Mr. Thornton begins by sharing his personal story of growing up with a mother who sustained a traumatic brain injury and had chronic emotional difficulties. He describes how his mother’s suffering helped develop within him a pastor’s heart for hurting people and their families. He goes on to describe what God’s countercultural values entail when […]
Community Changing Inclusion: A Case Study (Christen Morrow & Julia Chuquitapye)
“It is more than a question of inclusion, it’s a question of love.” This is (essentially) a set of inspirational stories from Kingdom Table Ministries in Peru, where “small expressions of the kingdom are breaking forth.” Stories are told of the ministry providing biblical tools for the healing, growth and health of community members, with […]
Interview: Chantal Huinink
Ms. Huinink is a young woman with cerebral palsy who is also a gifted motivational speaker, teacher, writer, and advocate for people with disabilities. Her passion is empowering others, including those with disabilities, to identify and actualize their own spiritual gifts, knowing that God has uniquely equipped each and every believer for His own good […]
Interview: Joel Anderson
Mr. Anderson is a young man with autism who is also a gifted artist and speaker. He was originally inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr. to help end the segregation of special needs children in schools. He has now spoken to over 10,000 students on this subject, both domestically and internationally, encouraging them to “be […]
Isaiah 53 & A Theology of Suffering & Disability (Charles Ware)
Dr. Ware expressly stated his own primary theme: “Jesus Christ became one of us in order that He might die for us, in order that He might save us.” He uses a lot of Scripture, drawing primarily from Hebrews 2 and Hebrews 4, in addition to Isaiah 53. His main emphasis is on Christ Himself […]
Is Your Church Like Vegas? (Amy Simpson)
Does the Church “send away” people with mental illness (like the city of Las Vegas has), and merely transfer the problem to “someone else”? Ms. Simpson shares per own personal story of a mother with schizophrenia. She goes on to describe that although 25% of the population is afflicted with mental illness, there is an […]
Joni and Friends’ Journey with Jesus: A Portrait of Leadership (Jerry Borton)
This workshop discusses the primary aspects of servant leadership, based upon the book Lead Like Jesus: the heart, head, hands, and habits of a leader. Specific attention is given to the development of leaders with disabilities. Mr. Borton shares his own personal story throughout, touching upon the topics of trusting God’s sovereignty, strength in weakness, […]
Keeping the Disabled Connected (Ryan Wolfe)
How can the Church, through the vehicle of technology, overcome the isolation people with disabilities often feel? Mr. Wolfe shares personal examples from the large disability ministry he planted at First Christian Church in Canton, OH, where they host special events, run an adult day program, and actively engage and collaborate with the surrounding community. […]
Learning to Speak Your Language (Panel)
Panelists discuss the inclusion of people with disabilities, interweaving their own personal stories into the discussion. Topics include the “common language” of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ example of ministry to the marginalized, the Church learning to truly love its neighbor, the development of true friendship and belonging, and the necessity of inclusion for a complete […]
Luke 14 and the Role of People with Disabilities in the Church (Doug Mazza)
Mr. Mazza intertwines his own personal story of having a son with cerebral palsy with “perhaps the most over analyzed and under-performed mandate in Scripture,” that found in Luke 14. Based on Jesus’ own example of seeking out the needy, poor, blind and lame, Mr. Mazza challenges church leaders, in particular, to “compel” people with […]
Matthew 28: Evangelizing People with Disabilities Among the Nations (Lon Solomon)
Mr. Solomon begins with an account of evolving disability ministry opportunities in El Salvador. He provides a biblical foundation for disability ministry by citing Luke 14 and Matthew 4, 15, and 21. The primary focus of his talk is about his daughter Jill, who has suffered with severe seizures since birth and is significantly disabled. […]
Ministry Across the Lifespan Stages (Emily Colson)
This workshop begins with the foundation of the dignity of life, that all persons are made in the image of God. Ms. Colson describes threats to the dignity of life, as well as how the Church can effectively respond to these threats. Then, she transitions to what it might look like to “make disciples” of […]
Ministry to People with Disabilities in Various Global Contexts (Jackie Mills-Fernald)
This workshop focuses on cultural sensitivity when ministering to and with other cultures, as demonstrated through preparedness, respect, etiquette and humility. Attention is given to how views on disability are shaped by different cultures and religions. Facts and statistics on disability are also provided. Ms. Mills-Fernald’s personal story is interwoven throughout, drawing from her experience […]
Mission, Marketplace & Including Those with Disabilities (Mary Grace Lagasca)
Ms. Lagasca recounts her own personal experience of running a government-funded adult day program named InJoy. She describes the history of how InJoy began and how God has provided over the years, despite numerous challenges, to sustain InJoy’s ministry. She describes what her day program entails, and offers insights into how it is managed, including […]
Mission of the Church, Hope and Peace in a Broken World, The (Bundy/Tangara)
This workshop begins with Ms. Tangara’s own personal story of living with paralysis in Mali, West Africa since age 10. She describes all the difficulties she endured, including social ostracism and rejection, barriers to education, untreated medical problems, and poverty, to the point that she eventually became suicidal. Through the Joni book, however, Ms. Tangara […]
Parts of Christ’s Body That Seem Weak Are ‘Indispensable,’ The (Bernadette Todd)
Ms. Todd tells her personal story of being born with Muscular Dystrophy and raised in Jamaica. She recounts a sequence of difficult life events and her resulting feelings of alienation, fear, abandonment and despair. She describes eventually finding God as One who is close to the brokenhearted, saves those who are crushed in spirit, and […]
Role of Technology in Community Integration & Networking, The (Natalie Beazer)
Ms. Beazer, a mother of two sons on the autism spectrum, poses the question of “How has technology worked for people with disabilities? And how can technology play an additional role in integration?” She works from the premise that the purpose of technology is to connect people with disabilities with access to all the resources […]
Using Every Spiritual Gift (Chantal Huinink)
Every believer is endowed with spiritual gifts that are not based upon their physical or cognitive abilities, but upon the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The Church’s role is to help foster reciprocal and interdependent relationships with people who have disabilities, so that their spiritual gifts can be identified and encouraged and […]
Welcoming Families Affected by Mental Illness (Amy Simpson)
Mental illness is a surprisingly common reality, both within and without the Church. The Church has often failed to adequately welcome and serve those who suffer from mental illness due to ignorance, incorrect theology, and a lack of training about how to meaningfully respond. Alternatively, the Church can learn to welcome and serve families affected […]