Elaina sits down and shares a few of the many reasons we have to celebrate here at Key Ministry this year. We are so grateful for all that the Lord has done in and through our ministry in 2024, and we can’t wait to see what he does in 2025!
I wonder when did being sensitive get a bad reputation and why does being sensitive tend to make others uncomfortable? After all, Jesus showed us how to use gifts like sensitivity, empathy and compassion for the Kingdom of God.
As 2024 comes to a close, we look back at some of the most impactful events and relationships we were part of this past year, highlight new resources we helped create over the past twelve months and look ahead to opportunities for advancing the Gospel in 2025 through supporting local churches in their ministry with the disability and mental health communities.
Sandra Peoples grew up with a sister with Down syndrome and now has a teenager with level 3 autism, so she knows how different the holidays can feel for a family like hers. But they don't have to feel different at church! With a few steps of consideration, she shares how families can feel included and valued. Let's make sure special-needs families can hear the message of hope this Christmas!
Every child is wonderfully unique, created by God with love and intention. For kids who experience and process the world differently, hearing affirmations rooted in God’s truth can be a powerful reminder of their worth and purpose.
The bustle of Christmas and the Advent season are felt deeply in the offices of churches and Christian ministries around the world. We are battling to balance productivity with meaningful reflection and the celebration of Jesus’ coming — both within ourselves and among those we serve. In this season that beckons us to find and follow our Savior, people with dementia and intellectual-developmental disabilities have life-transforming things to teach us about discipleship.
Worshiping with Joel at age 11 was an interesting experience. It was not unlike sitting on the edge of your seat during an action movie, when you're not quite sure what's going to happen next—you only know something is going to happen. Then one day, during communion, a radiant look of understanding came upon Joel's face.
Caring for families impacted by disabilities and special needs often means having the calling and the commitment to provide a pastoral care experience that is based on a plan of how best to care for the needs of the family. Here are some things to consider when committing to caring for the spiritual needs of special needs families.
After a meeting with our elder board about some missions support, our leadership team had an awakening of sorts. One of the elders said, “We need to understand disabilities better as a church,” and then asked, “How can we educate our people about this and do better together as it relates to our families affected by disability?” Read how one church became intentional about disability ministry and outreach.
Keep listening to the voice of God as you ask: What gift has this person been given by God that might benefit those around them, and especially the Church? A person just being present is a gift to those around them. Who are we to judge who can and cannot have a relationship with God, or who can and cannot serve Him?
As a young mom of four children, two of whom have disabilities, including severe intellectual impairment, I ask God tough questions. I imagine many ministry leaders wonder some of the same things I do, but fear asking. It’s natural to wonder and it’s okay to ask. It’s in wrestling with such questions, pressing into Jesus in prayer and exploration of His Word we not only find answers but gain a deeper understanding of who Jesus intended the Church to be.
Whether Mother’s and Father’s Days are acknowledged as part of your church’s worship service or not, we’re wise to recognize the state of mind and emotion present in adoptive and foster parents and their children on these days. It’s important to recognize and express sensitivity toward each member of these families.
