Bret Welshymer: How Churches Can Come Alongside Special-Needs Families

About Bret

God uniquely prepared Bret to serve with Joni and Friends, an international ministry serving the spiritual, physical, social, and practical needs of people living with disability around the world.  He grew up with a sister with a significant physical disability, served in pastoral ministry for 19 years focusing on discipleship and counseling, and has spent the past 7 years with Joni and Friends focusing on training and equipping churches to welcome and embrace individual and families impacted by disability to find their place of belonging in the body of Christ.

 

Favorite Quotes

 

“The biggest barrier [to churches reaching out to the disability community] is ignorance. We don’t know what we don’t know.” -Bret

“Our belief system about people with disabilities can lead us astray.” -Bret

“A lot of churches get stuck on care, but we need to get to friendship.” -Bret

“There are people in your church with disabilities whether you know it or not.” -Bret

 

Related Links

joniandfriends.org/church

https://www.facebook.com/joniandfriends.idc/