Working With Churches

A guest post by OJ Aldrich

I believe this is one of the best times in the history of the church to be doing ministry with folks who have a disability. God is doing an amazing work and many churches are asking great questions around how to serve families who are impacted by a child with a disability. I work at a church and volunteer as a Capernaum leader. I’d like to share a couple of ideas I have found to be helpful about how to work with churches.

Capernaum gives us one of the best avenues to partner with churches. Facilities are especially helpful for Capernaum club. Having a room large enough for wheelchairs and accessible bathrooms is a huge advantage. We also serve meals at club, so access to facilities for warming food and storing ice is great. Consistent meeting space is also helpful for our Caparnaum kids so they feel comfortable in the space, especially our friends with sensory issues and anxiety. 

And here’s the great thing: most churches want their space to be used! A lot of churches are used heavily on Sunday, but often sit empty during the week. We have found that Friday nights are great nights for Capernaum because our friends don’t have a lot of social plans, it gives parents a chance to go out, and churches have been very open to letting us use the facility on that night.

So how do you find a church?  We have found it helpful to find a church that has someone already invested in Capernaum. Start with where your team attends church. Look around at churches that have disability programs or partner with groups like Nathaniel’s Hope, Buddy Break, Joni and Friends, etc. They already have a heart for people with disabilities and may not have an answer for their high school students. Capernaum may be exactly what they are looking for to satisfy a felt need in the community. 

I also love the idea of Capernaum partnering with multiple churches, especially as our friends get older. Start seeking out churches in the area that are ready to welcome and minister to them and their families as they transition into adulthood. It’s such a beautiful picture when Young Life can fulfill our vision to let kids know how much they are loved by Jesus and help them transition into a church to serve and be served throughout their life.

Many churches also have small groups that are looking to serve. Ask them to bring meals, serve the food, and hang out. We have found some of our best volunteers this way and it also gives great exposure to our ministry. Young Life alumni and committee folks have also been great connections to serving food and this has lead to even more partnering with other churches.

Partnering with churches can be hard work and sometimes overwhelming, but the dividends are huge. I hope this encourages you to get a vision for partnering with the local church for the sake of our friends. 

O.J. brings almost twenty years of experience in student ministry through his job at Summit Church as well as through his role as a volunteer leader in Young Life and Young Life Capernaum. 

O.J. and his amazing wife Rachael have been married since 2005. They have two daughters and a dog, Farley (named after the illustrious Chris Farley). When not working, O.J. loves hanging out with his daughters, going to the beach with his family, playing guitar, watching movies, reading, traveling, and spending time with Eddie Kaufholz, his BFF.