Our Podcast
“Welcome to The Banquet” is a podcast that inspires by highlighting stories of the dedicated men and women doing ministry amongst the special needs and disability populations and equips those already engaged in the margins by answering the practical, on-the-ground questions of the ministry.
Ep. 33 - Disability Advocate Training
The Banquet Network hosted an online disability advocate training for individuals and churches on Tuesday November 10, 2020. In this podcast, we share valuable resources to help and support churches in becoming more disability inclusive.
Ep. 32 - Understanding Adults with Disabilities and How the Church can Step in
Katie Long, Administrative Assistant at Arrowhead Bible Camp in Brackney, PA, shares the history of adults with disabilities in the US and where we are now. Katie also discusses how the church to step in and reach out to the disability community.
Ep. 31 - Bridging the Gap between the Church and Adults
ith Disabilities
Rebecca Wall discusses the gap between the Church and the adult disability community and shares how the Church can bridge the gap.
Ep. 30 - Let’s Hear it for the Dad’s
Jay Perkins speaks from an honest and transparent perspective as the father of a child who has special needs and how disability has transformed his outlook on life.
Ep. 29 - Pools of Bethesda, Together Conference 2020
Amberle Brown, co-founder of The Banquet Network, discusses the Pools of Bethesda exercise during a breakout session at the 2020 Together Conference in Atlanta, GA. Amberle shares how Jesus approaches people with disabilities and how we can do the same today.
Ep. 28 - An Image-Bearer Ministering to Another Image-Bearer
Dr. Chris Hulshof, an associate professor for Liberty University’s School of Divinity, shares how we can love, serve, and support people with disabilities in our own communities. He offers insight on parental grief, being known-loved-&-celebrated, and how disability inclusion doesn’t have to begin with a ministry or program.
Ep. 27 - Considering those in your congregations and Communities
Allison Fournier shares her recent experience as a mom of a child who has special needs during the COVID-19 outbreak. Katie Matthews, Coaching and Programs Manager, also guest stars on this episode. We hope this podcast is a helpful resource to you and encourages the Church to extend and extra hand to the families and individuals affected by disability during this time in our world.
Ep. 26 - Learning Inclusion From the Early Church
Director of Operations, Hunter Brown, discusses how we can learn from the early church during a breakout session at the 2020 Together Conference in Atlanta, GA.
Ep. 25 - QCommons: A More Hopeful Future, being present at the Table
The Banquet Network hosted Baltimore QCommons Event in 2019 where Christians are educated on how they can bring hope and leadership to their communities in a critical moment in their culture for their city. Derek Miller, Executive Director of Hope Springs in Baltimore, MD, works with individuals affected by HIV and speaks on how to welcome them into your community and family.
Ep. 24 - QCommons: Standing for the Vulnerable
The Banquet Network hosted Baltimore QCommons Event in 2019 where Christians are educated on how they can bring hope and leadership to their communities in a critical moment in their culture for their city. Jenny Yang is the SVP of Advocacy and Policy at World Relief. She shares about her passions and work with the refugees and immigrants.
Ep. 23 - QCommons: The Gospel of Un-loneliness
The Banquet Network hosted Baltimore QCommons Event in 2019 where Christians are educated on how they can bring hope and leadership to their communities in a critical moment in their culture for their city. Co-founder of The Banquet Network, Amberle Brown, shares a message on how the gospel meets people in their loneliness.
Ep. 22 - Caring for People with Hidden Disabilities
Whether you are aware of it or not, there are people in your church with invisible disabilities. We explore with Josh on how you can proactively extend care as church leaders and members.
Ep. 21 - Making Church More Accessible to People with Vision Impairments
As someone with low vision, Amberle speaks from her personal experience on ten easy ways to make your church more accessible to someone with a vision impairment and the importance of this type of inclusivity.
Ep. 20 - A Place for us: Ability-Diverse Church (Pt. 3 of 3)
Hear from a family’s perspective on what it’s like to serve and lead at a church plant that whose special needs population is integral to who they are and their mission.
Ep. 19 - How Relationship Influences Missionality & Intentionality (Pt. 2 of 3)
Churches start churches. Cresthill and The Gathering Place put an emphasis on their relationship with God and one another as the thing that fuels reaching a highly unreached population.
Ep. 18 - God Led us to Plant a Special Needs Church (Pt. 1 of 3)
The Gathering Place may be the only church of its kind. Hear the story of pastors working together to plant a church that intentionally welcomes families affected by special needs and disabilities.
Ep. 17 - Self-Awareness & Components of a Leader (Pt. 2 of 2)
As more people begin to think through disability inclusion and incorporating it into their church DNA and their personal lives, people who are willing to cultivate leadership skills and self-awareness are needed.
Ep. 16 - Starting a Disability Ministry (Pt. 1 of 2)
You might feel intimidated speaking with your pastor about starting a disability ministry, but your ideas are worth celebrating! Pastor Mike Crawford gives encouragement to those eager to move the needle forward.
Ep. 15 - Closing the Gap of Disparity in Resources for Children at the Margins
Children at the margins often face multiple layers of marginalization along with disability. Together, the Church has the resources and privileges to step into these areas and respond in love.
Ep. 14 - Free to be: Changing the Story of Disability Through Respite Ministry
Most of the time, kids who have disabilities are expected to fit into the world’s model of expectations. rEcess respite nights allow children to be freed from those expectations and to fully be themselves. Offering respite at your church not only serves the kids, but also shows Christ’s love to siblings, parents, and the community around them.
Ep. 13 - The Blessing of The Banquet
Journeying to experience the blessing of the Luke 14 banquet with people of all abilities. Who are you inviting to come along with you?
Ep. 12 - Healing Ethnocentrism Through the Unifying Power of the Gospel
Finding unity in the Gospel amidst a church with people of varying abilities, cultures, and languages requires embracing discomfort and celebrating differences.
Ep. 11 - Healthcare: Changing the Profound Disparity of Care for People with Disabilities
Reshaping the idea of success amongst physicians to address the profound disparity of care for people with disabilities in healthcare.
Ep. 10 - Giving Every Child and Parent the Chance to Know Jesus
How keeping families at the center of your ministry allows the Gospel to go forth.
Ep. 9 - Having a Disability Does not Make me Less Human
How misrepresentation in society and the Church is stunting faith and causing people with disabilities to feel less than human.
Ep. 8 - Growing Disciples of all Abilities to Reach the World for Christ
On discipling people with disabilities within the Church to reach the local and global community as God has gifted them.
Ep. 7 - Life After High School: What's Left for the Special Needs Child?
When a neuro-typical teen graduates from high school, we say “this is the beginning of your future” or “you can be anything you want to be.” When a teen with special needs that is unable to attend college or hold a job graduates, what is left for them? Lainie Browning partnered with her church to assess the needs of these young adults and worked to fill the gap.
Ep. 6 - Salvation Points Us to Ministry at the Margins
Hunter Brown shares how experiencing the Salvation of Jesus manifests itself in ministry at the margins.
Ep. 5 - Five Fears Church Leaders Face When Considering Disability Inclusion
There are five common fears church leaders face when considering disability inclusion. Pastor Mike Crawford shepherds us through these fears and helps us debunk them as we do with myths.
Ep. 4 - What Do I Say to My Pastor About Disability Inclusion?
What do I say to my pastor or my church leadership if I’m trying to get my church to be a disability inclusive or involved in disability ministry? Listen in as Pastor Mike Crawford shares his thoughts.
Ep. 3 - Full Inclusion & Belonging in the Global Church
Dr. Thomas Hentrich from EcumenAbility points us to full inclusion and belonging in the Church and each person’s unique ability to contribute to the Kingdom across denominations and globally.
Ep. 2 - How Churches can Help Families Cope with Disability
Dr. Bergina Isbell, MD shares her unique perspective as a psychiatric professional on how churches can help families cope with the impacts of disability or special needs.
Ep. 1 - Jesus’ Presence is Uniquely Seen in the Margins of Society
Jim Baker, from the Marginal Mission Network shares how to move away from being insular and how Jesus’ presence is uniquely seen in the margins of society, particularly those with disabilities.