Churches
Our comprehensive suite of resources is built to help your church gain the knowledge, strategies, and faith-driven skills to build and maintain a disability-inclusive environment. No matter what stage your church is at—from seeking the latest materials for a long-standing program to learning more about disability in general—you’ll find countless resources to fit your needs.
Type: PDF
What is Special Needs Ministry?
Finding a church that is welcoming to people with disabilities can be very difficult. Joni & Friends hopes to equip churches around the world to disciple people affected by disabilities! ....
Video PDF7 Ideas to Help Memorize Scripture
Let’s prioritize making Scripture available and accessible to all, including those in your children’s ministry and disability ministry settings. ....
PDFTeaching Kids about Disability: Disability Awareness Training Stations
Fun activities for experiencing life with various disabilities. ....
PDFThe Five Stages of Culture Change
What does it look like to mature and grow in disability ministry with churches that have different styles, sizes and budgets? ....
Video PDFUnderstanding Autism
A guide to understanding autism and answer to four questions about autism: What Is Autism? How Common Is Autism? How Does Autism Impact Participation at Church? What Can You Do? ....
PDFWays to Communicate with a Deaf Person
A comprehensive guide to effective communication with Deaf individuals. Packed with practical tips and insights, this resource aims to bridge communication gaps and foster understanding. Join us in creating a more inclusive world by accessing this valuable tool today! ....
Video PDFTop 10 VBS Tips
As you consider VBS this summer, take steps to better welcome, include, and enfold those experiencing disability. Here are 10 helpful tips: ....
PDFSensoryTools: Get Started
Discover how to create a simple sensory tool kit to benefit a wide range of sensory processing issues at church, such as difficulty with attention, staying seated, fidgeting, anxiety, sensory overload, sensory-seeking behaviors, and overall calming. This video series will show you how to use these tools effectively to address some of the most common behavior-related sensory processing issues. Havi ....
Video PDFChanging Church Culture
Without a fundamental culture of inclusivity, “disability ministry” can actually cause even more isolation and distance people with special needs. So, how does a church culture go from excluding people with disabilities to embracing them as equal members of the body of Christ? ....
Video PDFRemoving Barriers
Clear steps to removing seen and unseen barriers within your church. ....
Video PDFDisciplining Kids in Foster Care: Unit 3
Welcome to unit 3. By the end of this session you will be able to, understand the unique circumstances of children in foster care impacts discipline, know key principles for disciplining kids in care and be able to avoid retraumatizing children in foster care when they struggle with their behavior. ....
Video PDFNonverbal Communication
Tips to communicate with those who use alternative ways to communicate and prevent confusion and potential challenging behaviors in the process. ....
PDFThere's This Kid...Anxiety
What is anxiety and what does it look like in a Sunday School classroom? Use these tips and strategies to help students with anxiety feel comfortable enough in your classroom to absorb gospel truths. ....
PDFDiscipleship in Disability
A breakdown of what is a disciple, differences in the Body of Christ and how disciples make disciples - all through the lens of disability. ....
PDFTeaching the Concept of Salvation
How you teach the concept of salvation may look very different depending on your audience. Here you will find a few ways of presenting this lesson that will appeal to various age groups. ....
PDFBuilding a Disability Ministry that Lasts
Structuring your Disability Ministry and building a disability ministry that lasts. ....
Video PDFDealing with Challenging Behaviors
“Behavior modification” can sound intimidating and unattainable, but with a few key tips and perspectives we can face challenging behavior head-on with greater confidence, and ultimately, share the gospel more effectively! ....
Video PDFUnderstanding Kids in Foster Care: Unit 1
In today's video we will take a deep dive on understanding kids from care. By the end of this unit you will know some key facts about the foster care system, understand that many kids in care have experienced complex trauma, and recognize how this affects their feelings and behaviors. ....
Video PDFNext Steps: Unit 5
Let's recap! We have learned so much about trauma, how to form a trauma informed ministry, how to love on children in foster care and tips on how they can thrive within your ministry ....
Video PDFHelping with Life Transitions
Engaging young adults with disabilities into the life of your church. ....
PDFA Beginner's Guide to Trauma-Informed Children's Ministry
This Beginner's Guide to Trauma-Informed Children's Ministry describes the widespread impact of childhood trauma, offers a research-based framework for constructing a trauma-informed children's ministry, and provides eight practical tips for helping children feel safe, in-control, loved, and valued in their church community. ....
PDFEngaging Church Leadership
How to talk to church leadership and get them excited about disability. ....
Video PDFConnecting with Kids in Foster Care: Unit 2
Welcome to unit 2. By the end of this unit you will learn the importance of supporting healthy relationships, how to be a warm and caring presence and how to be able to connect with foster children in a personal way. ....
PDF VideoEffective Ministry to Kids and Youth in Foster Care: Intro
A four-unit mini course to help equip churches to serve children and youth in the foster care system. Through this course, participants will gain a vision for reaching kids in the foster care system, understand the challenges that kids in foster care face at church, connect and build trust with kids in foster care, de-escalate conflicts and discipline with love, and create a supportive ministry en ....
Video PDF5 Steps to Starting a Special Needs Ministry & Disability Ministry Models
This video provides five tangible steps any church can take towards providing meaningful support to people of all abilities. Also included is a document describing disability ministry models. What is a “ministry model?” A good ministry model enables people to encounter Christ. These suggested ministry models for disability ministry are built under the assumption that a unified church (disabled ....
Video PDFDisability Etiquette
Disability etiquette helps you to focus on the person, not the disability. Begin by using “people-first language,” putting the emphasis on the individual, not on the disability. It’s a subtle difference but speaks volumes! ....
PDF10 Tips for Helping Kids in Foster Care Succeed at Church: Unit 4
In this final session you will learn practical tips for helping children in the foster care succeed at church. You will learn, child - centered language, setting learning goals, meet individual needs and so much more. ....
Video PDFTen Tips for Pastors
Pastors have the privilege of modeling the heart of God for people who are impacted by disability in a variety of ways. ....
PDF5 Tips for Hosting a Sensory-Friendly Worship Service
We are all designed to worship our Creator — through prayer and service and praise — both as individuals and as the church family. But sometimes corporate worship services can be challenging for those with sensory-processing differences. ....
PDFAdditional Resources
