The purpose of the new content is to help educate local church leaders on the challenges involved in providing this kind of specialized ministry and provide much-needed resources to enhance the effectiveness of that ministry. Helping to network churches engaged in this area of specialized ministry is another key objective of the new content, which was developed with guidance from a nine-member committee that included pastors and lay people.
An estimated 20 percent of individuals live with some kind of disability, research shows, with a large number of those individuals unable to enjoy a church home because so many of the church facilities are not easily accessible. Another challenge comes when parents of children with disabilities are unable to participate in worship services because of a lack of appropriate needs-related care, or their children are unable to participate in Sunday school because of facilities that are not designed to accommodate the children’s special needs.
The committee hopes to raise awareness of these special needs, as well as provide resources for ministry and an opportunity to connect with other churches offering similar support. Some of the featured web content includes:
• Disability Ministry Network – Churches are divided into three categories: ministries to children with special needs, ministries to families of children with special needs, and ministries to persons with disabilities of all ages.
• Accessibility – Provides an overview of accessibility issues, including an “Indicators of Welcome” survey to help a local church evaluate how welcoming their facilities are to individuals with disabilities.
• Tools – Provides a collection of resources, including specialized forms, articles on disability ministries, and website addresses for other organizations that offer good resources.
• Startup – A 12-step document outlining the basic steps to follow in establishing a special needs ministry in a local church.
