Nurturing Faith Across Generations in Disability Ministry

Embark on a heartfelt journey with me, Tracie Corll, as we uncover the transformative power of disability ministry for all ages. It's time to shatter the myth that special needs ministries cater only to the young. From the tender experiences of nurturing children with disabilities to the profound privilege of caregiving for seniors, I'll share stories that reveal the beauty and necessity of inclusivity within our churches. Whether you're a seasoned volunteer or new to the world of ministry, prepare to discover how every age group not only enriches our spiritual communities but also brings unique joys and challenges that can deepen our own faith.

In our latest episode, we also illuminate finding the 'sweet spot' for volunteers in ministry. Imagine a place where your strengths are not just recognized but celebrated, where you're matched with a role that amplifies your talents and aligns with your passion—whether it be with energetic teens, inquisitive children, or the wise elderly. I discuss the remarkable impact of strategically positioning volunteers within their area of greatest effectiveness, an approach that cultivates personal growth and transforms the collective ministry landscape. Join us for an inspiring conversation that will leave you eager to contribute your own gifts to a ministry that thrives on diversity, dedication, and the shared goal of helping everyone connect with Christ and each other.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

Hi, my name is Tracy Corral and welcome to Indispensable People. I'm a wife, mom, teacher, pastor and missionary, and I believe that every person should have the opportunity to know Christ, grow in Him and serve Him with the gifts that he has given, no matter their ability. Over 65 million Americans have a disability. That's 25% of the population. However, over 80% of them are not inside the walls of our church. Let's dive into those hard topics biblical foundations, perceptions and world-changing ideas. Hi and welcome to this episode of Indispensable People, and I want to talk to you about the different age groups when it comes to disability ministry.

Speaker 1: 1:03

I have had the opportunity of working with all of the different ages when it comes to disabilities outside of ministry. I started in college as a caregiver to two gentlemen who were in their 50s and 60s, and then I went on to work in the day program, where I worked with people from 18 into their 60s and 70s, and then, when I was a teacher in the schools I worked with, I started in I think I was doing middle school, fifth grade, sixth grade interventions and then went on to teaching first grade, where I had students with all types of disabilities for several years. I taught third grade for a year. So I have literally been across the age span before I even got into ministry, and I will tell you that there are some similarities in the age groups when you transfer between ministry and other atmospheres. But I love, love, love, love, love the different age groups for different reasons. I love kiddos because I just have a soft spot for kids. I went to school to be an elementary education major and so I obviously have had a love for kids for a long time. But I also have an extra soft spot for adults because I've had so many great experiences working with them.

Speaker 1: 2:41

I will tell you that most of the people that I experience in ministry who are talking to me about special needs ministry or disability ministry, their first thought or consideration is always about kids. It's usually children's pastors who are speaking to me and asking me questions, and I always try to remind them that number one all of those people will grow up someday. So special needs ministry can't be the end-all, be-all in the kids ministry. We have to consider things beyond that. In addition to that, we need to know that people come in all different shapes and sizes and have needs at all different ages and stages of their life and we need to make sure that all the ministries within the church are open and inclusive to individuals with disabilities so that, no matter what age and stage of life that they're in, they can be a part of it. So I also like to tell them this is going to be a bit controversial, but those children's pastors who are coming to me and talking to me about disability ministry, I really try to take the weight off of them and explain to them that special needs ministry is not their responsibility. So why do I say that? I simply say that for the reason that I just stated.

Speaker 1: 4:14

Disability ministry isn't only in kids ministry. Those individuals grow up. So if you designate that the children's minister is the only one responsible for special needs ministry, then it is likely that those other age groups will either fall through the cracks or be missing. Now, obviously, I always tell those individuals that listen, if you are called to this ministry, that's a different story. If you're called to serve this people group, then continue on. However, it is better to find someone in the church who is called to disability ministry specifically and they be the facilitator of the ministry, because it will span all the way from kids ministry to anything in adult ministry, and so just having those doors open and available for people to participate in because they have someone who can facilitate that is a necessary need. So now let's get down to talking about some of the differences between the age groups in serving people with disabilities, and I always say that a lot of people will gravitate toward kids simply because and this is going to sound terrible, but if they actually admitted it they would say it's cuter, they're easier to love. An adult is bigger and sometimes scarier, because they may overpower you or they may be stronger than you, and so the gravitation towards the younger ones typically is easier than adults. However, I would like to say that I believe that ministering to adults with special needs is actually easier than ministry to kids.

Speaker 1: 6:16

Kids are growing, they are figuring things out, they are learning the strategies to deal with, cope and handle their disabilities in a world that is not necessarily designed for them, and so it becomes sometimes a struggle. And then you add to the things that any does not help that process Tiredness, preferences in food, all of those kinds of things that impact how you feel, what you think and how you deal with things and again, kids are figuring those things out. That is a normal process for all children, let alone children with disabilities, who may not understand that process, who may not have the tools to be equipped to handle the process of all of that. So they are working on it, they are figuring it out. You may go from one week this one strategy worked really, really well to next week nope, it's not gonna happen, it's just not working. And so you have to go through that tool belt of strategies maybe more quickly and be able to come up with alternatives so that you can better serve that individual.

Speaker 1: 7:53

And you go on to teens, and teens is kind of a tricky place because it's easy to place a child, it's easy to place an adult, but youth ministry is a difficult place for anyone to be in, let alone someone with a disability, and then you don't really have a lot of outlets. In kids ministry you can make allowances for all kinds of things because a lot of kids require it, regardless of their abilities. In youth, the world of fitting in is very difficult, and if you don't fit in and you don't fit the mold that exists, it becomes much more difficult to navigate. However, I would say that if you build your special needs ministry and it exists throughout the ministries of your church. Those kids who grew up in kids ministry together and experienced life together and know each other and love each other, regardless of the abilities or disabilities that they have, go into youth ministry and that makes that transition a whole lot easier. But just as kids ministry, they're figuring things out, they're trying to build and develop strategies to develop and cope with their disabilities. Then you add to youth ministry hormones and just teenagery experiences that make life difficult Moving into adulthood.

Speaker 1: 9:32

I think this is the easiest place for disability ministry and that may not be the case for everyone. That just might be my preference. But I think a lot of adults have come through that developing and coping and building strategies, and not that they've got it all down perfectly and that it comes out just right, but that it is easier because you better have lived a whole life with dealing with the things that you're trying to strategize around and so therefore you have maybe it just doesn't throw you as much as it used to, maybe it's just easier to deal with, maybe it is just an overall, not a big deal anymore, or you have learned those strategies to help you through it, to help you through the regulation and all of that kind of stuff, or you might be open and accepting to people helping to guide you on that, because there have been people your whole life. So I always say there are benefits and difficulties in every age and stage of life. You can consider that those who are adults may also be set in their ways, so it might be a little difficult to convince them to think about or to do something differently than they've done before. So you can add that difficulty and again, every age group has some type of difficulty or not preference something that you have to deal with. That you'd rather not, but you know what. Every age and stage of life has that. But I would say kiddos, they're figuring it out, but we might just be able to have a bit more grace and compassion for them as they do that, and sometimes that compassion and that grace wanes a little bit as people get older. However, we need to be reminded of the grace and compassion and kindness and love that Jesus shows us on a daily basis, because we need it just as much as they do, and so I would encourage you to think about the different ages and the groupings that can occur within your church and the benefits of working in and out of any of them, and the cool thing is is that you can take into consideration how that works for your volunteers.

Speaker 1: 11:59

Some volunteers don't do kids ministry at all. It's not their interest, it's not their place. Some people are like you know what, I only want to work with adults, and that's okay. Everyone has their sweet spot and God has a specific place for them, so we can capitalize on that. With our volunteers, we can also see who works best with who and how they adapt to those situations, and so we can know that you know what youth. Youth is the place for so-and-so and they do fantastic there. Nothing throws them, it doesn't bother them that. You know kids might be on a little bit of a roller coaster of emotions or you know, maybe this, that and the other thing, and so knowing the people that you serve will only benefit your ministry, but also knowing the people that serve in your ministry will benefit your ministry.

Speaker 1: 12:50

You have to take all of that into context, and being able to put people in their sweet spots will just make your ministry run so much smoother, have just beneficial relationships, and I could list for you a handful of people in my ministry that, if I don't have to, I won't cross the age span for them. I will stick with the age span that I know that their sweet spot is in and they do a fantastic job in that and it just works for them. And why would I? Why would I switch that up if that's not what is their best place to serve?

Speaker 1: 13:29

Now, again, we come across things that maybe it doesn't work this way one time or another, or we're lacking in volunteers so they have to step in. But those volunteers are usually great people to do that kind of stuff. But we want to capitalize on those sweet spots and be able to mix and connect people that work well together because of that, and so be aware of those age groups, know what they bring to the table and know what your volunteers bring to the table, because then they can each benefit from one another and grow and disciple and change lives and glorify God in ways that you never could have dreamed. Do I know everything about disability ministry? Do I have all the answers? Have I done everything perfectly? I have absolutely not, but we are going to continue this conversation so that people of all abilities can have the opportunity to know Christ, grow in Him and serve Him with the gifts that he has given them. So you