggression in kids with specific mental or developmental disorders. Practical strategies will be shared with ministry staff and volunteers for creating environments that reduce the risk of aggression, along with steps for enhancing communication with parents when incidents have occurred.

We’re looking forward to seeing you in Cedarville next month! For more information or to register for the Cedarville Bioethics Conference click here.

Interested in joining a bunch of folks who are passionate about families of kids with special needs coming to know and love Jesus Christ?  An event in which any church leader, volunteer or parent anywhere in the world who shares the same passion and has access to the Internet through a computer, tablet or smart phone can join in? That’s Inclusion Fusion. Register here for the Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, coming this November 3rd-5th.


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Stuck…by Rhonda Martin

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Dr. G

On behalf of our Board of Directors, ministry staff and volunteers, we couldn’t possibly be more proud of our teammate and friend, Rhonda Martin, upon the publication today of her first children’s book, Stuck. I was honored to have the privilege of endorsing Rhonda’s book, a very realistic portrayal of the day-to-day challenges and distress experienced by school-aged children with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) described through the eyes of Cinnamon, a seven year old girl with the disorder. Here’s my somewhat less than unbiased review…

More so than any other category of kids I treat in my practice, children with anxiety disorders and/or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder suffer in silence. You won’t see a barrage of ads on TV suggesting that parents “call their child’s doctor” if they suspect their child has OCD, because the medications demonstrated to be effective for the disorder are all inexpensive generics and the counseling approach of choice, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is often difficult to access because of the shortage of clinicians with appropriate training and supervision to effectively treat children.

By and large, the kids with OCD who come to my practice are really good kids. They’re often among the most conscientious and hard-working students with the best grades. They follow rules. Most are quiet and well-behaved in school. Some tend to be shy. Many struggle with other symptoms of anxiety. Given the nature of my practice, many kids I treat for OCD have other mental health conditions that co-occur with OCD…tic disorders, ADHD, Asperger’s Disorder to name a few.

Many of the kids I meet with OCD are mentally exhausted by the time they get to our office. They think too much. It’s not at all uncommon for me to see kids with OCD who toss and turn for several hours when it’s time to go to bed because they can’t stop thinking about the events of the day or next day for long enough to be able to fall asleep. Their inability to obtain relief from distressing thoughts often predisposes them to clinical depression. Many suffer from unrelenting doubts…doubts that all too often impact upon their friendships, family relationships and spiritual development.

Rhonda Martin’s new book, Stuck, is an invaluable resource for kids with OCD and their families because it helps kids and parents to recognize that others experience similar types distressing thoughts, irrational fears and compulsive behaviors. The ability to attach a name to symptoms is often the first step in the process of seeking help. The kids I see in my practice have often suffered in silence for years. The availability of Stuck will undoubtedly result in thousands of kids and families seeking help who wouldn’t have otherwise experienced relief from a condition that poses an obstacle to them becoming the people God created them to be.

The thought patterns and behaviors described by Cinnamon, the book’s seven year old protagonist, represent a very accurate portrayal of the daily challenges faced by school-age kids with OCD. At the same time, Cinnamon is portrayed as a hopeful and well-adjusted child who engages in all the activities common for kids of her age, loves her family and practices her faith!

Rhonda’s experience uniquely prepared her to develop such an accurate characterization of a child with OCD. I recognize many of Cinnamon’s symptoms in the patients we’ve shared with OCD. She knows her stuff. She also demonstrates an extraordinary level of commitment to the kids and families she serves through her practice. She’s been willing to go out to schools and meet with teachers and principals on her own time when her involvement was essential for some of my most complicated kids. She’s done a fabulous job in her roles as a leader and trainer with Key Ministry.

I’m most proud of Rhonda because she demonstrated remarkable courage in portraying a child from a religious family in her first children’s book. Cinnamon’s OCD is an issue when she attends church and when she prays. In this far too politically correct society we live in, most authors would be too afraid to include references to a child’s involvement in unapologetically Christian activities. Rhonda’s refusal to hide her light under a bushel basket is an inspiration to our entire team.

Stuck is an outstanding book for families of children with symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Please share the book with any child or family who might benefit from Cinnamon’s story. Stuck is also a great gift for your church library or pediatrician’s office. To order Stuck, click here.

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KM_ForFamilies_Logo_Color_RGBKey Ministry helps connect churches and families of kids with disabilities for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ. In order to provide the free training, consultation, resources and support we offer every day to church leaders and family members, we depend upon the prayers and generous financial support of readers like you. Please pray for the work of our ministry and consider, if able, to support us financially!

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What Happens After the Benediction?

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Dr. G

shutterstock_94941961_2So much of what we at Key Ministry, along with other special needs ministry leaders focus on is creating welcoming and inclusive environments to help families be able to attend church. But how do we come beside families of kids with disabilities and “do life” with them after the connection has been made and the families we serve are now part of our church?

I was discussing with Mike Woods the possibility of developing a training video based upon the title of this blog post. I had sent him a link to this article from the front page of the Cleveland paper with the question of what a church could do to help a family in the predicament of the parents described in the story. Mike’s response got me thinking about what churches do well after families of kids with disabilities have made the initial connection and are regularly attending church.

I had an opportunity yesterday to speak with the mother of a boy with autism from a family that has been attending a new church for the last few months. Their family has had a great experience at their new church with the children’s pastor and volunteers going above and beyond despite the absence of any recognized special needs ministry. Both parents are potentially very high capacity volunteers with extensive leadership experience in multiple churches.

The mother told me about a conversation she very much appreciated with a leader in the church this past Sunday. She shared that the leadership of the church was very excited about having two people with the experience that she and her husband bring with them and the church is very excited about having a conversation with them about how they might want to use their gifts and talents at the church. The church leader also shared that they were sensitive to the demands that having a son with autism places on the family and that they would essentially wait for a signal from the couple before initiating such a conversation.

Several lessons I took from the way in which this church responded to this new family…

1. They were proactive in doing everything they could to help the parents and all of their children feel comfortable and welcome from before the time of their first visit to the church.

2. They recognized the potential gifts and talents that the family could contribute to the ministry of the church.

3. They’re relying upon the parents to discern when the timing is right for them to become more active in exercising their gifts and talents through the church, as opposed to expecting the family to conform to their agenda.

4. They continue to communicate a sense that each member of the family is valued and wanted at the church.

Over the next few weeks, I’m planning to share some more success stories of how churches we know have found tangible ways to minister to families “after the benediction.”

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KM Logo UpdatedKey Ministry has assembled resources to help churches more effectively minister to children and adults with ADHD, anxiety disorders, Asperger’s Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, depression and trauma. Please share our resources with any pastors, church staff, volunteers or families looking to learn more about the influence these conditions can exert upon spiritual development in kids, and what churches can do to help!

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Beyond Zero Tolerance…Key Ministry Fall Preview

Posted on August 14, 2011 by Dr. G

Here’s a sneak preview at some of the cool events and resources Key Ministry has in store for church staff, volunteers and parents during September, October and November…

The focus of our Fall blog series will be on helping churches safely and effectively welcome, serve and include families of kids at risk of aggressive behavior. In the series Beyond Zero Tolerance, we’ll examine

  • Why kids may manifest maladaptive aggression
  • Conditions frequently associated with aggressive behavior
  • Times and environments at church when kids most likely to experience difficulty controlling aggressive behavior
  • Strategies for managing the risk for aggressive behavior in kids with autism and other developmental disabilities, mood disorders, ADHD and anxiety 
  • Strategies for effective collaboration between church staff, volunteers and parents of kids at risk for aggressive behavior
  • Tips for church staff and volunteers to help reduce risk of aggressive behavior  
  • Interventions when kids behave aggressively at church
  • Processing critical incidents with staff, volunteers and parents
  • What to do when the risk of aggressive behavior precludes kids from attending church

We’ll be kicking off the new teaching series on Sunday, September 11. Expect some guest bloggers, along with links to great resources.

We’re looking forward to meeting lots of old and new friends on September 15-17 at Cedarville University when several team members speak at the 2011 Bioethics Conference and Through The Roof Summit, co-sponsored by Joni and Friends. Our good friends Joe and Cindi Ferrini will be speaking, along with Nella Uitvlugt from Friendship Ministries. Joni Earickson Tada is the featured speaker. Click here for info on registration.

We’re hoping to announce dates in the next week or two for the next JAM (Jumpstart All-Inclusive Ministry) Leadership Training Session, which will be held in Cleveland later this fall. We’ll also be announcing dates and locations for JAM Sessions in the first quarter of 2012 in the near future.

Finally, we’re looking forward to having you and your friends join us from November 3-5 for Inclusion Fusion, our first Annual Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, hosted in Partnership with the folks from Pajama Conference. We’re extremely pleased with the lineup of leaders and teachers who have committed to Inclusion Fusion, many of whom you’ll meet here as guest bloggers in September and October. We’re also very pleased that the conference is being made available (like all Key Ministry services) free of charge. Click here to register.

We’re looking forward to a fruitful and rewarding Fall! OH-IO!

Posted in Key Ministry, Resources, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

How I let my team down…The key ingredient

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Dr. G

In the midst of our team’s excitement about Inclusion Fusion, I received word today about a development that represents a major disappointment for our ministry. Funny how that pattern tends to repeat itself. Like a stink bomb lobbed into a party. When I got done seeing patients, I shot a text off to Harmony with a question…Why does this stuff happen? By the time I got home from the office, I had my answer, but I believe the answer came from a higher authority than Harmony.

I started reflecting on the experiences of David and Paul. Both were remarkable leaders. Both confronted great adversity. David, the rightful king of Israel, spent years fleeing a deranged and spiritually bankrupt King Saul determined to kill him because of the threat David posed to Saul’s position and authority. Paul experienced more than his share of adversity as well in his ministry to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles, along with the much-debated “thorn” in his side.

Both David and Paul responded to their adversity by turning to God and depending upon His power and authority as opposed to relying upon their own talents and abilities and the natural talents and abilities of their inner circle. I’ve been negligent in depending upon God and I’ve spent far too much time struggling to overcome the impediments placed in our path through my own failed strategies and solutions.

I’m incredibly proud of our extremely gifted and dedicated staff and volunteers at Key Ministry. Therein lies the problem.

While my Christian identity continues to grow, I’m also a very left-brained physician and scientist. When confronted with a problem, I’m prone to try to find the smartest and most able people available to tackle the problem. That approach is so rational. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last year, it’s that ministry world is not rational.

I’ve been trying to overcome our recent challenges in my own strength. I wonder if one purpose behind the “thorn” in my side (and the side of our ministry) is to be reminded that God doesn’t share His glory with anyone. If we’re going to have the privilege of watching God do amazing things through churches and kids with disabilities and their families, we may have to go through some humbling experiences so that it becomes unmistakably clear that God’s doing the work, and not a bunch of talented people operating out of their knowledge and experience.

Maybe if I learn my lesson more quickly and pray and the first sign of adversity as opposed to plan, I’ll spare my team too many more humbling experiences.

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KM_ForFamilies_Logo_Color_RGBKey Ministry helps connect churches and families of kids with disabilities for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ. In order to provide the free training, consultation, resources and support we offer every day to church leaders and family members, we depend upon the prayers and generous financial support of readers like you. Please pray for the work of our ministry and consider, if able, to support us financially!

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Inclusion Fusion…How You Can Help

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Dr. G

Consider this…Don’t we live in a pretty amazing time when a bunch of folks who are passionate about wanting to see families of kids with special needs come to know and love Jesus Christ can put on an event in which any church leader, volunteer or parent anywhere in the world who shares the same passion and has access to the Internet through a computer, tablet or smart phone can join in? That’s Inclusion Fusion.

The part of this ministry adventure I most enjoy is the opportunity to invite other people to join our team and use their gifts, talents and abilities in service of building the Kingdom. Inclusion Fusion is going to be a MAJOR undertaking for our team…we could sure use your help!

So, what can you do to help make Inclusion Fusion a success?

1. Pray! That goes without saying, but it’s all too easy for us to start relying on our own talents and abilities as opposed to God’s infinite talents and abilities. We appreciate your prayers and encouragement. If you do pray, can you leave a message either on the Key Ministry or Pajama Conference Facebook pages?

2. Suggest speakers for Inclusion Fusion. One of the cool things about the inclusion movement within the church is to see how God is resourcing and equipping folks with different passions and backgrounds in cities and towns across the U.S. and beyond to step up in response to His call. We don’t know everybody. It would be great if folks who haven’t drawn the attention of major ministry conferences before had the opportunity to become more widely known through Inclusion Fusion.

3. Help us to identify potential conference sponsors. One way in which we can make Inclusion Fusion free for churches and parents is by finding sponsors willing to support the cost of putting on such a conference. Ultimately, I’d hope and pray for a major sponsor willing to underwrite the cost of making all of the trainings and presentations offered through Inclusion Fusion available all of the time, free of charge to any church anywhere that can benefit from the resources. But every sponsor makes a significant difference in making the Web Summit available to every church and family interested in the spiritual development of kids with special needs. After we do this for a few years, we’ll have assembled a pretty amazing library of video teaching on the best practices in special needs ministry.

4. Let church leaders, volunteers and parents who might be interested in viewing some or all of the sessions know about the conference. When we do this type of FREE conference, there’s zero budget for marketing and promotion. Church leaders and parents of kids with special needs often have extensive networks of friends through Facebook or lots of followers on Twitter. We’d very much appreciate your willingness to send periodic reminders to your friends in church world or parents who might find some of the presentations useful. Feel free to “like” our Key Ministry page and copy us when you get the word out through Facebook. Consider using the #inclusionfusion hashtag when sharing information about the conference with followers on Twitter.

Thanks for joining us as we embark on this great ministry adventure!

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Inclusion Fusion…The Special Needs Ministry Web Summit

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Dr. G

Our Key Ministry team and Board of Directors are delighted to invite you to join us for Inclusion Fusion…the first Annual Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, hosted in partnership with PajamaConference.com on November 3rd-5th, 2011.

Inclusion Fusion will be a FREE, worldwide web conference to equip churches to more effectively minister to families of kids with disabilities. The conference is an opportunity for Christ followers everywhere to come together to share ideas and resources to advance the movement among Christ-honoring churches to serve, welcome and include families of kids with disabilities. Inclusion Fusion is being made available free of charge, to ensure the participation of as many church leaders, volunteers and families as possible.

Inclusion Fusion will welcome cutting-edge presentations from leaders working in the field of special needs ministry. We hope to promote discussion of diverse ideas and views. It’s OK for folks to disagree. What’s important is that everyone continues to pursue the most effective strategies for sharing God’s love with families of kids with special needs and form relationships that promote the building of God’s Kingdom.

So…what’s such a big deal about a special needs ministry conference? We’ve had, or will have had the opportunity to present at the excellent Accessibility Summit that McLean Bible Church hosts annually as well as the Through The Roof Summit organized by Joni and Friends. Here’s what’s different…

The capacity for church staff, volunteers and families from across the U.S. and beyond to participate in an event like this increases exponentially when the content is freely available over the Internet. Most churches lack the funds to send their people across the country for a major conference, and most volunteers have competing family and work demands that interfere with their ability to attend such conferences, even when funding is available.

This past April, Key Ministry had the opportunity to participate in the Children’s Ministry Web Summit, hosted by Jeremy Collins and his team at Pajama Conference. Jeremy is a children’s pastor from Bethel Harvest Church outside Lexington, Kentucky who recognized the need for church staff and volunteers to be able to access no-cost or low-cost training through the Internet at times that work for people with busy schedules. Approximately 3,200 children’s pastors, church staff and volunteers from nineteen countries participated in this year’s Children’s Ministry Web Summit. Through partnering with Jeremy and his team (something I’d strongly encourage you to do if you’re involved with a ministry that could benefit from this type of technology), we can jump-start the process of equipping churches everywhere to more effectively minister to families of kids with disabilities.

We’re going to invite parents and families to join us for Inclusion Fusion. Since this blog and Key Ministry are about “building bridges between churches and families of kids with issues,” it wouldn’t make sense to exclude families. We’ll have presentations and content designed with parents in mind. After all, most churches acknowledge that parents bear the primary responsibility for the spiritual development of their kids, and I have yet to come across in the Bible any exemption from that responsibility for parents of kids with special needs. We’ve found that parents often become the champions within their churches for the development of special needs ministry, especially parents of kids with special needs who also happen to be pastors. Building the Kingdom is not the exclusive privilege of church staff…we need parents involved if this movement is going to be effective.

We’re going to invite experts from outside of “church world” to participate in Inclusion Fusion. In my initial blog post, I describe what it’s like to live in two worlds. I’m excited to see what happens when the top leaders in ministry world have the opportunity to be exposed to the top leaders in the world in researching the causes for common disabilities and their treatment.

Speakers for Inclusion Fusion will be selected on the basis of what they know, not who they know. We’re going to be intentional in seeking out leaders who are doing great things to build the Kingdom in relative obscurity. Our team knows what it’s like to feel like the outsiders looking in at ministry world. Nobody who’s part of our larger family in Christ should feel like an outsider. Ever.

I’d hope that Inclusion Fusion is a reflection of a movement in which God is stirring like-minded followers everywhere to come together in removing the concrete and invisible barriers that prevent families of children with visible and hidden disabilities to assume their rightful place in our churches, and ultimately, in His Kingdom.

God is up to something big!

We’ll be announcing speakers and topics for Inclusion Fusion nearly every day in the coming weeks. For FREE registration, click here.

Tomorrow…How you can join us in maximizing the impact of Inclusion Fusion.

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