Ministry News

Ministry and Distractions

Details: Tuesday, 14 June 2011 00:00

A North Carolina church faced a potentially embarrassing PR nightmare and highlighted the need for churches to accommodate the disabled when ushers escorted a special needs child and his mother out of the sanctuary and the mother contacted a local news outlet with her story.

Kelly Helms, mother of 12-year-old Jackson Helms, told WSOC-TV that her son was removed from Elevation Church, a multisite church of 8,000 in Charlotte for being a “distraction” during their Easter service on April 24. Immediately after the opening prayer, Jackson, who has cerebral palsy, responded with an “amen" that attracted the attention of Elevation's ushers, who took her and Jackson to the lobby to wait out the remainder of the service.

Helms attempted to contact the pastor with an offer to start a ministry for special needs children but says the idea was rejected. When WSOC-TV contacted the church, a staff member explained that the church focuses on "worship, not ministry" and a meeting Helms had requested with the pastor was canceled.

A statement emailed to the TV station after the story aired said, "Everything we do is about ministry. We focus specifically on our worship and children’s ministries—and we partner with many other ministries in Charlotte. ... This young man and his family were not removed from our church. They were escorted to a nearby section of our church where they watched the service in its entirety."

The church issued a public statement that said, “It is our goal at Elevation to offer a distraction free environment for all our guests. We look forward to resolving any misunderstanding that has occurred.” The pastor then contacted a local advocacy group for the disabled, and asked for special needs training for his staff.

— WSOC-TV, Charlotte, NC

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Comments

0 #19 R L S 2011-06-15 10:35

"The pastor then contacted a local advocacy group for the disabled, and asked for special needs training for his staff." Not once in their statement did I see an apology for being insensitive; after all, the young man and his mom were ALLOWED to VIEW the service from a NEARBY section. :-x

How sad

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0 #18 B.J.Stone 2011-06-15 02:04

This seems a 'classic' example of what has become defination of CHURCH. Biblically it means "the 'CALLED OUT' ones". So at very 'least' there were TWO Baptists attending that Easter Morning who qualified Biblically as 'church attenders' o !f the Baptist persuasion

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0 #17 Don Bowler 2011-06-14 21:49

what was done and siad can not be changed, we can forgive them, place it behind us, and grow from it.
you never know who you might turn away, because of how they look :sad:

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+3 #16 Evan. Cynthia Stout 2011-06-14 10:47

This precisous child and his wonderful family can come to my church any time, any day. any where. The Bible says suffer not the little children for such is a kingdom of God. Shame on that church. What they did to that child - they did to God almighty! Hugs to that boy and I am so proud of him for saying AMEN!

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+1 #15 hl henry 2011-06-14 09:57

How can you worship if you don't believe and believe Jesus wants to touch people who have special needs? Wasn't there someone running and leaping and praising God in the early church who had special needs?(Acts 3:8)

Mark 6:5 NLTAnd because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

Whose House is it anyway:
Isa 56:6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant— 7these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

Pastors and ushers need even more prayer so they treat properly with His compassion and healing..."these the least of my bretheren." (Mat 25:45)

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+2 #14 ladihdrider 2011-06-14 08:43

What would Jesus do? I agree with all that is said here, but let us too remember what would jesus do.... pray for them.

It is so sad, but what is done cannot be taken back, so teach others, lead by example and ask yourself, 'if I made a mistake, what would I want Jesus to do for me?' .... hmmmm for me, forgive.

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+1 #13 B.J.Stone 2011-06-14 08:36

FORTUNATELY we still see a clear 'distinction' between a 'non-pentecostal' numbers oriented church of 'seeker sensitiveness' to the 'sensitive' AS AGAINST THE LOCAL SMALLER PENTECOSTAL WHO ACTUALLY EXPECTS THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE KNOCKING AT THE DOOR OF THEIR MEETING PLACES (MORE ALERT TO HAVING AN OLD FASHIONED PENTECOSTAL BLOWOUT, INCLUDING PRAYER FOR THOSE SEEKING IT BOTH PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY. The expanding, progressive Baptists who at least teach 'blood covenant' ('initial John's baptism of repentence from dead works) should consider sending their ushers INSTEAD to introduce them to WHERE, IN THE FUTURE THEY CAN SEND CANDIDATEs, WHOM INTERRUPTS THEIR 'SENSITIVITY' AS BAPTISTS, UNTO PLACEs WHERE 'INITIAL BAPTISM' IS ONLY BEGINNINGS UNTO BAPTISMs OF THE HS & FIRE !

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+4 #12 Jmanda 2011-06-14 04:46

Unfortunately, when people who do not go to church hear things like this occuring it makes them even more resistant to going to church. They begin to think that all churches are like that. This clearly shows how the way one church behaves models how other churches in general will be viewed by many other people. :sad:

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+1 #11 Pastor Kelvin 2011-06-14 03:36

I happen to pastor a church built as a full blown cafe through out. This church has forgotten what I'm constantly reminding our diverse body at our church, never allow your model to choke out authenticity, freedom and sincere love for people.

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