One thing you might be wondering as you step into, or continue in, disability ministry is “Where can I be trained?” Of course, I’m sure a lot of you don’t have the time to commit to doing a full 4-year degree or attend seminary to get pastoral training. Rest assured, you don’t need to commit to something that intense! I want to show you some of the options that exist, most of them with an online option, for you to get a little extra training that does not require a long-term commitment.
I also want to add that this is absolutely not necessary to be successful in disability ministry–it can just be a helpful tool to add to your toolbox. You may even find the church you’re serving in is willing to help financially with your training.
Joni and Friends Courses
Joni and Friends, an international disability ministry organization, has a number of classes available for you to take as you seek to learn more about serving those affected by disability.These are great for those who do not have an undergraduate and/or graduate degree. A lot of certificates may have those as pre-requisites.
Their most well-known course is Beyond Suffering. Beyond Suffering will provide you with the tools you need to have a successful and inspiring disability ministry. It gives you a great “bird’s eye view” of disability ministry and the many issues and circumstances that surround it. It will equip you to think critically and compassionately about all of these issues. This course can either be done as a 6-month independent study or in a semester format. The course costs $175 + the cost of the book (about $40). However, they do have scholarship opportunities to lower that cost if needed.
Joni and Friends also has other courses and certificates available, such as:
- Curriculum Adaptation
- Autism and the Church
- Welcoming People with Disabilities in the Church
- An Introduction to Special Needs Youth Ministry
- A Practical Guide to Special Needs Children’s Ministry
- An Introduction to Special Needs Children’s Ministry
- Faith Development & Discipleship in Special Needs Children’s Ministry
- An Introduction to Advocacy
- Certificate Program: Special Needs Children’s Ministry
These courses/certificates all range from $40-$200, with the certificate program being the most expensive.
If you’re looking for something free from Joni and Friends, a wonderful resource is their Beyond Suffering: An Introduction for Christian Leaders course. It is only 4 lessons, and all of the materials are included for free on their website. Don’t be fooled by the title. It is for anyone to take and gives a great perspective on the need for disability ministry in the church.
For more information about these courses, visit this page:
https://courses.joniandfriends.org/
Certificate in Disability Ministry from United Theological Seminary
This certificate program is designed for church leaders, pastors, and lay people of all denominations who are either preparing for or are currently involved in ministry to those affected by disability.
This program is accessible to anyone, which is great news! It can either be taken as a stand-alone certificate program or for credit towards an MDiv either at United or another seminary. The total cost of the program looks to be about $3,200 once you’ve completed all 4 courses.
There are weekly online classes, monthly mentoring sessions, and regular involvement in disability ministry to really put to practice what you are learning as you move the classes.
The time commitment is estimated to be about 6 hours/week. This class is set up with wonderful guest lecturers from around the world who are experts in the field of disability ministry.
Overall, this seems like a great program. There isn’t an option for a self-paced course, but I would say the education you are getting during the time you’re in the classes is well worth the commitment if you’re able.
If you’d like to learn more or contact someone about this program, visit this site:
https://united.edu/certificate-in-disability-ministry/
Certificate in Disability Ministry from Moody Bible Institute
Moody Bible Institute offers a certificate in disability ministry that can be completed in one school year, taking 3 classes in one semester and 4 in the other. The cost of their program is $380/credit hour, and it is a 21-credit program. This works out to $7,980 in tuition plus any applicable fees and books.
Moody’s program will help you gain the biblical perspective and practical skills to effectively minister to those affected by disability. They have some really great class options with this program. Here are the classes that are offered:
- Studying and Teaching the Bible
- Applied Human Development
- Special Needs Children and Family Ministry
- Foundations for Children and Family Ministry
- Intro to Disability and the Church or Disability, Society and the Church
- Engaging Disability in the Church
- Supporting Families Impacted by Disability
Another wonderful thing about this program is that you can choose to take these classes either on Moody’s campus in Chicago or online. A couple of the classes are only offered in one of those two places, but that doesn’t change your ability to finish the certificate in the location you wish to as they have options to switch to a different course.
This certificate will give you solid knowledge of how to serve those affected by disability, and the program is overseen by Dr. Beaty, who has many years of experience serving those affected by disability. To learn more about this certificate program, visit this site:
https://www.moody.edu/academics/certificates/disability-ministry/
Graduate Certificate in Disability and Ministry from Western Theological Seminary
This program is offered both on campus in Holland, Michigan, however, they also have a distance learning option. This certificate is for pastors, elders, ministers, church leaders, workers, and volunteers who are interested in and/or engaged in disability ministry.
This certificate is 21 credit hours, with 4 of the courses being electives. The cost per credit hour is $540, which means the whole certificate would cost $11,340. Western Seminary also offers the option to audit the course, which would allow you to pick and choose a couple of courses to take, at the rate of $300 per class. This would definitely be a more affordable option, but you would not earn a certificate of any kind with auditing.
In addition to the general courses that are required to get the certificate, they have some really great elective classes to choose from, such as:
- Disability, the Bible, and Pastoral Imagination
- Healing Ministry of the Church
- We All Worship: Disability and Worship
- Deaf Theology and Ministry
- Intellectual Disability and the Church
- Disability/Theology in Christian Tradition
This certificate program is a great option for getting some really unique classes that aren’t typically available in the few options that do exist for further education in disability ministry. To learn more about this program, visit this site:
https://www.westernsem.edu/academics/degrees/graduate-certificate-disability-ministry/
As you can see, there are some great options for furthering your education in disability ministry, whether that be traditional or non-traditional. It’s a good idea to do your research and make sure you understand what you’re wanting to get out of your learning experience so that you can make the best decision. There are some wonderful, affordable options, and there are some that will cost a little bit more money. I encourage you to take time to pray and ask God to help you in this decision. It is a wonderful thing to have the desire to keep on learning so that inclusive churches are the norm. Happy program hunting!