my sessions and notes from Inclusion Fusion 2011

I had the privilege of presenting two sessions at Inclusion Fusion, and you can find the links to the presentations (up through TODAY, and rumor has is that Steve will be making an announcement later today about if/how you'll be able to access the sessions after today) below, as well as the notes.

Common Misconceptions in Special Needs Ministry

• The description: As more churches engage in special needs ministry, we need to take time to dispel some the most common myths. In this session, we’ll discuss common misconceptions, and you’ll leave with practical tools and tips to use at your church. Myths and half-truths that will be discussed are (1) disability ministry is a children’s ministry endeavor, (2) you don’t need to bother until you have someone with special needs come to your church, (3) you must use one particular model, (4) you need a special education professional to run it, (5) it’s just too hard (or, the flipside, “it’s easy”), (6) it’s just another program, (7) it’s all about ministering to people with disabilities, (8) it’s optional, and (9) it’s about people with disabilities.
• The session: Click here
• The notes: Click here

Disability, the Sanctity of Life, and the Church

• The description: In Psalm 78:6, we are instructed to share the works of God with children, “that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn…” Church leaders are motivated to engage in disability ministry because we desire to include those with special needs in our congregations, both the current generations and those to come. However, when we consider Psalm 78:6 as well as the call in Matthew 25 to care for “the least of these,” we must recognize that the individuals with disabilities who are most vulnerable among us are those yet unborn. In this presentation, we will examine Bible verses about the sanctity of life and unpack the ramifications this has for both our understanding disability and our reaction to the rates of abortion of babies with disabilities. Practical ideas for showing the sanctity of all life in your church and to your community will also be discussed. The intended audience for this session is all Christians, not just those currently engaged with the disability community.
• The session: Click here
• The notes: Click here

Finally, I have agreed to speak at two large ministry conferences in 2012, and I'll be sharing more details about those later this week and next week.

Tomorrow I'll be posting the weekly round-up of links related to disability ministry! As usual, if you see one you think I should include (or even if you write one you think would be helpful to others!), shoot me an email: shannon [at] theworksofgoddisplayed [dot] com.