Collaborative Partners Blog Series: Joni and Friends

In April and May we are going to introduce several of our very experienced collaborative partners in our community who have come alongside us, our friends, their families and churches to train toward excellent inclusion of our friends and their families. You as Young Life staff and volunteers being aware of these key co-laborers is quite critical for excellence in transition. Historically, as you will read in these blogs, our community "partners” have been the link not just for our Capernaum friends but also for their family members.

We often lead with I Corinthians 12:4-11 as a call toward inclusion of our friends into the body of Christ. What if we read I Corinthians 12:4-11 through the lens of being inclusive of excellent community co-laborers to move us all toward the fullness of the body of Christ? What kind of vision could this give your area? Imagine organizations working together and our friends thriving.

We invite you to introduce yourself to the staff of these ministries if they have a location in your area, and begin to set up potential ways to collaborate as you continue to develop your transition plan with your friends. Have questions? Contact your Capernaum Divisional Coordinator for additional information.




Joni and Friends
Contributor: Bret Welshymer

Transitions can be stressful. When it comes time for a Young Life Capernaum student to transition out of club, it can be particularly difficult if it seems the young adult is being asked to say goodbye to all of their friends—the only real Christian fellowship they have enjoyed.

So how can you make the transition easier?

Consider Joni and Friends a resource.

Young Life wants to prepare “kids for a life-long relationship with Christ and love for His word, His mission and the local church.” And as YL Capernaum seeks to meet this goal with their students, it intersects with the Mission of Joni and Friends: “to communicate the Gospel and equip Christ-honoring Churches worldwide to evangelize and disciple people affected by disabilities.”

To accomplish that goal, Joni and Friends has set about to equip churches to be Irresistible. By that, we mean that a church is so welcoming to individuals and families affected by disability that they are compelled to come.

And that, of course, would be the best-case scenario: Capernaum students would be welcomed wholeheartedly into a congregation, along with their entire family.

While it may seem these churches are rare, be encouraged: there is a movement nationwide of churches realizing that people with disabilities are dear to God’s heart. More and more churches are working towards becoming irresistible. And as you work to help Capernaum young people transition, you can help churches get another step closer, and another step closer.

The Irresistible Church website and ministry training series, created by Joni and Friends, is a great place to start.  The website provides resources and encouragement for those who want to begin or grow a disability ministry in their church. With a free membership on IrresistibleChurch.org, you have access to downloadable training resources under the tab marked “FREE” or you can order a printed copy of each of the booklets on Amazon.com. The first booklet in the training series, Start with Hello, provides a simple, clear path for churches to begin a disability ministry.

Other resources for assisting churches and individuals engage those with disabilities are available on our website: Church Resources and Beyond Suffering Curriculum.

With the best intentions, some churches believe they can be most welcoming to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities by creating a worship experience for them completely separate from the main body of the congregation. While that can be good to a point, it is even better for a person to be able to enjoy the full life of the church.

Frequently, the best way to accomplish that is through the partnership of a “buddy.”  The term buddy is used frequently in the world of disability, but the idea mimics a much older concept in the body of Christ: a disciple maker.

For Capernaum students, a buddy can not only provide one-on-one assistance if needed, but can also work to disciple the young person, helping to teach everything from where to find the scripture for the sermon to how to interact appropriately with the opposite gender. For ideas, read the Irresistible Church booklet Call Me Friend (available in other formats here).

At Joni and Friends, we like to say that disability ministry isn’t complete until people with disabilities are ministering. The Bible assures us in 1 Corinthians 12 that God gives each of His children a spiritual gift. And the purpose of these spiritual gifts is to build up the Body of Christ.

Do you recognize what spiritual gifts your students have? Can they see ways they can serve the church?

Check out People with Disabilities in Christian Community, Gifts of the Spirit and be sure to meet Isaiah, Justin, and Robin.

There’s no magic formula that will quickly ease your students through a transition out of Capernaum club, but there is something better: a compassionate, helper God. Continue to remind your students of His character, and their transition will be a blessing… for the entire Body of Christ.

Joni and Friends is about advancing disability ministry around the world. We are answering the charge found in Luke 14 to "invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind and you will be blessed...make them come in so my house will be full." For further information, write to response@joniandfriends.org.