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Tag Archives: Hidden Disabilities
High Risk, High Reward…Disabilities and Leadership
I’m not so sure about the impact of visible disabilities upon ability to perform effectively in leadership positions, but there’s interesting evidence to suggest that traits associated with hidden disabilities may be very adaptive for some leaders.
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If Not Special Needs Ministry, What Should We Call It?
All things considered, I would favor the terms disability ministry or disability inclusion to describe the ministry our team resources and supports in churches. My hope in initiating this discussion is to spark leaders in the church to see a bigger game. The population of families who have children with what we’ve traditionally referred to as “hidden disabilities” is enormously larger than the population who have children with the physical or intellectual disabilities that come to mind in association with the term special needs. Most children’s pastors have all they can handle to serve families of kids with special needs and our team makes a practice of meeting churches wherever they’re at. But I’ll continue to communicate in a manner that constantly reminds us of the need to address the obstacles that prevent kids with less visible disabilities and their families from fully participating in the life of the church.
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Rhett Smith…Anxiety as a Barrier at Church
Anxiety is a classic example of a “hidden disability. In the third segment of his current series, Rhett Smith discusses some not so obvious ways in which anxiety presents significant barriers to church attendance and engagement for kids as well as adults. Rhett is the author of the new book, The Anxious Christian: Can God Use Your Anxiety for Good?. Continue reading
Posted in Anxiety Disorders, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Strategies
Tagged Adam McHugh, anxiety, Can God Use Your Anxiety for Good?, Hidden Disabilities, Introverts in the Church, Key Ministry, Neil Gatten, Rhett Smith, Special Needs Ministry TweetChat, Stephen Grcevich MD, The Anxious Christian
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Church…A Hostile Environment? (Part Two) Harmony Hensley
I would encourage you to take a two pronged approach to making your church a more welcoming environment for families and kids impacted by disability.
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Inclusion Fusion Speakers: Introducing Laura Lee Wright
Our Key Ministry team has had several opportunities to work with Laura Lee Wright in her capacity as Access Ministry Team Leader at Northland Church in Orlando. Having experienced the passion and dedication she has for ministry, we’re honored to have Laura Lee serving as a faculty member for our first Inclusion Fusion Special Needs Ministry Web Summit. She’ll be speaking on the topic “For Kingdom’s Sake.” Continue reading
When are kids most at risk of aggressive behavior at church?
Most kids who display aggressive behavior serious enough in terms of frequency and/or severity to be of concern to church staff and volunteers will meet the criteria for one or more mental health or developmental disorders. Nevertheless, children’s and youth ministry staff and volunteers need to take steps to minimize antecedents to aggressive behavior without specific information about a child’s diagnosis or treatment. Continue reading
Posted in Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Ministry Environments, Strategies
Tagged aggressive behavior at church, children's ministry, Chuck Swindoll, executive functioning, Harmony Hensley, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Inclusion Fusion, Jeff McNair, Jeremy Collins, Katie Wetherbee, Key Ministry, Marie Kuch, Shannon Dingle, youth ministry
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Why do kids become aggressive?
One contributing factor to aggressive behavior you can influence as a ministry leader is the environment in which your kids worship, learn and serve at church. You want to consider how you can create environments that help all kids to maximize their capacity to use all of their cognitive resources for the best possible experience at church.
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More thoughts on disruptive kids
There are far, far more kids who struggle with ‘doing church” because of disruptive behavior than there are kids recognized with a special need who struggle to do church. Continue reading
Hidden Disabilities and Promotion Sunday
Kids with hidden disabilities and their families may not look forward to these transitions with the same anticipation as their peers at church. Transition times all too often result in kids and families falling away from church programming. With a little understanding of the ways in which transitions may impact kids with specific disabilities and some advance planning, church staff, volunteers and parents can help most have positive experiences as they progress into their age-appropriate ministry environments with the onset of the new program year.
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Posted in Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Strategies
Tagged anxiety, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, student ministry, Transition Sunday
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