Email
Print
ShareTeaching Beyond Suffering in Peru
Over the last week, James Rene of our Joni and Friends' Christian Institute on Disability was in Lima, Peru teaching at the Christian Missionary Alliance Seminary (CMA). He led our disability ministry course of study called "Beyond Suffering" to 60 key CMA Peruvian pastors -- these men represented more than 400 CMA churches (the largest denomination in Peru). Says James, "These men are serious and committed and it was so exciting to see hearts and minds changed. Most of them never realized how much the Bible talks about God's heart for people with disabilities -- their eyes were opened!"
These CMA pastors signed a covenant to apply what they learned among Peruvians with disabilities. Many expressed immediate plans to make their churches accessible, train their ministry leaders, teach their congregations and begin outreach! Plans are set for a national pastor's conference in Peru in March with over 300 pastors and 2,000 ministry leaders. "Beyond Suffering" and the Luke 14 mandate will be a major theme. President of the CMA, Mario Perez, announced, "We must get the Luke 14 mandate into the DNA of our ministry leaders. Viva Peru!!! Gloria Dios!!!" To find out more about teaching opportunities in other ...
News from Joni and Friends' Christian Institute on Disability!
People with disabilities continue to be greatly encouraged by the many new treatments using adult stem cell therapies. For instance, Christopher Lyles, a Baltimore cancer patient, now has a new trachea -- and scientists say the approach shows great promise for the future. The 30-year-old man was diagnosed with an inoperable tumor in his windpipe and the patient was out of options. "They tried chemotherapy and radiation, but they just couldn't get rid of this tumor," Dr. David Prentice of Family Research Council reported. "They couldn't take it out because they had nothing to put back in in terms of his windpipe, and it was slowly going to choke him to death."
But Christopher Lyles found Dr. Paolo Macchiarini who had developed a technique using the patient's own bone marrow adult stem cells to build new tissue and save many lives. In this case, adult stem cells were used on a sort of scaffold. "The cells grew a whole new windpipe for him." The case adds to the more than 70 different ways in which adult stem cells have successfully been used in a medical treatment, while embryonic stem cell research continues to yield no results. Read more ...
A New Bible Study: Beyond Suffering!
Have you ever suffered physically, emotionally or spiritually and wondered why? Do you have family members or friends with disabilities and struggle to know what to say or how to act around them? Our Joni and Friends’ Christian Institute on Disability (CID) has created a powerful course of study focusing on the theology of suffering, as well as practical ways to minister to special needs families. We encourage you to come to the International Disability Center in 2012 to take our Beyond Suffering certificate course… or, you may purchase the BYS curriculum complete with a leader’s guide and DVD videos. Start a Bible study in your church with this powerful new resource, or make it a part of your personal Bible study plan. Either way, you’ll be blessed by the soul-stirring insights and “… prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…” (1 Peter 3:15).
The College Tour Continues...
Recently Ken and Joni spoke to the “Theology and Disability Ministry” class at The Master’s College in Santa Clarita, CA. Nothing thrills our hearts more than to see a passion for Christ shining bright in a student’s eyes, especially when that student understands the desperate need of giving the Gospel to the world’s neediest – and that’s children and...
Class is in Session!
This week, we are hosting 31 leaders in town to take our "Beyond Suffering: Perspectives on Theology and Disability Ministry" class. The students include our Joni and Friends Field staff, representatives from Indiana Wesleyan University, the Evangelical Free church, and more -- we even have a few Canadians joining in. Once they complete the course, these leaders will be able to go home and create Sunday School curriculum, leadership training, and small group Bible studies from the "Beyond Suffering" material...
This Week in El Salvador!
Right now, a team from our Joni and Friends’ Christian Institute on Disability is in El Salvador, teaching at the Evangelical University of El Salvador – they are leading a class of 90 pastors and 120 students in our Beyond Suffering course which covers a theology of suffering and practical models of disability ministry. We are ‘setting the stage’ for more...
Say Hello to the Future!
What a great group of summer interns we’ve enjoyed this month – these are the faces of the future when it comes to leaders in disability ministry. The first week of internship involved classroom study in our "Beyond Suffering" intensive; the second week, they happily rolled up their sleeves to serve at one of our Joni and Friends’ Family Retreats. These young women were so excited after their two-week internship, they are already planning to sign up for a Cause 4 Life global missions outreach next year. Watch out world! Want to join them? Check out the details at Cause 4 Life!
A Gift of Art...for our International Disability Center
Our good friend Hyatt Moore came to the IDC last week to present to us his beautiful new oil painting – those outstretched hands reaching to heaven say at all! The Christian Institute on Disability team asked Hyatt to create a painting which would be fitting for the cover of our new Beyond Suffering curriculum. We feel his concept truly captures the heart of our Beyond Suffering course of study. And the original? It will proudly hang in the IDC General Assembly room where staff and visitors alike will be inspired to lift happy hearts and hands to our Savior for his amazing grace! Post a comment and tell us what you think of Hyatt's artwork!
Meet More Summer Interns!
Meet Erin, Mollie, and Sara, three of our summer interns. Earlier this week they were in town for our certificate course of study “Beyond Suffering.” And this week? They are packing up and heading out to our next Family Retreat at Murrieta Hot Springs to ‘put into practice’ what they learned! Our two-week summer internships are the best...
Beyond Suffering: It's Study Time...
This week our Joni and Friends' Christian Institute on Disability is hosting 38 students from the US and around the world for our summer intensive. The study session is called "Beyond Suffering: Christian Perspectives on Disability Ministry." This acclaimed course takes a deeper look into the theology, family and church issues, and current cultural topics relating to disability. "This intensive is just that… Intense," says Joni, "after our students complete this certificate course of study, they will have a clearer perspective on God's strategy to reach the world's 1 billion people with disabilities with...
