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Every Child Welcome: A Ministry Handbook for Including Kids with Special Needs
A guide to children’s ministry that serves families with special needs
Jesus set a high standard when He said “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” The call is not limited to children who will sit quietly at His feet and listen, who color between the lines, who raise their hands and wait to be called upon, and who work at grade level. Children’s ministries are responsible to be ready to bring children with disabilities to Jesus’ feet too. Every Child Welcome is the guide for leaders and volunteers to assist in purposeful planning and skill development for a ministry inclusive of children with unique needs.
Experienced children’s ministry leaders, and parents of special-needs children themselves, the authors are superbly equipped to offer a thoughtful, thorough approach to creating a positive environment for children―one where all children will be able to digest the important concepts being taught. For leaders and volunteers, Every Child Welcome will provide the knowledge and tools to
• create a welcoming environment before kids arrive
• help children learn more effectively by connecting new information to what they already know
• reinforce the main idea of a lesson, building background knowledge and reviewing important concepts
• supplement instruction with hands-on activities to increase attention and participation
• reinforce and wrap up an activity effectively
Jesus set a high standard when He said “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” The call is not limited to children who will sit quietly at His feet and listen, who color between the lines, who raise their hands and wait to be called upon, and who work at grade level. Children’s ministries are responsible to be ready to bring children with disabilities to Jesus’ feet too. Every Child Welcome is the guide for leaders and volunteers to assist in purposeful planning and skill development for a ministry inclusive of children with unique needs.
Experienced children’s ministry leaders, and parents of special-needs children themselves, the authors are superbly equipped to offer a thoughtful, thorough approach to creating a positive environment for children―one where all children will be able to digest the important concepts being taught. For leaders and volunteers, Every Child Welcome will provide the knowledge and tools to
• create a welcoming environment before kids arrive
• help children learn more effectively by connecting new information to what they already know
• reinforce the main idea of a lesson, building background knowledge and reviewing important concepts
• supplement instruction with hands-on activities to increase attention and participation
• reinforce and wrap up an activity effectively
- GenresChristian Living
176 pages, Paperback
First published April 27, 2015
11 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 6, 2023
An insightful, sweet book that I am glad to have read. Written by 2 former teachers, this gave me a new perspective into how to care for special needs children in Kids Ministry. They gave great practical advice and information I would have otherwise not known about a variety of needs in differing children.
The only reason I am giving this 4 stars is that towards the middle of the book, it began talking less about special needs and for all children. This is beautiful and great, but not what I was looking for when I picked up this book. It still came back after a few chapters to the focus and I would still recommend this book!
The only reason I am giving this 4 stars is that towards the middle of the book, it began talking less about special needs and for all children. This is beautiful and great, but not what I was looking for when I picked up this book. It still came back after a few chapters to the focus and I would still recommend this book!
March 29, 2024
Closer to 4 than 3 but more like 3.5. Good content but not always the best wording and while there's many strategies, most of them will primarily work for low support need kiddos, and maybe some moderate supports needs. Good book if you want to be more disability inclusive at church and have zero experience with it. Less useful if you have any background in childhood disability.
August 12, 2017
Do you have children with special needs in your ministry? Or do you desire to include children with special needs in your ministry? If you have answered yes to either one of these questions then your ministry to children must be accessible to every child that comes through your doors.
Unfortunately in most of our churches, children with special needs are shoved aside due to what seems like insurmountable walls that we have unwittingly place around our church ministries. Yet if you desire to break down these barriers, there is a book that will help you in this endeavor, Every Child Welcome: A Ministry Handbook for Including Kids with Special Needs, by Tate Wetherbee and Jolene Philo. This book is produced by Kregel Publications, takes Jesus’s words spoken to his disciples in the gospels very seriously specifically when he stated “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for two such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
Even if our hearts desire is to minister to all the children in our ministry or welcoming those who have special needs into our ministries, then a game plan needs to be devised to include those who need to hear the gospel in a way that is tangible to their ears. In Every Child Welcome, Weatherbee and Philo demonstrate to children’s ministry leaders how to create an environment that is not only welcoming to children with special needs, but includes them in activities that makes them feel a heart of the local church. One thing that the author stress is to avoid singling any child out due to their inability or problematic actions to any lesson, game, or activity.
With this in mind Weatherbee and Philo lay out a great philosophy of ministry but truly focus on how to practically and faithfully fulfill that philosophy. This is a book that a children’s ministry leader will come back to again and again, not only for ideas for the children’s ministry but how to fine-tune their Ministry to make it more accessible to any and all children who desire to hear God’s word from their local church. As a children’s Minister myself I highly recommend this book as a practical tool for not only children’s pastors but for each and every children’s ministry leader so that their hearts may be melted in their arms may be opened to welcome any and all children who enter their ministry.
This book was provided to me free of charge from Kregel Press in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
Every Child Welcome: A Ministry Handbook for Including Kids with Special Needs
© 2015 by Tate Wetherbee and Jolene Philo
Publisher: Kregel Press
Page Count: 176 Pages
ISBN: 978-0825443503
Unfortunately in most of our churches, children with special needs are shoved aside due to what seems like insurmountable walls that we have unwittingly place around our church ministries. Yet if you desire to break down these barriers, there is a book that will help you in this endeavor, Every Child Welcome: A Ministry Handbook for Including Kids with Special Needs, by Tate Wetherbee and Jolene Philo. This book is produced by Kregel Publications, takes Jesus’s words spoken to his disciples in the gospels very seriously specifically when he stated “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for two such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
Even if our hearts desire is to minister to all the children in our ministry or welcoming those who have special needs into our ministries, then a game plan needs to be devised to include those who need to hear the gospel in a way that is tangible to their ears. In Every Child Welcome, Weatherbee and Philo demonstrate to children’s ministry leaders how to create an environment that is not only welcoming to children with special needs, but includes them in activities that makes them feel a heart of the local church. One thing that the author stress is to avoid singling any child out due to their inability or problematic actions to any lesson, game, or activity.
With this in mind Weatherbee and Philo lay out a great philosophy of ministry but truly focus on how to practically and faithfully fulfill that philosophy. This is a book that a children’s ministry leader will come back to again and again, not only for ideas for the children’s ministry but how to fine-tune their Ministry to make it more accessible to any and all children who desire to hear God’s word from their local church. As a children’s Minister myself I highly recommend this book as a practical tool for not only children’s pastors but for each and every children’s ministry leader so that their hearts may be melted in their arms may be opened to welcome any and all children who enter their ministry.
This book was provided to me free of charge from Kregel Press in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
Every Child Welcome: A Ministry Handbook for Including Kids with Special Needs
© 2015 by Tate Wetherbee and Jolene Philo
Publisher: Kregel Press
Page Count: 176 Pages
ISBN: 978-0825443503
June 29, 2019
This is a wonderful book. It is written by my mom and her friend and colleague. This book is not just for ministry, this book is for everyone that wants to be more inclusive in their personal world.
This book is full of helpful resources. The authors explain through personal experience advice on how to include different learners in ministry. I want to reiterate that this book is not just for ministry workers, it is for everyone who wants to be more inclusive.
You can just tell that the authors care so much about helping other people be more empathetic toward the different needs of people. They don’t make the reader feel stupid or use big words that the outsider to special education can’t understand. They talk through their book with respect and break things down into manageable steps to make anyone feel comfortable.
I am so proud of my mom for writing this book! She was born to help other people and write. She would edit my school papers if I needed it and would help me, not just write it herself. She has been one of the best teachers, who I am still learning from!
If you read just one book, please read this book! We need a more inclusive world and that starts with you. It starts with you educating yourself about different needs.
This book is full of helpful resources. The authors explain through personal experience advice on how to include different learners in ministry. I want to reiterate that this book is not just for ministry workers, it is for everyone who wants to be more inclusive.
You can just tell that the authors care so much about helping other people be more empathetic toward the different needs of people. They don’t make the reader feel stupid or use big words that the outsider to special education can’t understand. They talk through their book with respect and break things down into manageable steps to make anyone feel comfortable.
I am so proud of my mom for writing this book! She was born to help other people and write. She would edit my school papers if I needed it and would help me, not just write it herself. She has been one of the best teachers, who I am still learning from!
If you read just one book, please read this book! We need a more inclusive world and that starts with you. It starts with you educating yourself about different needs.
August 3, 2023
Every Child Welcome is a thoughtful, practical, and compassionate book about how to meet the needs of exceptional children in church ministry. As a special education teacher and children's ministry worker, I found the ideas for adapting church teaching and activities helpful and realistic. The authors obviously have a lot of hands-on experience and suggest ideas that can be readily applied to church teaching settings. It doesn't cover in detail the logistics of forming a special needs ministry in a church, and it doesn't cover disabilities and characteristics in depth. However, if you're looking for practical teaching ideas to reach kids with special needs, this book is a great help.
March 13, 2020
This book is a great resource for Sunday school teachers who want to make Sunday school a positive experience for all of their students -- including those with special needs. Loads of tips and practical ideas for every minute of class -- from drop off to pick up. Many of the ideas are also helpful for children who are standard learners. The authors have the right mindset about the importance of Christian education for all students, and they have given the church a book that is not only helpful -- but inspiring!
July 20, 2024
I recommended this to many people when I was working in ministry! It had such a sweet balance of theological justification and logistical recommendations. Very grounded and loving.
August 18, 2015
When we talk about ministering to and helping children, whether in the church or in the culture, we often use the phrase “the least among us”, in part, to emphasize the responsibility we have to them. They often do not know or cannot be a voice for their own needs so adults are given the responsibility to do so for them. While ministering to them can be a challenge at times, it can also be one of the greatest sources of joy and blessing. There is nothing quite like explaining the gospel of Jesus to a child and seeing the lights turn on in their eyes as you teach them the Bible.
Added to the natural challenges of teaching children are the challenges brought on by children who have special needs. Whether it is autism, learning disorders, physical handicaps, or children who suffer from one form of abuse or another, ministering to children with special needs is a challenge that very few are equipped to handle in a church setting once or twice a week, let alone feel comfortable handling.
As a father of two special needs children (two girls who were born without eyes) and as a children’s teacher in my local church, I am daily living with the challenges of working with children with special needs. While there are a lot of resources out there to help parents with special needs children, there are not many resources to equip children’s workers in the local church to more effectively and confidently minister to special needs children for the few hours a week they might have with them.
Since resources are sparse I welcome new works aimed at equipping children’s ministry workers to work with special needs children. One such new resource is Every Child Welcome: A Ministry Handbook for Including Kids with Special Needs (Kregel, 2015). The authors, Katie Wetherbee and Jolene Philo, are definitely equipped and qualified to write this book. Both of them have children with special needs, have degrees in education, and have spent most of their professional careers teaching special needs children in public schools.
The premise of Every Child Welcome is that every child, despite having special needs, needs to be ministered to with the gospel in the local church. This is grounded in Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:14, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Since Jesus’ statement included ALL children so should the aim of our churches children’s ministry. The kingdom is for every child and “no child is disqualified because of preexisting physical conditions, mental illness, or behavioral issues.” (9)
As the subtitle of the book indicates, this is a handbook. As a handbook, the book is structured more like a manual on how to address needs and apply the numerous strategies the authors lay out in the book. This style of book fits well with the goal of equipping children’s ministry leaders to clearly see, understand, and effectively implement the various suggestions and strategies the authors present.
While the content is presented in a handbook style, it is woven together through the picture of how a person would host dinner guests. Each chapter addresses another stage in the meal process for guests. From the main dish to desert. For ministering to children with special needs this ranges from creating a space that is welcoming and sensitive, to creative ideas for enhancing their learning through fun activities meant to supplement the lesson.
While there many ideas that would work for non-special needs children, the authors definitely give workers a ton of helpful advice and tools that will equip them to more effectively, and less stress-fully, minister to children with special needs. Some readers will feel overwhelmed with all of the advice offered. There is no need to feel like everything in the book needs to be implemented overnight. What you are reading is the result of years of working with children and not overnight quick fixes. It will take time to implement the strategies suggested. There will be trial and error as their was for the authors. But the children are worth it.
Every Child Welcome needs to be read by every children’s pastor and children’s ministry worker. The authors have thought of everything and have presented the material in an easy to read and helpful format for easy referencing. This book will help to ease the natural frustrations that children’s ministry workers may feel when ministering to children with special needs. Though the desire to minister is there, the tools and ability are not always. This book will give you the tools, thus enabling you to minister with more understanding and confidence to those children with special needs that God has brought to your church.
I received this book for free from Kregel for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Added to the natural challenges of teaching children are the challenges brought on by children who have special needs. Whether it is autism, learning disorders, physical handicaps, or children who suffer from one form of abuse or another, ministering to children with special needs is a challenge that very few are equipped to handle in a church setting once or twice a week, let alone feel comfortable handling.
As a father of two special needs children (two girls who were born without eyes) and as a children’s teacher in my local church, I am daily living with the challenges of working with children with special needs. While there are a lot of resources out there to help parents with special needs children, there are not many resources to equip children’s workers in the local church to more effectively and confidently minister to special needs children for the few hours a week they might have with them.
Since resources are sparse I welcome new works aimed at equipping children’s ministry workers to work with special needs children. One such new resource is Every Child Welcome: A Ministry Handbook for Including Kids with Special Needs (Kregel, 2015). The authors, Katie Wetherbee and Jolene Philo, are definitely equipped and qualified to write this book. Both of them have children with special needs, have degrees in education, and have spent most of their professional careers teaching special needs children in public schools.
The premise of Every Child Welcome is that every child, despite having special needs, needs to be ministered to with the gospel in the local church. This is grounded in Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:14, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Since Jesus’ statement included ALL children so should the aim of our churches children’s ministry. The kingdom is for every child and “no child is disqualified because of preexisting physical conditions, mental illness, or behavioral issues.” (9)
As the subtitle of the book indicates, this is a handbook. As a handbook, the book is structured more like a manual on how to address needs and apply the numerous strategies the authors lay out in the book. This style of book fits well with the goal of equipping children’s ministry leaders to clearly see, understand, and effectively implement the various suggestions and strategies the authors present.
While the content is presented in a handbook style, it is woven together through the picture of how a person would host dinner guests. Each chapter addresses another stage in the meal process for guests. From the main dish to desert. For ministering to children with special needs this ranges from creating a space that is welcoming and sensitive, to creative ideas for enhancing their learning through fun activities meant to supplement the lesson.
While there many ideas that would work for non-special needs children, the authors definitely give workers a ton of helpful advice and tools that will equip them to more effectively, and less stress-fully, minister to children with special needs. Some readers will feel overwhelmed with all of the advice offered. There is no need to feel like everything in the book needs to be implemented overnight. What you are reading is the result of years of working with children and not overnight quick fixes. It will take time to implement the strategies suggested. There will be trial and error as their was for the authors. But the children are worth it.
Every Child Welcome needs to be read by every children’s pastor and children’s ministry worker. The authors have thought of everything and have presented the material in an easy to read and helpful format for easy referencing. This book will help to ease the natural frustrations that children’s ministry workers may feel when ministering to children with special needs. Though the desire to minister is there, the tools and ability are not always. This book will give you the tools, thus enabling you to minister with more understanding and confidence to those children with special needs that God has brought to your church.
I received this book for free from Kregel for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
May 11, 2015
What started out to be a promising resource book for our church school program's desire to serve the needs of all children, quickly became a theologically conservative lame duck. This is a book with great ideas to use with all children...not just those with special needs. If you are looking for a specific resource to build up your religious education ministry and equip your teachers and volunteers to work and minister with children on the autism spectrum, those with developmental delays, any non-verbal, ADHD, deviance disorder...you may need to look further.
Sprinkled throughout the book are various suggestions for online resources. Perhaps if digging deeper into them, more constructive special needs suggestions may arise.
Sprinkled throughout the book are various suggestions for online resources. Perhaps if digging deeper into them, more constructive special needs suggestions may arise.
September 21, 2016
I read this for work. Super practical and full of ideas and applications. A fantastic resource for churches and parachurch ministries.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews