Connecting special needs parents at your church

Marketing May 25, 2016

We are never meant to walk life’s journey alone. Joys and challenges often come to us in unanticipated ways. Parents know how best laid plans don’t always happen as hoped. Parents of children with special needs likely know this best.

In his book, “Welcoming People with Developmental Disabilities and Their Families: a Practical Guide for Congregations,” Dr. Erik W. Carter points out 71 percent of the families with someone having special needs listed a parent mentor group as the most needed ministry a church could provide. Only 12 percent of the families surveyed had a church mentor group. Below are guidelines to help you start mentor group in your church.

  1. Have a conversation with special needs parents to identify the best time and place.
  2.  Identify the structure of the meeting; will it be a book study, guest speakers, devotion and girl_with_DD_and_mother--Outreach_on_web_flipped.jpgconversation, a periodic social night out? A great book to start with is written by Rev. Dr. Lorna Bradley, “Special Needs Parenting –from Coping to Thriving.” This book is a seven week study specifically written for launching new small groups. It addresses common emotional and spiritual challenges of special needs parents.
  3. Appoint a group leader. Someone who is spiritually mature has a good knowledge and understanding of God’s Word, can listen without judging, can lead a group and give guidance, has the time, energy, and motivation to lead. Typically this may be a parent of a child with special needs. More than one person could be designated as leaders.
  4. Invite, invite, invite. Create awareness inside the congregation: use articles, announcements, emails, website, and social media networking. Create awareness outside the congregation: press release, social media marketing, therapist offices, and local schools for special needs, public school district, and other non-profits who specialize in special needs.
  1. Create an inviting meeting space. Arrange for comfortable seating in a circle, comfortable lighting. Have a sign in sheet and name tags for attendees. Provide tissues! Allow adequate time; we recommend 90 minutes. Light refreshments are an option.
  2. Start the meeting. Open in prayer and invite participants to introduce themselves. For your first meeting, introduce a topic, work through it and discuss. In consecutive meetings, share updates since last meeting. Introduce a topic, work through and discuss. Be sure to gather prayer concerns and close with prayer.
  3. Take care to maintain your mentor group. Communication is key; maintain regular contact, use social media, encourage connections outside of the meetings, add periodic outings and fun events and follow up with anyone who stops attending.

A couple things to keep in mind:

  • Identify if the group should be open or closed to new members.
  • Studies show 6-15 people (or 7 families) is ideal for a mentor group. If there are additional interested parties, one suggestion would be to have an additional mentor group.

For more assistance in sharing the gospel with people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families and communities, contact us. For up-to-date information, “Like” Jesus Cares Ministries on Facebook.