Episode 27: Serving Youth with Special Needs (Bryan Barrineau)

Every church has students with a variety of special education needs, but our youth ministries are often under-equipped to appropriately minister to these students and their families. What should youth workers know about special education and how can they be better equipped to serve these young men and women? 

Discussion includes:

• How can youth workers think theologically about the reality of special needs? 
• How can youth workers better care for students with special needs - especially regarding youth with mild/moderate disabilities. 
• Within the dynamics of regular youth group programming, how do you encourage students to welcome struggling learners? What are some basic modifications we can make? 
• What does ministry look like to students who are on the autism spectrum or have another more significant diagnosis? How can we best care for and disciple them?
• How can youth workers minister to and support parents of students with disabilities? 

Resources mentioned:

• ldaamerica.org - Learning Disabilities Association of America. A great place to learn about various learning disabilities. 
• Stephen Grcevich, Mental Health and the Church: A Ministry Handbook for Including Children and Adults with ADHD, Anxiety, Mood Disorders, and Other Common Mental Health Conditions 
• Amos Yong, The Bible, Disability, and the Church: A New Vision of the People of God

Bryan Barrineau is the Lead Student Pastor at First Baptist in Enterprise, Alabama. He’s been a youth pastor for 22 years, he and his wife have two kids. Bryan recently completed his Doctor in Education from SouthWestern Baptist Theological Seminary, his dissertation was entitled Technology-Mediated Ministry and its implications for local church discipleship. 

Follow Bryan on Twitter: @bryanbarrineau

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