#Disability&theChurch2025, Care and Support, Church Support, Hidden Disabilities, Mental Health, Mental Health Ministry
Elaina Marchenko
Mental Illness and How it Draws Us Closer to ...

Elaina sits down with Pastor Sergei Marchenko to discuss his experience with mental illness both in his home and church. Pastor Sergei shares hope for the hurting and discussed the importance of mental health awareness in the church, and from the pulpit.

Mental Illness and How it Draws Us Closer to God with Sergei Marchenko: Podcast EP 127
Adult Advocates, Care and Support, Disability Ministry, Special Needs Ministry, Stories
Shannon Blosser
What I Am Thankful For As a Pastor with ...

Ah, Thanksgiving. That festive time of year where we gather around the table with family, friends, or those who are like family to us to share in a feast of turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie and all the foods that can fit on one plate and then some. While Thanksgiving can be about the food and the endless hours of football on television, it also provides us an opportunity to give thanks to God for the blessings we have experienced in life.

What I Am Thankful For As a Pastor with Disabilities
Care and Support, Caregiving, Church Support, Families, Parents, Special Needs Parenting
Elaina Marchenko
How to Care for Caregiving Families with Lisa ...

Elaina sits down and talks with Lisa Jamieson from Walk Right In Ministries about family caregivers, the holidays, and ways the church can better support them.

How to Care for Caregiving Families with Lisa Jamieson: Podcast Ep 126
Key Ministry, Resources, Training Events, Leadership
Stephen Grcevich MD
The Case for Supporting Key Ministry

The training, content, gatherings and experiences that we’ve created for pastors, church staff and ministry volunteers produced with the assistance of like-minded colleagues serving in disability ministry have become our principal service. So much of what we’re able do to help churches welcome and support families, we accomplish by bringing together experts from other ministry organizations.

The Case for Supporting Key Ministry
Caregiving
Jolene Philo
November Is Family Caregiver Awareness Month

November is Caregiver Awareness Month. As someone who became one of my dad’s caregivers before I started school, I grew up thinking everyone in the world was aware of caregivers and caregiving. As a young adult my husband and I cared for a son born with a life-threatening medical condition, and his typical sibling. As members of the sandwich generation, my brother, sister, and I cared for our mother for 15 years after she was diagnosed with dementia. This explains why, when I first heard that November is Caregiver Awareness Month, I was incredulous, and I still am. 

November Is Family Caregiver Awareness Month

Church Support

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Talk with Doc About Disability Ministry 101: Podcast Episode 092

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Talk with Doc About Disability Ministry 101: Podcast Episode 092

Beth sits down with Doc Hunsley, the founder and executive director of SOAR Special Needs Ministry, who will be leading a Ministry Intensive at the Disability & The Church 2024 conference. Doc shares his personal journey of becoming involved in disability ministry as well as his passion for helping churches take the next step towards disability inclusion. Doc's Ministry Intensive – Disability 101 – will cover various aspects of starting and enhancing a disability ministry, including volunteer recruitment, training, programming, and curriculum. Plus Beth learns a fact about Doc that she never would have guessed.

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Family Care Plans: Podcast Episode 091

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Family Care Plans: Podcast Episode 091

In episode 091 of Key Ministry the Podcast, Sandra shares an idea for organizing care for disability families in your church and how the parable of the Good Samaritan provides guiding principles for how and why we provide that care.

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The Power of Perspective and Flexibility in Ministry: Podcast Episode 090

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The Power of Perspective and Flexibility in Ministry: Podcast Episode 090

In this week’s episode, Garett reflects on how life experiences shape our ministry perspectives while looking at the importance of being flexible in ministry with the goal of reaching more people with the hope of Jesus. He encourages us consider and embrace a ministry approach similar to that of the four friends who found a way to take their paralyzed friend to Jesus rather than allowing our preferences to dictate how we operate our churches.

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Four Indicators of Momentum Shift for Mental Health Ministry: Podcast Episode 088

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Four Indicators of Momentum Shift for Mental Health Ministry: Podcast Episode 088

When an impossible catch suddenly changes the direction and momentum of a game, the crowd ignites with joy and excitement. In a similar way, when ministry results start showing up, the impact is as great as that amazing catch in a game. Here are four indicators that mental health ministry is poised for a significant momentum shift.

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Putting Off and Putting On: Dealing with Ministry Envy

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Putting Off and Putting On: Dealing with Ministry Envy

As a disability ministry leader, do you ever feel like you are caught up in a “Bigger or Better Party?” Do you find yourself comparing the ministry God has given to you with the ministry work of others? Have you ever found yourself longing for your ministry work to be bigger or better? Or, perhaps, both bigger and better? Steph Hubach writes on ministry envy, and how we should put on love.

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My 3 Favorite Things About Night To Shine Podcast Episode: 087

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My 3 Favorite Things About Night To Shine Podcast Episode: 087

In this week’s episode of Key Ministry the Podcast, Beth Golik shares her 3 favorite things about Night to Shine. She shares the benefits not only for those who attend Night to Shine, but also the benefits for the church congregation and the surrounding communities!

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You’re Invited: Join the Mental Health Ministry Leaders Group

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You’re Invited: Join the Mental Health Ministry Leaders Group

One of Key Ministry’s most successful resources has been the SNAD Leaders Facebook group. SNAD stands for Special Needs and Disability ministry leaders. We would love for our group for Mental Health Ministry Leaders to accelerate mental health ministry as effectively as SNAD has been able to accelerate disability ministry. Here’s a quick article on what this group is about, and why you should join.

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Supporting Students with Invisible Disabilities Podcast Episode: 086

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Supporting Students with Invisible Disabilities Podcast Episode: 086

In this week’s episode of Key Ministry The Podcast, Sandra Peoples discusses hidden disabilities, and how we, as The Church, can better support these students with invisible disabilities.

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Welcome to Disability Ministry… What Would You Say You Do Here? Podcast Episode 085

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Welcome to Disability Ministry… What Would You Say You Do Here? Podcast Episode 085

In this week’s episode of Key Ministry: The Podcast, Garett will share ideas on how we can be better prepared to cast the vision and mission of disability ministry and the tangible ways we can do that in our churches.

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Neurodiversity, Relationships and Mental and Spiritual Health: An Interview with Dr. Stephanie C. Holmes Part 2: Podcast Episode 084

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Neurodiversity, Relationships and Mental and Spiritual Health: An Interview with Dr. Stephanie C. Holmes Part 2: Podcast Episode 084

Today’s podcast and blog is part 2 of a 2-part conversation with Dr. Stephanie C. Holmes. You might want to listen to part 1 or read that transcript before going on to this second part. The entire conversation is packed with information about autism that’s important to ministry leaders, parents, couples and individuals.