handicapped

November is National Adoption Awareness Month. You might wonder what that tidbit of information might have to do with a blog on disabilities and the church. There are a number of convergences when one closely examines the intersection of adoption and disabilities. So, let’s look at a few of these convergences and then look at a few ways local Christians and the local church can intercede on behalf of orphans.

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 As a follow-up to some of my previous posts I have attempted to provide a few concrete steps for starting/developing a disability ministry. Below are guides from The Evangelical Covenant Church of Chicago and the North American Mission Board. Many of the steps will repeat and others might contradict. The point is that you walk away with a sense of direction from these resources. Following the two above-mentioned guides is a list of web resources for you to explore in your ministry efforts (check the recommended books on this page).

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(The author understands that South Park does not, on a whole, promote values consistent with a Christian worldview. However, the author also understands that the Church doesn’t always promote values consistent with a Christian worldview. The point of this piece is to bring to light issues the Church should be addressing, yet allows a show such as South Park to address. This seems incongruous with the role of the Church in our society)

This is the question posed by the creators of South Park eight years ago during the show’s 4th season. Before I get into South Park’s answer, let’s look at what the Church says. The question of how one receives Salvation and subsequently ends up in Heaven or Hell is fraught with debate and speculation. While many strict Protestants will chant faith alone and grace alone few denominations actually maintain that as truth. How would either Catholic or Protestant dogma damn a person with a disability. Let’s look at a few denominational approaches to salvation.

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Michael Hoggat is also the author of Moving to the Manger: A Journey from Exclusion to Inclusion.

I’ve been looking around for good “Christian” examples of people with disabilities in several different mediums for use in this column. However, I found very little from within Christian circles that dealt with issues of any relevance. Therefore, I looked to the secular entertainment industry and found a show that fearlessly addresses issues of utmost importance, and realized that it had a lot to teach me. Unfortunately, due to the reputation for profanity, inappropriate humor and the mocking of certain Christian values, most Christians remain unaware that South Park has been discussing disability, stem-cell research and right-to-die issues with a candor one should expect from within the Church. Many of the episodes that deal with these issues revolve around a fourth-grade boy named Timmy.

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When I was growing up in my Nazarene Church we had a particular tradition. Whenever a month would have a fifth Sunday, that evening (back when people still went to Church twice on Sundays) would be heralded as a Singspiration. This meant that anyone, and everyone, was welcomed to take a stab at singing a solo, duet or some makeshift ensemble in the service. I can’t remember the names or songs sung by most of the members of our congregation, but I do remember three gentlemen who took their opportunity every Singspiration to praise God with a joyful sound. The only name I remember from the group is Jay.

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