Disability Ministry at Bethlehem.pdf

2 Corinthians 12:10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Summary

With gratitude to God for all that He has already done and will do to glorify His name through Bethlehem Baptist Church (BBC), we respectfully request that the Elders affirm and participate in an emerging vision for serving and being served by individuals with disabilities.

The importance of this ministry is difficult to overstate simply because of the numbers of people involved: nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population have a disability, including nearly 12 percent who have a severe disability. Fortunately, this ministry opportunity is consistent with Bethlehem’s values and vision:

• The official documents and emphases of BBC (Mission, Church Covenant, Elder’s Affirmation of Faith, constitution, Staff Emphasis) all support or encourage such ministries.
• BBC’s existing activities, notably Children’s Ministries, have already demonstrated a desire and openness to new ways of including people who learn, behave or respond differently due to disability.
• BBC’s emphasis on God’s sovereignty provides hope and meaning to families and individuals experiencing disability, in contrast to an American culture which would rather individuals with disabilities did not even exist. This is particularly expressed through BBC’s strong stand supporting the lives of the unborn and the otherwise vulnerable, and against the shortterm and immature lifestyles of a materialistic, arrogant American culture.

The emphasis for a ministry for and with individuals with disabilities has both short- and long-term goals and objectives. Beginning this fall, we will initiate several activities, including inclusion of children with disabilities in regular children’s activities when possible, a special class for those children whose disabilities do not allow for inclusion at this time, ‘adoption’ of families/individuals with disabilities into small groups, disability awareness from the pulpit and other informational opportunities such as books and materials in the library, and development of a course on disability and the Bible.

Long term, we intend that individuals with disabilities of all ages and abilities would find their ‘place’ at BBC, strengthening the body through their faithful service to our sovereign God. Because of the multiple-campus configuration, and the potential connection to other churches that have joined Treasuring Christ Together, we anticipate that the full expression of a ministry to individuals with disabilities will have different configurations at different sites.

The remainder of this document is available at the link above (due to length it is not included here).