Disability Ministries offers resources and support
How to include people with different abilities as part of the Body of Christ
Disability Ministries is a denominational ministry that serves beyond its own family of churches, providing resources and support to encourage the inclusion of people with disabilities in the life and work of many churches. Resources include information on books and articles related to disability ministry that are both theological and practical, as well as webinars and conferences.
“It goes beyond the Alliance,” says Cynthia Tam, national co-ordinator of Disability Ministries since 2014 (www.CMACan.org/Ministries/Justice-and-Compassion). The Alliance Canada, formerly The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, has about 440 churches. “It has turned into an interdenominational, grassroots network of pastors involved in disability ministries.”
With assistance from the network, Tam has organized half-day workshops and full-day conferences, as well as webinars on disability ministry-related topics such as Becoming a Welcoming Church, Behaviour Management and Addressing Mental Health Concerns.
Tam also co-ordinates volunteer training workshops, organizes speakers for churches (or preaches at events herself) and responds to enquiries from churches on disability-related issues, often related to specific individuals.
Tam finds the heart of Disability Ministries in 1 Corinthians 12 where every person, regardless of ability, belongs and contributes to the Body of Christ.
“Christians are not immune from the stigmatization of disability,” she says. “Churches have been opening their doors, and we are seeing more people with disabilities attending but, as some researchers have pointed out, they could be in the church, but not part of the church – sitting in the sanctuary, but not approached or invited into the life of the church.”
Change has been slow, notes Tam, but several churches have begun raising awareness of the need to minister to people with disabilities. “Quite often,
“It has turned into an interdenominational, grassroots network of pastors involved in disability ministries.”
it is the children’s ministry area that will look for ways to include children with special needs in their Sunday school programs.”
Her passion is for Christians to be united as a Body of Christ. It was the main purpose for releasing her book last fall, Kinship in the Household of God (Pickwick, 2021, reviewed in the Jul/Aug Faith Today). She hopes the book will inspire individuals to see all people as God’s image bearers, loved and valued.
Tam encourages those who have a desire to serve people with disabilities to “be that person” who takes initiative to develop a friendship.
“Be open to approaching someone with a disability and be their friend,” she says. “When people are open to that, they will be changed, they will see disability very differently, and they will begin to see the person and all the unique characteristics that make them who they are.”