Course Dates:
January 13 – February 21, 2025
The puzzle piece of autism, a traditional representation of this population, can be an important part of Jesus’ puzzle.
Recent data shows that about 1 in 44 children have been identified with autism spectrum disorder*, but few churches have ministries that serve these children and their families. This course is designed for individuals who are looking to design new autism ministries within their churches, and reflects decades of personal experience: The instructor and his wife are parents of three autistic sons. The autism ministry he has developed in churches where he is a youth worker let similar families and friends of autistic persons know the church values their relationships with God and want their children to develop divine relationships as well.
This six-week course requires participation in discussion forums, light reading, completion of a short interview, and observation of an existing ministry.
*Estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network
Learners will need to obtain this book: Autism and the Church by Barbara J. Newman, Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew by Ellen Notbalm, and I See Things Differently: A First Look at Autism by Pat Thomas.
This course is eligible for 1.5 CEU.