You may already be involved with special needs ministry at your church, or it might be something that you know is important but don’t have many supports in place. Regardless, we always question whether what we’re doing is the ‘best way’, and the challenges we encounter send us seeking affirmation that we are on the right path. In her book, “Leading A Special Needs Ministry: A Practical Guide to Including Children and Loving Families,” Amy Fenton Lee includes useful and encouraging material no matter where you and your church are on the journey of inclusive children’s ministry.

This is a beautiful book, well-designed with visual cues and formatting that make it easy to reference and engage with. It is not so long as to be overwhelming, but not too short to be incomplete. Recognizing that no successful children’s ministry operates separately from the families involved, this book is divided into two sections: “Loving Families” and “A Practical Guide to Including Children.” In the back are a number of helpful appendixes, from training outlines to Inclusion Tips and Behavior Management Strategies.

For anyone looking for an up-to-date guide to special needs ministry that focuses on practical approaches and next steps, I highly recommend Amy Fenton Lee’s book. You can purchase copies directly from the publisher or on Amazon.com.

Amy has also produced a volunteer training DVD called “Surviving to Thriving: Successfully Including the Child with Special Needs”  and posts regularly at The Inclusive Church blog. You are welcome to follow The Inclusive Church on Twitter or like them on Facebook for further updates.