Ministerios  Especiales    

Luke 14:12-14 Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

Deuteronomy 10:17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

Reach out as the Lord’s church, to the physically challenged and their families, helping them find a place within the body of Christ, and allowing them to experience God’s love and salvation through Jesus Christ his son. 13% of the world’s population suffers from some kind of physical challenge (facts from O.M.S.). They are unreached peoples, and reaching out to them is doing mission work. Many times we ask the Lord to send us as missionaries to far away countries, and we don’t realize that in our own midst are people to whom the gospel of salvation has not been preached. To reach them we prepare ourselves in ways that are different from the ways we have been taught to preach to those who have no physical challenges.

About the different physical challenges. Each one’s characteristics, customs, their social gathering places. Study Braille and sign language. Ask about the different ministries that are already in the world of the physically challenged. There are ministries for the deaf, the blind, people with paralysis, and ministries that are solely dedicated to the mentally challenged and those with Down’s syndrome. How to reach their families must also be studied considering that they also have certain characteristics that make them "special".

We must also solicit help from those trained in Braille, sign language, teachers that work with the physically challenged, etc. and begin to penetrate this different and fascinating world, preparing ourselves to be workers approved by God (2Tim. 2:15).

In total agreement with the pastor of the congregation and with his consent, begin this ministry asking the Lord for his guidance. Intercede for the physically challenged in the area we desire to reach, for the physically challenged around the world and for all of God’s children that are working and will work with these peoples. Without prayer we cannot win the battle. Ask for prayer from prayer groups.

Buildings must be prepared to receive the physically challenged. We must begin to build (if none), restrooms for them ramps so they can access the restrooms, provide materials in Braille for the blind, small electronic signs or with large letters visible to the deaf, etc. We must also begin to think of a Christian audio library for the blind, as they will also need taped messages.

Think about the resources. Money must also be designated to meet the needs of these ministries. We need to resort to renting a special vehicle to transport those in wheelchairs, buy cassettes for the audio library, materials for the classrooms, help for poor families, support the Christian teachers dedicated to this task and don’t have the means for travel to move around and do the work of evangelism, visitations, etc.

In a sense, the physically challenged and their families live in a different world from ours putting together a listing will help us with our task. The church can also ask for permission to offer theatrical works, mimics etc. We could also give out tracks, offer ourselves to volunteer at places of rehabilitation for those with paralysis, institutions etc. All this will help us draw closer and they will start knowing us as the Lord’s church.

It is important that we not invite the physically challenged speaking to them about healing. The load may or may not hear the person that is up to his sovereignty. Only speak to them about God’s love. If a person is not healed, they may never come close to a church again and we may have done more harms than good.

Prepare the congregation for integration. We must be willing to receive the physically challenged as one of our own and learn to be with them and not reject them.