Tag Archives: First Baptist Orlando

Celebrating Mike

Posted on March 29, 2015 by Dr. G

We know that Mike will continue to have a great impact for the Kingdom through the Special Friends Ministry at FBO while prioritizing the needs of his wife and family in accordance with Scripture. Continue reading →

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Doing Ministry Like a Missionary…Mike Woods

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Dr. G

Whether you want to call it “outeach,” “missional,” or “go and tell,” I think it’s important for church-based special needs ministries (and churches without special needs ministries) to start operating again like missionaries. Continue reading →

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From outreach ideas to action in three easy steps…Mike Woods

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Dr. G

What can you and your special needs ministry do to help people with disabilities in your community achieve their potential and experience God’s good design for their lives? No one special needs ministry (or church) can do everything . . . but each special needs ministry (or church) is called to do something.
Continue reading →

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The secret to launching a missional special needs ministry

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Dr. G

But BIG is not always better…or most effective for creating a missional movement into the disability community. Continue reading →

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Mike Woods: So I Send You…Missional Special Needs Ministry

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Dr. G

The first phase of a missional special needs ministry must be a willingness for us to move out—to simply make a decision to go to the people that we want to serve, wherever that might be. For most of us, what is required to engage in missional special needs ministry is to rely on the Holy Spirit to give us the desire to reach out to others, to take a risk and get involved in what God is already doing in our disability communities. Continue reading →

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Special Needs Ministry: Salt Block or Salt Shaker?

Posted on March 8, 2014 by Dr. G

The challenge is that Sunday morning success, or church-event success, can end up becoming the dominant strategy to share with others the love of Christ: a salt block approach. This is the way it is in a lot of church-based special needs ministries. We operate primarily, almost exclusively, as salt blocks. Paid staff and/or volunteers knock themselves out, week to week, trying to offer the best ministry possible to get both Christian and non-Christian to attend. And that’s a good thing. It’s a needed thing.

But…is it the only thing? Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Inclusion, Intellectual Disabilities, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“Thinking Orange”…A Parent’s Perspective-Mike Woods

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Dr. G

I could list a handful of wonderful gifts that you give my children by providing a special needs ministry. Today, however, I’d like to share with you four wonderful gifts that you bless my wife Linda and I with by providing a special needs ministry to our children and by being a welcoming church: Continue reading →

Posted in Autism, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Parents | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Special Needs Ministry App…Mike Woods

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Dr. G

The primary way that I hope parents will make use of our app is as a daily or weekly resource for encouragement and for ideas to nurture their child’s faith. Parents of children with special needs are b-u-s-y! The goal is not to engage parents to do all things related to strengthening their child’s faith! The app is designed to support parents in discovering one small thing that they can do, one small step that they can take to help their child become who God wants them to be. Continue reading →

Posted in Autism, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Inclusion Fusion, Resources, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Faces of the Movement…Mike Woods of First Baptist Orlando

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Dr. G

As I read through Deut. 6:4-7, Psalm 78, and the central focus of the books I mentioned, I was reminded that as a parent I’m the one that God holds primarily responsible for my boys’ spiritual development. My problem was that as a father to three boys on the autism spectrum, I had become so focused on their social, emotional, academic, and communication needs that I had been neglecting their spiritual needs. Continue reading →

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Ministry Resources From Mike Woods for Kids With Autism

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Dr. G

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…
Continue reading →

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